A 3-month-old baby was summoned to the U.S. embassy in London after his grandfather mistakenly identified him as a terrorist.
Baby Harvey Kenyon-Cairns was due to fly to Orlando for his first vacation in the states until his grandfather Paul Kenyon made a big error on a visa waiver form.
All international travelers who wish to travel to the U.S. under the Visa Waiver Program must apply for authorization. On the part of the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) form which reads “Do you seek to engage in or have you ever engaged in terrorist activities, espionage, sabotage, or genocide?” Kenyon ticked yes for his grandson instead of no.
He didn't realize his mistake until his grandson’s travel was refused.
The baby was taken from his home to the embassy in London to be questioned by officials. The round trip took about 10 hours, longer than the nine-and-a-half-hour flight time from Manchester to Orlando.
The mess-up cost Kenyon an extra £3,000 ($3,800), as the new visa didn’t arrive in time for the family’s flights.
He flew out on vacation with his wife and granddaughter on the scheduled date, but Harvey and his parents, Faye Kenyon-Cairns, 27, and her partner John Cairns, 31, had to fly out separately a few days later.
According to an article by The Guardian, Kenyon said, “He’s obviously never engaged in genocide, or espionage, but he has sabotaged quite a few nappies in his time, though I didn’t tell them that at the U.S. embassy.”
He added: “If you were a terrorist, I suspect you’d not be ticking yes on the ESTA form anyway.”