Travelling to Vegas - Previously Denied Entry - Advice

[samh86]

Hi all,

Thanks for spending the time reading my rather unique situation. I have pasted the message I have sent to border control, and am awaiting a reply, but it's taking a while due to the government closures.

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I am writing to you ahead of a visit to Vegas, in January. I believe my brother, ###### ######, has previously been in touch several months ago when he visited San Diego.

Approximately 12 years ago my family visited Canada, and the Niagara Falls. Whilst there we wanted to see the American side. As I was only 14 at the time I do not remember exactly what happened, but we tried to cross the border, and upon getting there, I believe we were asked to pay in American Dollars. We did not have any. We then had our eyes scanned, and had to go back to the Canadian side, and I assume marked as having been denied entry.

My brother had some trouble being accepted into San Diego earlier this year, despite having a ESTA and states it was because of the incident at Niagara Falls. He got to passport control, and the system flagged his passport. He was interviewed for an hour, and then let through. The staff at San Diego told him if it was a bigger airport, such as Vegas, this may not have happened, and he would have immediately been sent home.

I am really concerned as to what to do. Me and my partner are visiting for her 30th birthday, and I obviously do not want to get refused entry for something so silly that happened when I was a child, and had no choice over.

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I understand I can apply for a temporary Visa, but to do this I have to have a face to face meeting in London, which would cost several hundreds of pounds in fees, travel costs, etc. I understand this is mainly there for people with criminal convictions.

We are in Vegas for 6 nights. We will have a suitable amount of American dollars on us to last that amount of time, and will not be carrying any documents suggesting I'm trying to remain in the country.

Apologies if there are more appropriate places for my question. Please do suggest.

Thank you for your time.