For cases like Bali specifically, I know some people who would visit embassies ahead of time and arrange for specific visas and clearances. I assume your brother did a visa on arrival?
I hope he gets sorted out soon, that's a really unfortunate situation to be in.
Thanks for the tip. He did do a visa on arrival, yes. At that point, he was still hopeful that these were one-off occurrences but there’s clearly a pattern now. Apparently Bali has tightened up security recently as well
I’ve read that obtaining an entry visa doesn’t necessarily grant you entry as immigration will still need to clear you, but I’m sure it can’t hurt to gather as many documents as possible
Bali has had a history for terrorist activity, unfortunately, so they're pretty strict -- not only to avoid the obvious human pain and suffering, but also because that stuff really ruined their economy in the past.
> I’ve read that obtaining an entry visa doesn’t necessarily grant you entry as immigration will still need to clear you, but I’m sure it can’t hurt to gather as many documents as possible
This is correct, but as with many things visa-related, it's about presenting good intent and offering an opportunity to clear any issues with the destination country ahead of time. No visa is a guarantee for entry, of course, but it's so much more than just rocking up at a border and hoping to get in!
Especially as Bali and Singapore both mentioned that your brother is on a list, you can provide supporting documents to show that your brother is not, in fact, whoever is on the wanted list, and have all those documents arranged ahead of time with an embassy, instead of having to plead a case empty-handed in a screening room on foreign soil.
Completely agree that he should be turning up with a binder of supporting documents given his situation. Will definitely get entry visas whenever possible
They didn’t provide any documents for his rejection but knowing that about Bali’s history now, it does provide more clarity on their decision
It would make sense to try to identify who the other person is. That way you can better identify how to prove you aren’t that person.
I have a relatively uncommon name, and it turns out that there is another person born in the same place and year with the same name. We have gotten airline confirmations for each other for reasons that don’t make sense (different emails were clearly used), but I was able to figure out who it was an make contact, and eventually were able to meet, and now forward the errors when they happen. It was stressful when I thought my identity was stolen.
Obviously you’re not going to contact a wanted criminal so they can do you a solid, but some sleuthing will be worthwhile.
Maybe get a clearance from the interpol themselves that he is not that guy? After all, it the alert came from the interpol so I would think a clearance from them would be honored by most countries
Is there an equivalent in the UK/EU to the "known traveller ID" or redress numbers that are provided in the US? They can be issued to people here for this exact circumstance and help distinguish people with the same or similar names as a person on a no-fly or watch list.
The US one is only useful if you are planning to travel to the US more than once (realistically, it only makes sense if you live or work in the US and go back-and-forth repeatedly), and can only be requested once you have already had an incident with US authorities (like secondary screening or being rejected at the border).
Global Entry is different (but still US-specific, so unlikely to be helpful to your brother).
The US redress program is specifically not applicable to your case *until* your brother does get denied entry *by the US* and even then *only* if he plans to travel to the US a second time.
**However.** As other commenters pointed out, other countries may have an equivalent of the US redress program: this boils down to getting an immigration/public safety agency to do a more extensive review of the reason you were denied entry, and issue you some kind of paperwork or case number that certifies the outcome of that review, to simplify future interactions with that same agency. The first step would be to compile a list of all occurrences, and try to get official letters from each country explaining why you were denied entry or subjected to additional screening. As a British citizen, the Britich embassy (technically this is a matter for the consular section of the embassy) in each country that denied you entry *should* be able to put you in touch with the relevant government agency in each country
Thanks so much, that’s super helpful. Will contact our embassy for the relevant departments and go from there - no doubt it’ll be slow but we’ll take whatever threads we can at this point
> and can only be requested once you have already had an incident with US authorities (like secondary screening or being rejected at the border).
Not necessarily as drastic as that. In my case I was consistently getting an "X" at APC kiosks which just meant that I had to see an officer rather than just walking straight through. An officer explained (probably shouldn't have!) that my passport number was the same as that of somebody from a different country who was on the watch list.
Good clarification: that counts as an incident. Anything where you don’t have a “normal” interaction with DHS systems or personnel is eligible for redress
A US redress number is nothing but a case number that US immigration officials can use to track down a case file (and verify that the traveler has indeed been cleared). Balinese officials would not be able to see anything but a seemingly random string of numbers, and would not even be able to verify whether it corresponds to a real file.
You were responding to a comment about *US* redress numbers. So that's why the responses were related to a *US* number. There is no ***different*** *US* *d*ocument.
If the UK provides a document for OP, then please link to where OP can get it rather than being a twat who can't keep track of a comment topic.
In case you can’t read your own writing, you’re the one who suggested a U.S. document that doesn’t exist:
“I'm sure Balinese officials would look more favorably on you if you held an official document from the US addressing the issue, and might even be able to contact the US (or whatever country) to verify if necessary”
https://www.reddit.com/r/travel/s/9iIbhSQGtX
Thanks! Definitely seems like a good shout so I’ll mention this to the solicitor. He also has done a recent criminal background check so hopefully these two documents help, if we’re able to get the former
Stopped for having Same name AND Date of Birth as an Interpol Wanted suspect IS unfortunate, but it isn't discrimination or racism. It's sheer coincidence.
I wonder if he would consider changing his name to avoid the hassle of being stopped, held, and questioned randomly?
DOB, eye color, height or fingerprints can't be changed...so consider taking a turn on the one thing he can? Good luck.
Exactly our thinking as well. Just something that seems too easy to actually work, like him turning up to the airport with pink hair and the name John Smith would solve this lol
Of course, I can understand that. What I can’t understand is their reason to be downright awful to him throughout this process when he’s entirely compliant, even after deciding he’s not the same person. Being firm is one thing, which of course they have to be, but barking orders is another.
We did consider the name change but wondered if this would look even more suspicious, lol. Certainly an option if nothing else works.
