POE Jan 3rd

[ashenflowers 5]

I can't believe how painless this crossing was. I was expecting a lot more hassle. We got there around 9am I think, on a Sunday. Basically no line, as there was just one person in front of us. The CBP took our passports, and I told her we're activating a K1 Visa. I don't remember exactly what she said, but I remember her asking if we were already married (lol), and I said no. she asked if we had any food, and I told her that we had cat food, but it was just the dry kind. She kinda made a face but did nothing about it... lol Then she did some computer stuff, and radioed to secondary and told us where to go, which was like, pulling ahead 50 ft where a guy told us exactly where to park. He originally said to leave the windows down, but it was COLLLLD, so I told him I had a cat, and he said I could leave it mostly up, but just open it a crack, but then he remembered that they do things differently now (or something?), and I give my keys to some dude in a booth and so I could actually close the window all the way. LOL Anyways... so I get out, and he asks if my cat is in a carrier, and I say yes, and then I tell him I also have a hamster, and he laughed, and was like 'would it be a cruel joke to put the hamster in with the cat?' haha so I 'loled', and told him they normally get along, but she's pissed off right now, and might take her aggression out on him. hahah

Anyway, I digress.... we went in to secondary and there weren't many people waiting, so we went right up to the check in area of the counter thing. It's a bit hazy, but I remember the guy asking me my mother's name, then my father's name and saying 'yup, that's you', then told me to go stand on the red line and i'd be called up... this guy comes back in the story later... I basically had enough time to find out where the red line was and I was called up. LOL It was the original girl that we saw in the booth when we first drove up (weird)... She took our papers and asked a few questions (pretty simple ones, like where'd we meet, when are we getting married, etc)... then told us to sit down. She called me back to sign a couple things, and took prints of my right index finger and gave me a wet-wipe thing to clean it off... lol aww. Then I sat and waited some more. I was a bit concerned about my critters in the car, but I peeked out the window a few times and no one was even looking in the car. So I knew they'd be ok (i.e. warm) for a bit. No one asked for a packing list, and nothing in the car was moved. We passed the time by listening to them grill a perfectly innocent looking middle aged woman from Pakistan. I felt bad for her, but they were very nice to her. Just asking tons of questions. I was at least able to restore her faith in humanity (maybe) by telling her she dropped her glove when she didn't notice. haha

Part way through, the girl processing the stuff asked me to write down our address. I confirmed that she meant the address we are moving too, and she said yes. So I did. Thing is, my fiance just got this apt 2 weeks ago, so it doesn't match what is written on the paperwork. I told her this, and she's like 'so who's address is this?' (on the forms). And I said it was his parents, so she said ok. Then she said I could sit down. So I did, but I heard her talking to the guy next to her saying 'so I have to do an address change??' in a slightly annoyed voice... hahaha and he asks me if I can still get mail at the 'old' address, and I said yes, so they left it and didn't change anything. I think because they didn't feel like it. So I will have to change this later, but that's ok.

So yeah, when they were done processing the paperwork they called me back up and gave me my passport with the stamp on it, and told me to keep it on me at all times, as it is the record of my status in the US. They keep all the good stuff in the package (I wanted to see what was in it, but alas, no). The guy that originally checked me in was now at a slightly different area, so i checked 'out' with another person. However, check in guy felt obligated to pipe in (he seemed the type that was either in charge, or liked to pretend he was), and he asked me 'now what are you NOT going to do'... and I was like... uhh...?? I didn't quite know what he was trying to get me to say. So I was like 'file for adjustment of status, and all that fun stuff'... and he's like.. 'ok, and what else'... so I say 'umm... work?'... and he's like 'no, you can work right now... with what you have there, you can work'... and I was like ... whuuu? that I didn't know (I think he's wrong)... and then he's like ' you can't leave'... and i was like 'oh, I know.. I have to stay until I've adjusted status', but he was like talking over me, and being like 'don't make me send you back there', and was like blarrrgh! #######!! but it was all good, and then we left.

lol

and that was long. Sorry. Long story short, except for weird dude with the trick questions, it was great, and we were there maybe 45 mins I think.

lol

[Rhiannercakes 14]

Glad to hear your POE went well with all this extra security going on.

Welcome to the US!

[Dan and Ali 3]

Hooray for having a successful and painless POE! Congrats!

[antda 13]

Hi Ashenflowers,

Congrats on a successful POE! Thanks for sharing about that detailed experience about that crossing here on VJ!

Welcome to America, Ashenflowers!

Cute story too, about the hamster and cat..Lol...Glad they wern't too much trouble for you or the border guard there! Oh what fun, animals are!

By the way, if you ever do move, make sure you file the AR-11 (Alien Change of Address) and I-865 (Sponsor Change of Address) forms too.

Congrats too, on getting married in the new year too, and may you enjoy the happiness that married life brings!

And good luck with the rest of your journey too!

