A family planning their trip to the USA hit a roadblock when they were told to bring their 3-month-old baby – Harvey Kenyon-Cairns – to the US Embassy for questioning.
According to the paperwork, the baby was refused entry to the US after declaring that he was traveling to the US to commit terrorist activities.
His grandfather, Paul Kenyon, had filled out the form and had no idea that he had checked the wrong box.
Next to the question:
‘Do you seek to engage in or have you ever engaged in terrorist activities, espionage, sabotage, or genocide?’ Paul had accidentally checked ‘yes’.
‘I couldn’t believe that they couldn’t see it was a genuine mistake and that a three-month-old baby would be no harm to anyone.
‘Harvey was even summoned down for an interview to the US Embassy. I really couldn’t believe it.
‘I went down with him and his mum and took him in for the interview, but he can’t even speak as he’s so young.
‘They didn’t appear to have a sense of humour over it at all and couldn’t see the funny side.’
The 62-year-old said the debacle had delayed them so badly they had to change flights – costing them an extra £3000 (around $5000 AUD).
Paul says it’s incredible the question is on the form to begin with.
‘If you are a terrorist – I suspect you’d not be ticking YES on the ESTA form anyway.’
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