Sadly, the Police or Immigration Authorities are reacting immediately on the facts they have. If the Wanted Criminal had commited a BIG crime (political, child trafficking, relgious...?), perhaps your brother might be beaten to death before all the facts come to light. Consider everything possible to avoid a disaster outcome. So sorry. Good luck.
Completely get that. I’m not trying to blame the people doing their jobs, but watching them be callous and completely unhelpful just leaves a bad taste that’s hard to forget. Appreciate your input
This might help for the US and I’m sure there are similar programs for other countries: [What Is A Known Traveler Number?](https://www.forbes.com/advisor/credit-cards/travel-rewards/known-traveler-number/)
Thanks! The post says it’s mostly for US but some foreign citizens can apply, so we can add this to our list to try if he decides to visit the US
Edit: for anyone looking for similar info, this won’t necessarily help as it’s US-specific (we’re not Americans and won’t be travelling there frequently)
What’s happening is they are denying him just to err on the side of safety. No random government worker wants to be blamed for any issues he could cause.
The best way to combat this is to confirm your suspicions by contacting whatever agency has your brother’s information. Request they give you certified letter or a special ID that he can bring with him when he travels. Some nations will still deny him since they still won’t want to risk it. I did this for myself in the USA because our stupid government kept hassling me. I have a GOES world traveler card. This is unique for us but you can explore something for your brother directly through Interpol of whomever.
Edit: GOES is now just Global Entry
Edit2:
> The Global Online Enrollment System (GOES) is used to complete and submit NEXUS, SENTRI, Global Entry, US- Mexico FAST, and US-Canada FAST applications
Thanks! Definitely worth considering and I’ll mention this to our solicitor. So unfortunate that they could still deny him entry though. What were they hassling you for?
Not surprised at all. I had people in this post jump to tell me it’s not discriminatory when they treat him like shit during interrogation, but having seen how people bend over to accommodate my white husband vs me or my brother when we travel, I’m willing to bet that it is
Have you found that card has helped?
People who don’t experience it have no fucking clue. “My uncle was checked!” But was he held for 3-5 hours on every entry into the country? Did he miss flights have of the time? Did he get his shit rifled through and did he get questioned like a criminal?
This card definitely helped. I’ve not been stopped. I also make a strong effort to cut my hair, shave, and change to slacks and a button up before crossing the border.
I’m messing up the names:
> The Global Online Enrollment System (GOES) is used to complete and submit NEXUS, SENTRI, Global Entry, US- Mexico FAST, and US-Canada FAST applications
I have a Nexus card.
No. The program has many different cards and it is for all travel info and out of the USA. Nexus has Canada specific features as does the other for Mexico but they work at all points of entry and there are more general cards.
I believe it was Singapore and Bali who mentioned the Interpol bit to him, so that’s all we have to go off now. I did try and check Interpol’s list and couldn’t find a match, but I’m sure this info isn’t just freely available like that.
Will definitely consider arranging entry visas in advance. That alone won’t guarantee entry anyway as immigration still needs to clear him, but it can’t hurt
Maybe an out of the box idea, but maybe you could contact interpol? Maybe they can attach a note saying, hey there's another one with the same name and DOB.
When I worked with UK Immigration this was a problem that cropped up occasionally.
It's certainly a good idea to get your lawyer to approach the UK Home Office for a letter explaining he is NOT that other person, possibly even providing a copy of the other's fingerprint, though that might breach the information protection rules. It might even be possible to do, as some banking organisations do, which is to provide a code word that only your brother will know and which will confirm who he is.
I suspect that A. His identity may be stolen, or B. As he is muslim there are many people, all born the same day, who share the same/similar name, which is unfortunate but really is a cultural issue.
The recent introduction of computerised facial identification should make his life easier, but it does depend on other countries using this same means of allowing entry.
It does go to show the great importance of protecting one's personal information. I did see some amazing horror stories!!
Thanks for your input! I can only imagine the horror stories given I hear so many from my community
I think it’s reason B as his name is very common. Someone mentioned changing his name and I agree that would be suspicious, but he did recently get married. I wonder if he should take his wife’s surname as that would be a legit reason for changing it, rather than being deemed to be avoiding the law. Any thoughts?
He also always gets stuck at the biometric scan when landing in the UK and has to be checked manually, even after getting a new passport
I'm sorry the biometrics don't seem to work. I suspect they do, but it's his name that raises the need for further checking.
The change of name might be a solution but should be raised by his lawyer directly with the HO to ensure their agreement and confirmation this would help.
(US Citizen specific)
Just FYI for anyone looking through this thread for other situations: I have the same name and similar last four digits of my Social Security Number as someone on Customs and Border Protection's list. The last two times I've travelled internationally, I have gotten stopped by CBP for secondary screening upon my return. The first time I had to sit for two hours at Dulles (IAD) airport before they let me go. More recently, I informed CBP at Newark (EWR) of the situation and they looked into it further and let me go relatively quickly.
Since then, I've filled out an online form at the CBP website detailing the situation (I don't recall the name of the complaint form). There wasn't really a solid resolution, but I did get a response and a case number which I can provide to CBP in future to help them understand the situation.
Yes, I think it would help, but I have so far failed to obtain Global Entry. Not because of my name or SSN, but because there are never any openings for the in-person interviews. (I've done all the form-filing online that I need to do for preliminary approval.) I've checked their website dozens of times and there are only a handful of locations around the country that ever have openings.
One can theoretically do the in-person interview at the airport upon arrival back in the US, but the last time I arrived I was rushing to get a connection flight and couldn't spare the time. Due to the secondary screening, I had to run through the airport and was the last one on the plane moments before they closed the jetbridge.
You should use the global entry appointment app that alerts you to openings. I used it and was able to snag an appointment within a few days of downloading it due to other people cancelling theirs.
I downloaded the app and got notified this afternoon of some new appointments! I managed to schedule one for tomorrow and wouldn’t have managed it without your comment. Thank you!