Ant

I can't believe how painless this crossing was. I was expecting a lot more hassle. We got there around 9am I think, on a Sunday. Basically no line, as there was just one person in front of us. The CBP took our passports, and I told her we're activating a K1 Visa. I don't remember exactly what she said, but I remember her asking if we were already married (lol), and I said no. she asked if we had any food, and I told her that we had cat food, but it was just the dry kind. She kinda made a face but did nothing about it... lol Then she did some computer stuff, and radioed to secondary and told us where to go, which was like, pulling ahead 50 ft where a guy told us exactly where to park. He originally said to leave the windows down, but it was COLLLLD, so I told him I had a cat, and he said I could leave it mostly up, but just open it a crack, but then he remembered that they do things differently now (or something?), and I give my keys to some dude in a booth and so I could actually close the window all the way. LOL Anyways... so I get out, and he asks if my cat is in a carrier, and I say yes, and then I tell him I also have a hamster, and he laughed, and was like 'would it be a cruel joke to put the hamster in with the cat?' haha so I 'loled', and told him they normally get along, but she's pissed off right now, and might take her aggression out on him. hahah

Anyway, I digress.... we went in to secondary and there weren't many people waiting, so we went right up to the check in area of the counter thing. It's a bit hazy, but I remember the guy asking me my mother's name, then my father's name and saying 'yup, that's you', then told me to go stand on the red line and i'd be called up... this guy comes back in the story later... I basically had enough time to find out where the red line was and I was called up. LOL It was the original girl that we saw in the booth when we first drove up (weird)... She took our papers and asked a few questions (pretty simple ones, like where'd we meet, when are we getting married, etc)... then told us to sit down. She called me back to sign a couple things, and took prints of my right index finger and gave me a wet-wipe thing to clean it off... lol aww. Then I sat and waited some more. I was a bit concerned about my critters in the car, but I peeked out the window a few times and no one was even looking in the car. So I knew they'd be ok (i.e. warm) for a bit. No one asked for a packing list, and nothing in the car was moved. We passed the time by listening to them grill a perfectly innocent looking middle aged woman from Pakistan. I felt bad for her, but they were very nice to her. Just asking tons of questions. I was at least able to restore her faith in humanity (maybe) by telling her she dropped her glove when she didn't notice. haha

Part way through, the girl processing the stuff asked me to write down our address. I confirmed that she meant the address we are moving too, and she said yes. So I did. Thing is, my fiance just got this apt 2 weeks ago, so it doesn't match what is written on the paperwork. I told her this, and she's like 'so who's address is this?' (on the forms). And I said it was his parents, so she said ok. Then she said I could sit down. So I did, but I heard her talking to the guy next to her saying 'so I have to do an address change??' in a slightly annoyed voice... hahaha and he asks me if I can still get mail at the 'old' address, and I said yes, so they left it and didn't change anything. I think because they didn't feel like it. So I will have to change this later, but that's ok.

So yeah, when they were done processing the paperwork they called me back up and gave me my passport with the stamp on it, and told me to keep it on me at all times, as it is the record of my status in the US. They keep all the good stuff in the package (I wanted to see what was in it, but alas, no). The guy that originally checked me in was now at a slightly different area, so i checked 'out' with another person. However, check in guy felt obligated to pipe in (he seemed the type that was either in charge, or liked to pretend he was), and he asked me 'now what are you NOT going to do'... and I was like... uhh...?? I didn't quite know what he was trying to get me to say. So I was like 'file for adjustment of status, and all that fun stuff'... and he's like.. 'ok, and what else'... so I say 'umm... work?'... and he's like 'no, you can work right now... with what you have there, you can work'... and I was like ... whuuu? that I didn't know (I think he's wrong)... and then he's like ' you can't leave'... and i was like 'oh, I know.. I have to stay until I've adjusted status', but he was like talking over me, and being like 'don't make me send you back there', and was like blarrrgh! #######!! but it was all good, and then we left.

lol

and that was long. Sorry. Long story short, except for weird dude with the trick questions, it was great, and we were there maybe 45 mins I think.

lol

[cdn_gewels 0]

Glad to hear it was a smooth process.

[Kathryn41 3,205]

Congratulations - I'm glad all went well. Welcome to the US!

[Hugglebuggles 60]

Glad you made it Ashen! Congrats!

[Carlawarla 1]

Glad it was so painless! Congratulations and welcome to the US!

[Peachey 10]

Welcome Home!

[CdnMN 0]

Congrats and welcome to the US. Glad everything went so well for you.

Cdnmn

[Krikit 1,164]

Excellent review, Ashen! The package just contains everything that you submitted plus all the documentation from your approvals, interview, and your medical. The guy who processed me opened it in front of me and went through it. Then he made me a copy of my entire medical because I told him I needed the vaccination worksheet for the AOS and asked if he would be able to make me a copy. He was super nice.

Welcome to America!

[Kimbear 53]

Yay Ashen! Grats on the easy POE. Between you and Sam I'm feeling much better about my bridge crossing when i have to do it They seem to know what they are doing there.

[Sam and Ben 2]

Congrats! Glad you're safely over, and may you have just as painless a trip home.

[SapphireDreams 71]

Welcome to America!!

Glad you had a painless POE!!

[Varba 0]

Congratulations Ashen!!