DO NOT enter at Newark POA!!

[rhymeswithcandi 0]

I recently had to travel to Europe for 2 weeks and used my Advanced Parole to reenter. What a HELLISH experience!

Long story short: I was there FOUR AND A HALF HOURS and they were VERY rude to me. If I hadn't gone up to the counter a tenth time and been more aggressive, I might still be sitting there.

My plane landed at Newark from Rome at 3:30pm. I had a connecting flight to catch at 7:30 and guess what... I didn't make it. I told the first officer, who helped me at the initial immigration line, that I had a connection to make and he told me not to worry... I would make it.

He then took me to a room (I'm sure they are all similar) with about 50 other people in it. There were 5 officers behind the counter and 4 of them were chatting and standing around. Everyone looked like they had been there forever. At around 4:00 I met a guy who told me he'd been there since noon. I also spoke to one woman who told me there was a French girl there earlier who had been told to go into a small room, left alone for 3 hours and then finally asked one question and told to go.

As my boarding time approached, I kept going up to the counter and explaining that I needed to catch my connection and I was just traveling on AP so could they please help me. I was told "Ma'am we're overwhelmed right now. Sit down" They didn't look overwhelmed when they were chatting so... They told me I'd make my flight and they were just working on the APs first. By the fourth hour, I was about to miss my flight and the officer told me "We've done a pretty good job of clearing the room so far. Don't you think?" I told him I'd been there for 4 hours and he said that I hadn't. When he asked again why I was there I told him and he went to the back and found my passport and documents which had been SITTING IN A BOX for the past 4 hours.

When I was finally helped (once he got to me it took 5 minutes) and in tears over missing my flight, the officer handed me my documents and told me that next time I had to have a passport with the same name as my USCIS documents or I'd be refused!! My passport is in my married name and I had my marriage certificate (which he didn't ask to look at). I grabbed my documents and left.

Ended up having to rent a car and drive back to DC at 9pm because there were no more flights until the morning.

I paid $300 and waited 9 months for AP to wait like an animal for almost 5 hours.

[amerasianlove 0]

Thanks for sharing your experience. and sorry it had to happened to you.

I understand how obnoxious getting stuck on that kind of situation.

[rebeccajo 14]

I don't understand why you say he didn't ask to look at your marriage certificate. Didn't you just give it to them along with the passport and AP?

[rhymeswithcandi 0]

I don't understand why you say he didn't ask to look at your marriage certificate. Didn't you just give it to them along with the passport and AP?

When I saw the first immigration officer, I handed him my marriage certificate with my passport and AP papers. He asked why I gave it to him and I said because my passport was in my maiden name and my AP was in my married name. He said he didn't need it, gave it back to me telling me to hold on to it, and then took my papers and escorted me to the room.

[ammike 0]

Im sorry for what happened..I know how you feel, I was once in your shoes but just in different situtaion..

Lastmonth in Hongkong I was held by the immigration for almost an hour and they just let me stand on the other side seeing them ruining my luggage it was a total hell wrecked!!

I was even like want to cry but I want them to look at me that Im not afraid knowing that my Fiance is waiting for me outside . . .

but right after then checking my things they let me GO!but my luggage isnt look good and my things were pretty messed up inside includes my underwears!! it was 2 am in the morning and glad that I saw my Fiance walking along the hallway and looking for me. . .

I recently had to travel to Europe for 2 weeks and used my Advanced Parole to reenter. What a HELLISH experience!

Long story short: I was there FOUR AND A HALF HOURS and they were VERY rude to me. If I hadn't gone up to the counter a tenth time and been more aggressive, I might still be sitting there.

My plane landed at Newark from Rome at 3:30pm. I had a connecting flight to catch at 7:30 and guess what... I didn't make it. I told the first officer, who helped me at the initial immigration line, that I had a connection to make and he told me not to worry... I would make it.

He then took me to a room (I'm sure they are all similar) with about 50 other people in it. There were 5 officers behind the counter and 4 of them were chatting and standing around. Everyone looked like they had been there forever. At around 4:00 I met a guy who told me he'd been there since noon. I also spoke to one woman who told me there was a French girl there earlier who had been told to go into a small room, left alone for 3 hours and then finally asked one question and told to go.