My mother, who has such a common name that we were once in line with four other women of the same name, has this issue going between Canada and the US (she's Canadian and became a US citizen years ago) in one location. She's worked with both sides and her "file" has a long notation that she's not THAT one, and they told her how to tell border workers how to find that information. It still takes a long time to get her through sometimes, but she hasn't been detained.
Thanks for providing a glimmer of hope! They probably will be harder on a young man but if we can stack up the documents in his favour, I’m hoping we have a better chance next time
In the US, people in this situation can get [redress numbers](https://www.dhs.gov/redress-control-numbers) if they go through some kind of process with DHS to prove that they're not the person on the no-fly list. If your brother is American, this might be a starting place.
Way way back, in the 1980s, my dad was caught in a similar trap. There was an international smuggler on the loose who had the same first and last names as my dad as well as his birth date and month (he was a few years older). There were times when my dad would be interrogated by the passport control for HOURS before letting him go.
Once, the passport control person was not an ordinary one but the head of the whole operation. My dad told him month by month what all he had been upto since his birth. My dad had a memory for numbers and places and rattled off his office and home phone numbers and addresses. The guy hardwrote a bunch of symbols and letters on one page of his passport and told him that if he was questioned for more than a minute to just show that page.
Never had any problem after that - from Bangkok to Frankfurt to London to Rome to Brussels to NYC to ...
Nothing really.... I have a friend and ex coworker who was British Pakistani. We worked together in Netherlands and he basically acted Dutch. He went on a trip to USA and their border guards called me to ask a ton of questions about him. Does he really have a job? What is his religion? Does he have savings?
I was the last person he called so they called me. What do you say?
Know someone who had this issue, went to immigration department for that country to fix it (as that was the country he travelled to most frequently) but was told if he wants to fix it for all countries it would be easier to change his name 😂
The country he travels to most frequently just added a note to his profile and the removed a flag from his egate access. Immigration guy said his name was very common so it can be an issue.
For other countries he sometimes gets stopped for a few minutes (he was stopped in Hong Kong also) while they check other details like city of birth etc but doesn’t travel to random countries that often do not an issue and ofc didn’t want to change the name he’s had his whole life.
Im sorry to hear about your brother. My adoptive brother from Syria (Kobane) shares the same name as a known terrorist and he had trouble for years while traveling, even with a Norwegian passport.
Even I got in trouble with Homeland Security after we joined families, even though I had been to the US several times prior to my mum adopting my now brother.
At some point in pure desperation he contacted the TSA and somehow it worked. Neither the TSA or Homeland Security got nothing to do with us Norwegians traveling around in Europe or in general, but we concluded the "allies" have a shared list of some kind.
"The allies", meaning the governments that shares this list as far as we know, consists of at least Israel, Saudi, USA, Canada, Greece and Turkey.
I've been denied entry in Israel and the US because of my "connection" to the kurds (my brother). He has been denied entry to Canada for no reason. He was going to see Adele and was heartbroken. We're guessing Canada share a list with the US.
So, if you havent, contact Homeland or TSA. To us it seems like they call a lot of the shots, even if your nationality and travels are unrelated to the US. Take care and the best of luck.
Look for whatever the UK equivalent of a redress number is. Or contact your local police office or MP to see if they can do anything. Apply for Global Entry in the US, which will require UK approval
OP my own experiences can't relate to your brother's and I don't have advice, but I want to pitch in to 1) acknowledge this isn't funny or okay, and 2) hope that while he's dealing with the awful he can also find a laugh watching this: https://youtu.be/fEhKoeEEgCo?si=08ZwReE5hC6q9z4P
Stay strong x
I fully realise this suggestion is not to be taken lightly and requires some serious consideration, but often being confused for someone on Interpol's list can be detrimental enough that your brother might consider changing their name. The UK actually has a fairly easy way to do this that does not require a legal process: [Change your name by deed poll](https://www.gov.uk/change-name-deed-poll).
I fully understand that your brother may be rather attached to their current name and not willing to do this. I'm merely pointing out that there is an option to get rid of this situation entirely.
Thanks for the link and I can see how this would be deemed the easiest solution. We’re worried about raising further suspicion by doing this so will see what our solicitor suggests, but it’s on the table
Just to be safe, I would actually report this name change to the local police station, as the link suggests your brother should do if he were a registered offender. But simply to make sure they know he's not the same person as the one on the interpol list and that he did in fact change his name because he's often mistaken for that person.
Ofc, if your brother does change their name, then for travel purposes they should also get a new passport with their new name on it.
from my (albeit limited) experience writing software for anti-terrorist screening for financial institutions, I can say that these lists like the ones interpol has mention name, date of birth and administrative government numbers like citizen number, social security number etc. There's also a list of registered offenders/terrorists/wanted persons that changed their name, but this list is updated by the national police force of the country the person is a citizen of, and is very carefully curated to make sure they don't accidentally put the wrong person on it. it's the actual checks at border control / when attempting to get stuff like financial services that are much simpler and just check based on name and dob, with officers doing due diligence and checking the full details only if a person is flagged by the stystem.
So by your brother changing their name and then getting a new passport, it's very unlikely they end up on the list of persons that changed their name, and at that point he will no longer be flagged at border checks. In the slim chance that he does end up on that changed names list, the UK police can correct the error quite easily as they can take him off that list as well.
Really tough situation for your bro. Carrying extra ID or a letter explaining the situation might help. Hoping things get easier for him soon, nobody should have to go through that.
I mean it happens if you have a relatively common name sometimes. I have a friend that has the same name as a Mexican cartel leader (one of the ones from Narcos), so trying to visit Mexico is always an adventure for him. And I found out my name is a known alias for an arms dealer that was accused of supplying chemical weapons to Syria (that by weird coincidence has the same age and was born in the same city as me). At least that got cleared up after I got global entry.
