Scotland fan has US visa revoked an hour before flying to World Cup

A Scotland shot instrumentality has told however helium recovered retired an hr earlier flying to the World Cup finals successful the US that his question licence had been revoked.

Michael Wright had been owed to caput disconnected to the States for a imagination 30th day travel with his member and had tickets for Scotland's radical signifier games against Haiti and Morocco.

But helium ended up having to nonstop his member done the information gates astatine Manchester Airport connected his ain erstwhile his visa presumption switched from "approved" to "pending" and yet to "travel not authorised".

Michael, who is from Greenock but present lives successful Australia, said: "I don't deliberation I've ever felt that bad."

He added: "I sent my member done information due to the fact that I inactive wanted him to spell and bask his holiday. And I didn't privation him to spot maine acceptable to interruption down."

He told BBC Scotland News helium could deliberation of "no valid reason" for the alteration successful his visa presumption and the US authorities had not fixed him one.

UK citizens who privation to spell to the United States for up to 90 days without a visa request to use to the country's Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA).

But dozens of fans who filled retired the signifier person said connected societal media that their exertion presumption had changed successful the days starring up to the World Cup kicking disconnected connected Thursday.

Some supporters person present been told to marque last-minute trips to the US Consulate successful Belfast to unafraid support of their visas.

First Minister John Swinney said helium had contacted US officials implicit the contented and would bash "all I tin to help" those affected.

He said: "I person asked officials to convey our anticipation that they tin resoluteness this truthful that Scotland's fans bash not miss out."

Michael, who emigrated to Australia 9 years ago, applied for his ESTA successful March.

He travelled location to Greenock to walk 2 weeks with his household earlier preparing to caput disconnected to the US with nary concerns astir his visa status.

"In my eyes, there's nary valid crushed for them to diminution it," helium said.

"I unrecorded successful what astir radical would accidental is the 2nd hardest state successful the satellite to get a visa. I've been surviving determination astir 10 years, reapplying for visas and completing constabulary checks.

"They (the US authorities) granted it primitively truthful I'm not definite wherefore they've decided to look backmost into it."

When and wherever are Scotland's World Cup games?

Acting adjunct caput of US Homeland Security, Lauren Bis, antecedently told the BBC that the tightening of granting ESTAs was due to the fact that "the Trump medication is enforcing migration laws".

"Under the Visa Waiver Program, each ESTA applications are continuously vetted against instrumentality enforcement and information databases," she said.

"Travellers indispensable supply implicit and truthful information, including each transgression history."

Michael Wright said the precocious U-turn had near him feeling "very raw" - arsenic good arsenic thousands of pounds retired of pocket.

He said: "You're talking astir £4,500 to £5,000 and the lone happening I'm ever going to get the wealth backmost connected is the lucifer tickets.

"But astatine this constituent I don't adjacent privation to instrumentality the wealth backmost connected them – I'll astir apt conscionable springiness them away."

However, helium inactive insists connected "taking the positives" from his World Cup experience.

"I made the travel location and spent astir two-and-a-half weeks backmost successful Scotland with each the household who I evidently don't get to spot each day.

"Now I'll conscionable spell backmost to Australia and ticker the games with my mates."

A spokesperson for the UK's Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office said: "The US authorities sets ESTA and visa requirements. We promote applicants to travel instructions acceptable retired by the US Embassy.

"We proceed to prosecute intimately with the US embassy regarding introduction requirements for British nationals traveling to the World Cup."

In bid to question to America, applicants indispensable implicit a form, wage a fee, and person support earlier travel.

An approved ESTA is usually valid for 2 years and allows aggregate abbreviated visits.

UK citizens with definite transgression convictions oregon migration issues are usually not eligible.

Anyone who does not suffice for an ESTA has to use for a US visa instead, but this tin beryllium a lengthy progress.

Scotland kicks disconnected its World Cup run connected 13 June.

BBC Scotland News has approached the US Embassy successful London and US Customs and Border Protection for comment.