US Minors' Passports

[kiwieagle]

Has anyone gone to the USA with dual citizen (USA) children and used your NZ passport to enter? Were you allowed on plane? Did you have to pay a fine?

I'm not asking anyone to suggest whether or not to do this, it would be best for anyone to advise US citizens to follow the law but, I'm interested if anyone has done this and what happened.

My children's US passports are expired and we must apply for them in person but we live in Nelson. It's over $700 to travel to and stay in Auckland (applicants have to make an appointment so can't really rely on grabaseat). We do have an appointment for the two days they are processing passports in Wellington, taking the ferry and staying the night it will only cost us $300. The embassy advised me that we might be subject to a fine if we had kids travel on NZ passport. I'm wondering if anyone has had to pay this fine or know anyone that has and what it is? If kids' travelled on NZ passports, embassy advised we would need to get ESTA and bring expired passports and birth certificates. The embassy said we might be delayed at customs (embassy emphasised others have missed onward flights due to this delay), which wouldn't bug us too much as Los Angeles is our destination, but I was wondering if there would be a problem boarding the plane. We've never travelled on ESTA (I-94 cards still used when we last travelled to US with a need for Visa Waiver) and when I was filling out the form I noticed that it asks country of birth. Has anyone had any experience with this and does the airline notice this? If we make the decision to travel on NZ passports, we would tell customs exactly what we've done. Any previous experience with this that anyone can share is welcome!

[Auburn]

I dunno if this will help you or not, but here's my experience. We went to the States back in October. I've not gotten citizenship for my baby (7 months old at time of trip), and her daddy is kiwi. He filled in the visa thing for the two of them, and they went through the U.S. Citizen line with me at LAX. We didn't get any questions coming or going, they just wanted hubby's fingerprints upon entry with me.

[kiwieagle]

Thanks Auburn. We've decided to renew our children's US passports. Our children were born in the US, so we can't really hide that on the visa waiver form. It's little things like this that remind me I live in a remote place! We are lucky that the US consul is going to be in Wellington for a day and a half and got an appointment. We only have to pay for the ferry. This passport renewal is going to cost us $750 and 10 hours of travel! Oh well, at least it's only every 5 years.

[G-Mo]

US citizens must enter the US on a US passport. You are doing the right thing renewing.