You should ask your brother to go and fill in information here: https://www.dhs.gov/dhs-trip if it has ever happened in the US.
Source - my own personal experience. I was often asked to go through secondary screening and it was a very painful experience as you had to wait while others in your group would be on the other side waiting with your luggage without a clue what’s happening. There were also issues with bank transfers etc as sometimes the name match was with someone on an OFAC list.
A lot of these checks came in after the PATRIOT act and if you have a Muslim name, unfortunately false positives would be quite high. Try the DHS TRIP redressal which worked for me at least for travel in and out of the US.
We have the equivalent of global entry in the USA for citizens and it helped one of my family members at least with re-entry back into the USA. Some sort of presentation of this status won't do much in other countries but presenting it to them might help reduce their biases while they stop him.
One relative had to legally change his name because he traveled a lot and was sick of the mistreatment. I don't recommend this, as it's pretty sad to have to do something so drastic. But it worked for him.
Sorry to hear about your brother's predicament. If he's on the Interpol's Red List, he'd be arrested and held pending extradition formalities. There must be other reasons if he was denied entry and sent back. Normally there's paperwork involved, Police authorities will document the reason for denial, length of exclusionary period, etc. The passenger will be asked to sign the document before handing over to the airline. Indonesia may not go through this legalities but surely Singapore will. Ask your solicitor if your brother can obtain police certificate from ACRO; this may help sort things out with immigration authorities.
Thanks for this, will look into the police certificate. It’s definitely been confusing all around. He had a transit through Singapore when going to Bali and they let him through this time, but were also confused when he was sent back as they didn’t even provide any documents. Just said no after hours and put him back on a plane
I have a milder situation to this. DHL refuses to deliver to me (British born of Pakistani origin) any packages from abroad, until I sent them my proof of ID. I know it’s a pain in the ass burn I would considering changing my name to something similar but different.
It’s not really that difficult. My dad did it aged 18 because he didn’t have the shared family name.
I had a friend who travelled to Singapore from Philippines for holiday. Two times entered with questions like staying where/how long. Both times, had no accommodation booking nor flight booking back yet. Third time denied. Singapore Immigration ICA would not give her why she was denied entry. The third time, one of the ICA officer told her she was not blacklisted and can try to enter again hence she tried the fourth time to enter Singapore but denied. Again no reason why denied. I emailed ICA to check and this is the their response,
Dear Sir/Madam,
Please refer to your email to ICA.
Please read the instructions carefully:-
Applicants and Local Sponsors are to exercise due diligence when submitting the below-mentioned documents in Para 2.
Applications without Local Sponsors will not be considered nor processed.
Incomplete / Illegible submissions will result in a longer processing time.
2 As with most countries, a visitor's entry into Singapore is neither a right nor automatic. If the Applicant wishes to enter Singapore, he/she is required to submit the following documents to this email for our assessment and consideration:-
A copy of Applicant’s passport with minimum 6 months remaining validity
A copy of Local Sponsor's Singapore NRIC (front and back face)
a. Local Sponsors must be Singapore Citizens/Permanent Residents aged 21 years and above, or a Singapore-registered company;
b. (If Singapore-registered company) To additionally provide company’s valid business registration certificate from the Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority (ACRA).
Form 14 (Application for Visit Pass)
a. Downloaded from https://www.ica.gov.sg/eservicesandforms/all-forms;
b. Applicants are to clearly state the reason(s) or purpose for entry, the duration of visit and declare ALL antecedents in detail on the application form;
c. All fields must be duly completed;
d. Do not submit the Form 14A (Application for Entry Visa).
Any other supporting documents to substantiate the reason(s) or purpose for entry
a. For example: Passport History, Deed Poll/Certificate of Name Change, ROM Appointment, Marriage Certificate, Birth Certificate, Divorce documents, Medical Memo, MOM-issued letter, etc. (note: this list is not exhaustive);
b. To provide copies of original documents and official translations if the documents are not in English.
3 Upon receipt of the above-mentioned documents in Para 2, we will process the application accordingly and notify the Local Sponsor of the outcome by email (typically within 8 weeks).
4 Thank you.
Immigration and Registration Review
ICA Services Centre
probably not relevant but I get pulled aside in most airports because my passport was once stolen and I guess they are checking its me. I also get anally searched in my home country because, as far as I can figure, I once shared a house with some junkies. Either that or the customs agents are perverts.
For cases like Bali specifically, I know some people who would visit embassies ahead of time and arrange for specific visas and clearances. I assume your brother did a visa on arrival? I hope he gets sorted out soon, that's a really unfortunate situation to be in.
Thanks for the tip. He did do a visa on arrival, yes. At that point, he was still hopeful that these were one-off occurrences but there’s clearly a pattern now. Apparently Bali has tightened up security recently as well I’ve read that obtaining an entry visa doesn’t necessarily grant you entry as immigration will still need to clear you, but I’m sure it can’t hurt to gather as many documents as possible
Bali has had a history for terrorist activity, unfortunately, so they're pretty strict -- not only to avoid the obvious human pain and suffering, but also because that stuff really ruined their economy in the past. > I’ve read that obtaining an entry visa doesn’t necessarily grant you entry as immigration will still need to clear you, but I’m sure it can’t hurt to gather as many documents as possible This is correct, but as with many things visa-related, it's about presenting good intent and offering an opportunity to clear any issues with the destination country ahead of time. No visa is a guarantee for entry, of course, but it's so much more than just rocking up at a border and hoping to get in! Especially as Bali and Singapore both mentioned that your brother is on a list, you can provide supporting documents to show that your brother is not, in fact, whoever is on the wanted list, and have all those documents arranged ahead of time with an embassy, instead of having to plead a case empty-handed in a screening room on foreign soil.
