European Cardiac Surgeons Blocked from AATS Over Recent Mideast Travel

Saturday, May 6, 2017

Submitted by

Joel Dunning

Source

Source Name: Medpagetoday

Source URL: https://www.medpagetoday.com/publichealthpolicy/generalprofessionalissues/65010

Author(s)

by Kristina Fiore , Deputy Managing Editor, MedPage Today

Two European physicians attempting to attend the American Association for Thoracic Surgery meeting in Boston last weekend -- the organization's Centennial -- were turned away by U.S. Customs agents because of their recent travel to certain Middle Eastern countries.

Rock-star thoracic surgeon Pieter Kappetein, MD, PhD, of Erasmus Medical Center in Rotterdam in the Netherlands, and Bernard Eisenmann, MD, former chief of cardiovascular surgery at University Hospital Strasbourg in France, were stopped at U.S. Customs in Dublin and Montreal, respectively, and had to book new flights back to Europe.

Comments

Submitted by Aristotle Protopapas on Thu, 2017-05-11 12:36

In the days of global travel, we tend to forget that sovereign countries grant the privilege of entrance to foreigners at the discretion of the border agents. Professor Kappetein is to be commended in admitting (according to the source) that he intentionally sought to mislead the US Border Agent. We may only hope that the esteemed academic colleague will be not sanctioned further for his candour by the USA.

Submitted by Joel Dunning on Thu, 2017-05-11 13:30

I cannot see in the article where it says that pieter tried to mislead the US Border Agent. Where is that bit ? Thanks for posting a comment though.

Submitted by Aristotle Protopapas on Thu, 2017-05-11 18:07

Thank you Joel for an important piece of news that may affect many colleagues. Kristina writes : ......"The officer happened to see my (Iranian) visa in my passport, while other times I have been lucky, they told me," Kappetein writes in an email.... The Border Agency seldom happens to notice things, it is their job to look for such stamps and assess overall the situation. They would evoke the following guidance: https://travel.state.gov/content/visas/en/visit/visa-waiver-program.html, specifically: Visa Waiver Program Improvement and Terrorist Travel Prevention Act of 2015 Under the Visa Waiver Program Improvement and Terrorist Travel Prevention Act of 2015, travelers (sic) in the following categories are no longer eligible to travel or be admitted to the United States under the Visa Waiver Program (VWP): ......Nationals of VWP countries who have traveled (sic) to or been present in Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, or Yemen on or after March 1, 2011 (with limited exceptions for travel for diplomatic or military purposes in the service of a VWP country). Nationals of VWP countries who are also nationals of Iran, Iraq, Sudan, or Syria. The guidance has been crystal clear since 2015........

Submitted by Joel Dunning on Thu, 2017-05-11 18:27

Thanks. That is very useful. I have an iranian visa and a syrian visa both from 2010 so that information is very helpful. Hopefully I should be okay when I come to the US in June !