A Spanish influencer trusted AI’s Puerto Rico entry advice; she reached the airport without an ESTA and was prevented from boarding

A holiday to Puerto Rico turned into an airport ordeal for Spanish influencer Mery Caldass after she relied on ChatGPT for travel-document advice and arrived without the authorisation required to board her flight. According to US Customs and Border Protection, travellers from Visa Waiver Program countries must have an approved Electronic System for Travel Authorisation, or ESTA, before boarding a US-bound aircraft or vessel, and the rules explicitly apply to Puerto Rico.

Caldass and her partner, Alejandro Cid, had planned to travel to Puerto Rico for a Bad Bunny concert. In a video shared from the airport, Caldass said she had asked ChatGPT whether they needed a visa and was told they did not. The problem was that the answer missed an important distinction: Spanish citizens can travel to the United States under the Visa Waiver Program for short visits without a traditional visa, but they still need an approved ESTA before boarding. Reports said the couple were prevented from taking their flight because they did not have the required authorisation.

The difference between a visa and an ESTA


The confusion is understandable because an ESTA is not a visa. According to the US Department of State, eligible travellers from Visa Waiver Program countries, including Spain, can visit the United States for tourism or business for up to 90 days without a conventional visa, but they must obtain an approved ESTA before travelling.

Puerto Rico falls under US immigration requirements, meaning eligible Spanish travellers also need ESTA approval before boarding a flight there. That distinction appears to have been the crucial gap in the information Caldass received. Being told she did not need a visa led her to think no travel authorisation was necessary.

When an incomplete answer becomes a costly mistake

The incident highlights a weakness of relying on general-purpose AI for international travel advice. A chatbot may provide an apparently straightforward answer while overlooking a condition that changes what a traveller must do. Entry requirements can vary according to nationality, passport, destination, purpose and travel history, making even a small omission potentially consequential.

According to US Customs and Border Protection, eligible travellers must obtain ESTA authorisation before travelling under the Visa Waiver Program, with travellers advised to submit applications at least 72 hours before departure. An approved ESTA allows an eligible traveller to travel to the United States under the programme, but it does not guarantee admission, which is ultimately decided by CBP officers at the border. In Caldass's case, the problem emerged at the airport when the required authorisation had not been obtained in advance. Even if she had attempted to apply at the check-in desk, the 72-hour recommendation meant there was no assurance that a new application could be processed in time for that flight. The missed requirement therefore became an immediate barrier to travel.

Why official sources still matter

The incident quickly became an online cautionary tale after Caldass shared an emotional account of what had happened. Her experience prompted a wider discussion about the risks of relying on AI for decisions involving travel documents, visa requirements and entry rules. AI can be useful for trip planning, explaining unfamiliar immigration terms and helping travellers identify what they need to check. However, it should not be treated as the final authority, particularly when a mistake could affect whether someone is allowed to board a flight or enter a country.

Immigration rules are set by governments and enforced by border authorities and airlines, and they can vary depending on factors such as nationality, passport, visa status, transit arrangements and the purpose or length of a trip. A chatbot may provide a plausible answer while missing one condition that applies to a particular traveller. For this reason, travellers should always confirm requirements through official government websites, embassies or consulates before travelling. In Caldass's case, the consequences showed how a seemingly small error in travel advice can have immediate and costly results.