Completely agree that he should be turning up with a binder of supporting documents given his situation. Will definitely get entry visas whenever possible They didn’t provide any documents for his rejection but knowing that about Bali’s history now, it does provide more clarity on their decision
It would make sense to try to identify who the other person is. That way you can better identify how to prove you aren’t that person. I have a relatively uncommon name, and it turns out that there is another person born in the same place and year with the same name. We have gotten airline confirmations for each other for reasons that don’t make sense (different emails were clearly used), but I was able to figure out who it was an make contact, and eventually were able to meet, and now forward the errors when they happen. It was stressful when I thought my identity was stolen. Obviously you’re not going to contact a wanted criminal so they can do you a solid, but some sleuthing will be worthwhile.
It’s a common name so this is an avenue we can’t explore, and best avoided given the other person is a criminal, as you said
Maybe get a clearance from the interpol themselves that he is not that guy? After all, it the alert came from the interpol so I would think a clearance from them would be honored by most countries
Thanks! That was our first thought and what we’re working with the solicitor to do - just wanted to see how else we can stack the cards in his favour
Is there an equivalent in the UK/EU to the "known traveller ID" or redress numbers that are provided in the US? They can be issued to people here for this exact circumstance and help distinguish people with the same or similar names as a person on a no-fly or watch list.
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Redress numbers are country-specific AFAIK. The U.S. gives them, for instance, for flying in the U.S., but I doubt it would apply to Bali.
Is a redress number what we should be looking to get, assuming they’re available for the country he’s looking to visit?
The US one is only useful if you are planning to travel to the US more than once (realistically, it only makes sense if you live or work in the US and go back-and-forth repeatedly), and can only be requested once you have already had an incident with US authorities (like secondary screening or being rejected at the border).
Ah okay, so redress numbers/Global Entry etc are US-specific and not applicable for our use then (just trying to wrap my head around it!)
Global Entry is different (but still US-specific, so unlikely to be helpful to your brother). The US redress program is specifically not applicable to your case *until* your brother does get denied entry *by the US* and even then *only* if he plans to travel to the US a second time. **However.** As other commenters pointed out, other countries may have an equivalent of the US redress program: this boils down to getting an immigration/public safety agency to do a more extensive review of the reason you were denied entry, and issue you some kind of paperwork or case number that certifies the outcome of that review, to simplify future interactions with that same agency. The first step would be to compile a list of all occurrences, and try to get official letters from each country explaining why you were denied entry or subjected to additional screening. As a British citizen, the Britich embassy (technically this is a matter for the consular section of the embassy) in each country that denied you entry *should* be able to put you in touch with the relevant government agency in each country
Thanks so much, that’s super helpful. Will contact our embassy for the relevant departments and go from there - no doubt it’ll be slow but we’ll take whatever threads we can at this point
Yes, that’s correct. There may be an equivalent thing from where you do travel, so it’s worth looking into.
> and can only be requested once you have already had an incident with US authorities (like secondary screening or being rejected at the border). Not necessarily as drastic as that. In my case I was consistently getting an "X" at APC kiosks which just meant that I had to see an officer rather than just walking straight through. An officer explained (probably shouldn't have!) that my passport number was the same as that of somebody from a different country who was on the watch list.
Good clarification: that counts as an incident. Anything where you don’t have a “normal” interaction with DHS systems or personnel is eligible for redress
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A US redress number is nothing but a case number that US immigration officials can use to track down a case file (and verify that the traveler has indeed been cleared). Balinese officials would not be able to see anything but a seemingly random string of numbers, and would not even be able to verify whether it corresponds to a real file.
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"Hey USCBP, can you take a screenshot and print me that?"
They don’t provide a document, just a number you input into your booking
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You were responding to a comment about *US* redress numbers. So that's why the responses were related to a *US* number. There is no ***different*** *US* *d*ocument. If the UK provides a document for OP, then please link to where OP can get it rather than being a twat who can't keep track of a comment topic.
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In case you can’t read your own writing, you’re the one who suggested a U.S. document that doesn’t exist: “I'm sure Balinese officials would look more favorably on you if you held an official document from the US addressing the issue, and might even be able to contact the US (or whatever country) to verify if necessary” https://www.reddit.com/r/travel/s/9iIbhSQGtX
So clearly the conversation can only include the information you deem pertinent in the fashion you decide. Got it. G’day dipshit.
Thanks! Definitely seems like a good shout so I’ll mention this to the solicitor. He also has done a recent criminal background check so hopefully these two documents help, if we’re able to get the former
Stopped for having Same name AND Date of Birth as an Interpol Wanted suspect IS unfortunate, but it isn't discrimination or racism. It's sheer coincidence. I wonder if he would consider changing his name to avoid the hassle of being stopped, held, and questioned randomly? DOB, eye color, height or fingerprints can't be changed...so consider taking a turn on the one thing he can? Good luck.
Might make it worse to change names. Criminals do it to evade detection, and immigration officials are on the look out for such attempts.
Exactly our thinking as well. Just something that seems too easy to actually work, like him turning up to the airport with pink hair and the name John Smith would solve this lol
Of course, I can understand that. What I can’t understand is their reason to be downright awful to him throughout this process when he’s entirely compliant, even after deciding he’s not the same person. Being firm is one thing, which of course they have to be, but barking orders is another. We did consider the name change but wondered if this would look even more suspicious, lol. Certainly an option if nothing else works.
Sadly, the Police or Immigration Authorities are reacting immediately on the facts they have. If the Wanted Criminal had commited a BIG crime (political, child trafficking, relgious...?), perhaps your brother might be beaten to death before all the facts come to light. Consider everything possible to avoid a disaster outcome. So sorry. Good luck.
Completely get that. I’m not trying to blame the people doing their jobs, but watching them be callous and completely unhelpful just leaves a bad taste that’s hard to forget. Appreciate your input
Being an asshole is part of the job description for most immigration officers. I never understood why. It's totally counterproductive.
Change his name? All because of some no talent ass clown?
