Australian horror story over little-known entry requirement

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Australian traveller strip-searched, held in US prison and deported over little-known entry requirement

Jack Dunn was detained for 30 hours with no access to phone or family because onward flight from US went to neighbouring country

An Australian traveller was denied entry to the US, cavity searched, sent to prison alongside criminals and subsequently deported 30 hours after arriving, due to a little-known entry requirement for the US.

The Victorian student Jack Dunn applied for a visa waiver for his trip to the US in May and planned to travel on to Mexico. He had been warned about the need to prove his plan to exit the US, but was unaware of the rule that requires those entering on the waiver to have booked either a return flight or onward travel to a country that does not border the US.

After arriving in Honolulu Dunn was refused entry to the US and detained at a federal prison until he could be put on a return flight to Australia.

The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade confirmed several Australians have been caught out by the rule and sent back at the border.

Dunn said he had since suffered panic attacks over his detention and called on Dfat to clearly advertise the entry rule on its Smartraveller website so others can avoid his experience.

US government websites explaining eligiblity for the visa waiver program, which Smartraveller advises Australians to consult, do not mention the specific entry rule that resulted in Dunn being deported.

Full story:-
www.theguardian.com/us-news/2022/jun/08/australian-traveller-strip-searched-held-in-us-prison-and-deported-over-little-known-entry-requirement