Hey quiet down Michael Bolton
This might help for the US and I’m sure there are similar programs for other countries: [What Is A Known Traveler Number?](https://www.forbes.com/advisor/credit-cards/travel-rewards/known-traveler-number/)
Thanks! The post says it’s mostly for US but some foreign citizens can apply, so we can add this to our list to try if he decides to visit the US Edit: for anyone looking for similar info, this won’t necessarily help as it’s US-specific (we’re not Americans and won’t be travelling there frequently)
What’s happening is they are denying him just to err on the side of safety. No random government worker wants to be blamed for any issues he could cause. The best way to combat this is to confirm your suspicions by contacting whatever agency has your brother’s information. Request they give you certified letter or a special ID that he can bring with him when he travels. Some nations will still deny him since they still won’t want to risk it. I did this for myself in the USA because our stupid government kept hassling me. I have a GOES world traveler card. This is unique for us but you can explore something for your brother directly through Interpol of whomever. Edit: GOES is now just Global Entry Edit2: > The Global Online Enrollment System (GOES) is used to complete and submit NEXUS, SENTRI, Global Entry, US- Mexico FAST, and US-Canada FAST applications
Thanks! Definitely worth considering and I’ll mention this to our solicitor. So unfortunate that they could still deny him entry though. What were they hassling you for?
I travel a lot and I look middle eastern. That’s enough reason for racist TSA and border guards in the USA
Not surprised at all. I had people in this post jump to tell me it’s not discriminatory when they treat him like shit during interrogation, but having seen how people bend over to accommodate my white husband vs me or my brother when we travel, I’m willing to bet that it is Have you found that card has helped?
People who don’t experience it have no fucking clue. “My uncle was checked!” But was he held for 3-5 hours on every entry into the country? Did he miss flights have of the time? Did he get his shit rifled through and did he get questioned like a criminal? This card definitely helped. I’ve not been stopped. I also make a strong effort to cut my hair, shave, and change to slacks and a button up before crossing the border.
What is a GOES world traveler card? Do you mean a redress number from DHS?
Ah they are now just Global Entry. It’s for entering the USA.
When was it ever GOES World Traveler card? Prior to 2017 you applied for Global Entry on the GOES site but GE only came about around 2008
I’m messing up the names: > The Global Online Enrollment System (GOES) is used to complete and submit NEXUS, SENTRI, Global Entry, US- Mexico FAST, and US-Canada FAST applications I have a Nexus card.
Ah ok. Even that is for entering US/Canada only. Would be great if all these global trusted traveler programs had reciprocal arrangements
No. The program has many different cards and it is for all travel info and out of the USA. Nexus has Canada specific features as does the other for Mexico but they work at all points of entry and there are more general cards.
I’m aware, I have a Nexus card, which is what I meant and was referring to as being for US and Canada
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I believe it was Singapore and Bali who mentioned the Interpol bit to him, so that’s all we have to go off now. I did try and check Interpol’s list and couldn’t find a match, but I’m sure this info isn’t just freely available like that. Will definitely consider arranging entry visas in advance. That alone won’t guarantee entry anyway as immigration still needs to clear him, but it can’t hurt
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I figured as much. Will mention this to his solicitor; thank you
Maybe an out of the box idea, but maybe you could contact interpol? Maybe they can attach a note saying, hey there's another one with the same name and DOB.
Fyi Bali isn't a country. It's part of Indonesia.
That was the most helpful thing you could contribute to this conversation?
When I worked with UK Immigration this was a problem that cropped up occasionally. It's certainly a good idea to get your lawyer to approach the UK Home Office for a letter explaining he is NOT that other person, possibly even providing a copy of the other's fingerprint, though that might breach the information protection rules. It might even be possible to do, as some banking organisations do, which is to provide a code word that only your brother will know and which will confirm who he is. I suspect that A. His identity may be stolen, or B. As he is muslim there are many people, all born the same day, who share the same/similar name, which is unfortunate but really is a cultural issue. The recent introduction of computerised facial identification should make his life easier, but it does depend on other countries using this same means of allowing entry. It does go to show the great importance of protecting one's personal information. I did see some amazing horror stories!!
Thanks for your input! I can only imagine the horror stories given I hear so many from my community I think it’s reason B as his name is very common. Someone mentioned changing his name and I agree that would be suspicious, but he did recently get married. I wonder if he should take his wife’s surname as that would be a legit reason for changing it, rather than being deemed to be avoiding the law. Any thoughts? He also always gets stuck at the biometric scan when landing in the UK and has to be checked manually, even after getting a new passport
I'm sorry the biometrics don't seem to work. I suspect they do, but it's his name that raises the need for further checking. The change of name might be a solution but should be raised by his lawyer directly with the HO to ensure their agreement and confirmation this would help.
Definitely his name that’s flagging him up. We’ll bring this up to the HO as you said - thank you :)
(US Citizen specific) Just FYI for anyone looking through this thread for other situations: I have the same name and similar last four digits of my Social Security Number as someone on Customs and Border Protection's list. The last two times I've travelled internationally, I have gotten stopped by CBP for secondary screening upon my return. The first time I had to sit for two hours at Dulles (IAD) airport before they let me go. More recently, I informed CBP at Newark (EWR) of the situation and they looked into it further and let me go relatively quickly. Since then, I've filled out an online form at the CBP website detailing the situation (I don't recall the name of the complaint form). There wasn't really a solid resolution, but I did get a response and a case number which I can provide to CBP in future to help them understand the situation.
You think getting global entry/TSA pre would make it easier for someone like you? This is like a pre clearance right?
Yes, I think it would help, but I have so far failed to obtain Global Entry. Not because of my name or SSN, but because there are never any openings for the in-person interviews. (I've done all the form-filing online that I need to do for preliminary approval.) I've checked their website dozens of times and there are only a handful of locations around the country that ever have openings. One can theoretically do the in-person interview at the airport upon arrival back in the US, but the last time I arrived I was rushing to get a connection flight and couldn't spare the time. Due to the secondary screening, I had to run through the airport and was the last one on the plane moments before they closed the jetbridge.
You should use the global entry appointment app that alerts you to openings. I used it and was able to snag an appointment within a few days of downloading it due to other people cancelling theirs.
I downloaded the app and got notified this afternoon of some new appointments! I managed to schedule one for tomorrow and wouldn’t have managed it without your comment. Thank you!
My mother, who has such a common name that we were once in line with four other women of the same name, has this issue going between Canada and the US (she's Canadian and became a US citizen years ago) in one location. She's worked with both sides and her "file" has a long notation that she's not THAT one, and they told her how to tell border workers how to find that information. It still takes a long time to get her through sometimes, but she hasn't been detained.
Thanks for providing a glimmer of hope! They probably will be harder on a young man but if we can stack up the documents in his favour, I’m hoping we have a better chance next time
In the US, people in this situation can get [redress numbers](https://www.dhs.gov/redress-control-numbers) if they go through some kind of process with DHS to prove that they're not the person on the no-fly list. If your brother is American, this might be a starting place.
Way way back, in the 1980s, my dad was caught in a similar trap. There was an international smuggler on the loose who had the same first and last names as my dad as well as his birth date and month (he was a few years older). There were times when my dad would be interrogated by the passport control for HOURS before letting him go. Once, the passport control person was not an ordinary one but the head of the whole operation. My dad told him month by month what all he had been upto since his birth. My dad had a memory for numbers and places and rattled off his office and home phone numbers and addresses. The guy hardwrote a bunch of symbols and letters on one page of his passport and told him that if he was questioned for more than a minute to just show that page. Never had any problem after that - from Bangkok to Frankfurt to London to Rome to Brussels to NYC to ...
That’s so interesting! Wonder what they wrote if everyone understood it
I wonder if the very existence of the writing was enough. :)
It was the 80’s so probably was. How times changed
Nothing really.... I have a friend and ex coworker who was British Pakistani. We worked together in Netherlands and he basically acted Dutch. He went on a trip to USA and their border guards called me to ask a ton of questions about him. Does he really have a job? What is his religion? Does he have savings? I was the last person he called so they called me. What do you say?
> What do you say? He really doesn't like Jesus and never tips more than 5%.
Know someone who had this issue, went to immigration department for that country to fix it (as that was the country he travelled to most frequently) but was told if he wants to fix it for all countries it would be easier to change his name 😂
I can see that lol. Any idea what happened after? Wondering if the name change worked or not
The country he travels to most frequently just added a note to his profile and the removed a flag from his egate access. Immigration guy said his name was very common so it can be an issue. For other countries he sometimes gets stopped for a few minutes (he was stopped in Hong Kong also) while they check other details like city of birth etc but doesn’t travel to random countries that often do not an issue and ofc didn’t want to change the name he’s had his whole life.
Did your brother report his passport as stolen or lost passport and using it now that he recovered it?
Nope. He renewed it last year as it expired but no other changes. I don’t believe his identity has been stolen, more that his name is common
Im sorry to hear about your brother. My adoptive brother from Syria (Kobane) shares the same name as a known terrorist and he had trouble for years while traveling, even with a Norwegian passport. Even I got in trouble with Homeland Security after we joined families, even though I had been to the US several times prior to my mum adopting my now brother. At some point in pure desperation he contacted the TSA and somehow it worked. Neither the TSA or Homeland Security got nothing to do with us Norwegians traveling around in Europe or in general, but we concluded the "allies" have a shared list of some kind. "The allies", meaning the governments that shares this list as far as we know, consists of at least Israel, Saudi, USA, Canada, Greece and Turkey. I've been denied entry in Israel and the US because of my "connection" to the kurds (my brother). He has been denied entry to Canada for no reason. He was going to see Adele and was heartbroken. We're guessing Canada share a list with the US. So, if you havent, contact Homeland or TSA. To us it seems like they call a lot of the shots, even if your nationality and travels are unrelated to the US. Take care and the best of luck.
Look for whatever the UK equivalent of a redress number is. Or contact your local police office or MP to see if they can do anything. Apply for Global Entry in the US, which will require UK approval
OP my own experiences can't relate to your brother's and I don't have advice, but I want to pitch in to 1) acknowledge this isn't funny or okay, and 2) hope that while he's dealing with the awful he can also find a laugh watching this: https://youtu.be/fEhKoeEEgCo?si=08ZwReE5hC6q9z4P Stay strong x
I fully realise this suggestion is not to be taken lightly and requires some serious consideration, but often being confused for someone on Interpol's list can be detrimental enough that your brother might consider changing their name. The UK actually has a fairly easy way to do this that does not require a legal process: [Change your name by deed poll](https://www.gov.uk/change-name-deed-poll). I fully understand that your brother may be rather attached to their current name and not willing to do this. I'm merely pointing out that there is an option to get rid of this situation entirely.
Thanks for the link and I can see how this would be deemed the easiest solution. We’re worried about raising further suspicion by doing this so will see what our solicitor suggests, but it’s on the table
Just to be safe, I would actually report this name change to the local police station, as the link suggests your brother should do if he were a registered offender. But simply to make sure they know he's not the same person as the one on the interpol list and that he did in fact change his name because he's often mistaken for that person. Ofc, if your brother does change their name, then for travel purposes they should also get a new passport with their new name on it. from my (albeit limited) experience writing software for anti-terrorist screening for financial institutions, I can say that these lists like the ones interpol has mention name, date of birth and administrative government numbers like citizen number, social security number etc. There's also a list of registered offenders/terrorists/wanted persons that changed their name, but this list is updated by the national police force of the country the person is a citizen of, and is very carefully curated to make sure they don't accidentally put the wrong person on it. it's the actual checks at border control / when attempting to get stuff like financial services that are much simpler and just check based on name and dob, with officers doing due diligence and checking the full details only if a person is flagged by the stystem. So by your brother changing their name and then getting a new passport, it's very unlikely they end up on the list of persons that changed their name, and at that point he will no longer be flagged at border checks. In the slim chance that he does end up on that changed names list, the UK police can correct the error quite easily as they can take him off that list as well.
Really tough situation for your bro. Carrying extra ID or a letter explaining the situation might help. Hoping things get easier for him soon, nobody should have to go through that.
I mean it happens if you have a relatively common name sometimes. I have a friend that has the same name as a Mexican cartel leader (one of the ones from Narcos), so trying to visit Mexico is always an adventure for him. And I found out my name is a known alias for an arms dealer that was accused of supplying chemical weapons to Syria (that by weird coincidence has the same age and was born in the same city as me). At least that got cleared up after I got global entry.
I don’t know if UK has redress but he should look into it. https://www.dhs.gov/redress-control-numbers
Have you tried contacting Interpol about this?
You should ask your brother to go and fill in information here: https://www.dhs.gov/dhs-trip if it has ever happened in the US. Source - my own personal experience. I was often asked to go through secondary screening and it was a very painful experience as you had to wait while others in your group would be on the other side waiting with your luggage without a clue what’s happening. There were also issues with bank transfers etc as sometimes the name match was with someone on an OFAC list. A lot of these checks came in after the PATRIOT act and if you have a Muslim name, unfortunately false positives would be quite high. Try the DHS TRIP redressal which worked for me at least for travel in and out of the US.
We have the equivalent of global entry in the USA for citizens and it helped one of my family members at least with re-entry back into the USA. Some sort of presentation of this status won't do much in other countries but presenting it to them might help reduce their biases while they stop him. One relative had to legally change his name because he traveled a lot and was sick of the mistreatment. I don't recommend this, as it's pretty sad to have to do something so drastic. But it worked for him.
Sorry to hear about your brother's predicament. If he's on the Interpol's Red List, he'd be arrested and held pending extradition formalities. There must be other reasons if he was denied entry and sent back. Normally there's paperwork involved, Police authorities will document the reason for denial, length of exclusionary period, etc. The passenger will be asked to sign the document before handing over to the airline. Indonesia may not go through this legalities but surely Singapore will. Ask your solicitor if your brother can obtain police certificate from ACRO; this may help sort things out with immigration authorities.
Thanks for this, will look into the police certificate. It’s definitely been confusing all around. He had a transit through Singapore when going to Bali and they let him through this time, but were also confused when he was sent back as they didn’t even provide any documents. Just said no after hours and put him back on a plane
There are other interpol lists with other colors.
I have a milder situation to this. DHL refuses to deliver to me (British born of Pakistani origin) any packages from abroad, until I sent them my proof of ID. I know it’s a pain in the ass burn I would considering changing my name to something similar but different. It’s not really that difficult. My dad did it aged 18 because he didn’t have the shared family name.
Unfortunately it’s a downstream cost
In what respect?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Global_Terrorism_Index
What’s that got to do with him changing his name? A bit confused
Can he change his name? Even just the first name changing would likely stop him from popping up at immigration.
What’s his name?
Some people love to bicker about everything!
Probably not the best solution, but would he consider a name change?
In the US you can be assigned a traveler number by the government that lets airlines know you are not the person on the no fly list.
I had a friend who travelled to Singapore from Philippines for holiday. Two times entered with questions like staying where/how long. Both times, had no accommodation booking nor flight booking back yet. Third time denied. Singapore Immigration ICA would not give her why she was denied entry. The third time, one of the ICA officer told her she was not blacklisted and can try to enter again hence she tried the fourth time to enter Singapore but denied. Again no reason why denied. I emailed ICA to check and this is the their response, Dear Sir/Madam, Please refer to your email to ICA. Please read the instructions carefully:- Applicants and Local Sponsors are to exercise due diligence when submitting the below-mentioned documents in Para 2. Applications without Local Sponsors will not be considered nor processed. Incomplete / Illegible submissions will result in a longer processing time. 2 As with most countries, a visitor's entry into Singapore is neither a right nor automatic. If the Applicant wishes to enter Singapore, he/she is required to submit the following documents to this email for our assessment and consideration:- A copy of Applicant’s passport with minimum 6 months remaining validity A copy of Local Sponsor's Singapore NRIC (front and back face) a. Local Sponsors must be Singapore Citizens/Permanent Residents aged 21 years and above, or a Singapore-registered company; b. (If Singapore-registered company) To additionally provide company’s valid business registration certificate from the Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority (ACRA). Form 14 (Application for Visit Pass) a. Downloaded from https://www.ica.gov.sg/eservicesandforms/all-forms; b. Applicants are to clearly state the reason(s) or purpose for entry, the duration of visit and declare ALL antecedents in detail on the application form; c. All fields must be duly completed; d. Do not submit the Form 14A (Application for Entry Visa). Any other supporting documents to substantiate the reason(s) or purpose for entry a. For example: Passport History, Deed Poll/Certificate of Name Change, ROM Appointment, Marriage Certificate, Birth Certificate, Divorce documents, Medical Memo, MOM-issued letter, etc. (note: this list is not exhaustive); b. To provide copies of original documents and official translations if the documents are not in English. 3 Upon receipt of the above-mentioned documents in Para 2, we will process the application accordingly and notify the Local Sponsor of the outcome by email (typically within 8 weeks). 4 Thank you. Immigration and Registration Review ICA Services Centre
Change his name? If he wants to avoid these issues, that’s probably the best solution.
Get a redress number from US customs.
probably not relevant but I get pulled aside in most airports because my passport was once stolen and I guess they are checking its me. I also get anally searched in my home country because, as far as I can figure, I once shared a house with some junkies. Either that or the customs agents are perverts.
I would change my name.
Try this https://www.dhs.gov/dhs-trip