As my boarding time approached, I kept going up to the counter and explaining that I needed to catch my connection and I was just traveling on AP so could they please help me. I was told "Ma'am we're overwhelmed right now. Sit down" They didn't look overwhelmed when they were chatting so... They told me I'd make my flight and they were just working on the APs first. By the fourth hour, I was about to miss my flight and the officer told me "We've done a pretty good job of clearing the room so far. Don't you think?" I told him I'd been there for 4 hours and he said that I hadn't. When he asked again why I was there I told him and he went to the back and found my passport and documents which had been SITTING IN A BOX for the past 4 hours.

When I was finally helped (once he got to me it took 5 minutes) and in tears over missing my flight, the officer handed me my documents and told me that next time I had to have a passport with the same name as my USCIS documents or I'd be refused!! My passport is in my married name and I had my marriage certificate (which he didn't ask to look at). I grabbed my documents and left.

Ended up having to rent a car and drive back to DC at 9pm because there were no more flights until the morning.

I paid $300 and waited 9 months for AP to wait like an animal for almost 5 hours.

[Carlawarla 1]

What a HORRIBLE experience!! I'd be writting a letter to the Airport Commission for that airport. That is terrible. I'm so sorry rhymeswithcandi that you had to endure that.

[Flames9_RN 358]

Wow, that sucks!! I always hated flying into Newark from halifax!! Customs was a pain, the TSA people were incompetent, was just a poor run airport!! I Usually tried to fly through Toronto or Boston to DC.

[Krikit 1,164]

How horrible for you, Mandi. I know exactly how you feel. I had the same type experience at Queenston/Lewiston. Missed my flight also. The most frustrating part was being yelled at by the CBP officer for not allowing myself enough time at the border when, after over an hour of waiting, I politely told him I was concerned I was going to miss my flight. (I had watched about 30 people who had arrived before and after me, get processed and leave.) My documents were still sitting in the vacuum tube when they finally located them. But they didn't look at them and let me go until about another hour later. Max processing time.... 5 minutes.

[rhymeswithcandi 0]

It's a horrible airport and I couldn't believe how the CBP people were treating everyone (not just me) I kept reading the "Core Values" poster on the wall and thinking "Ummm yea ok". I know not all customs staff are like that - but these guys really gave them a bad name. The airport staff were pretty helpful though. A ground crew person with Continental was so sweet when she saw me crying and then she said to her colleague "Can you believe they made this girl wait so long? She's Canadian!! Geez!" Once I got out of customs everyone was pretty helpful.

I'm staying away from that airport in the future though!

Wow, that sucks!! I always hated flying into Newark from halifax!! Customs was a pain, the TSA people were incompetent, was just a poor run airport!! I Usually tried to fly through Toronto or Boston to DC.

Edited April 14, 2008 by rhymeswithcandi

[rhymeswithcandi 0]

How horrible for you, Mandi. I know exactly how you feel. I had the same type experience at Queenston/Lewiston. Missed my flight also. The most frustrating part was being yelled at by the CBP officer for not allowing myself enough time at the border when, after over an hour of waiting, I politely told him I was concerned I was going to miss my flight. (I had watched about 30 people who had arrived before and after me, get processed and leave.) My documents were still sitting in the vacuum tube when they finally located them. But they didn't look at them and let me go until about another hour later. Max processing time.... 5 minutes.

That IS the most frustrating part - when they talk to you like you're a child!

What a HORRIBLE experience!! I'd be writting a letter to the Airport Commission for that airport. That is terrible. I'm so sorry rhymeswithcandi that you had to endure that.

I'm going to write a letter to their supervisor.

[rebeccajo 14]

I don't understand why you say he didn't ask to look at your marriage certificate. Didn't you just give it to them along with the passport and AP?

When I saw the first immigration officer, I handed him my marriage certificate with my passport and AP papers. He asked why I gave it to him and I said because my passport was in my maiden name and my AP was in my married name. He said he didn't need it, gave it back to me telling me to hold on to it, and then took my papers and escorted me to the room.

Well....what an idiot.

[joelunchbox 0]

So sorry to hear about this debacle.

My fiance is flying in to Atlanta--I am hoping some southern hospitality will be waiting for her.

Who hires these bozos?? I could almost understand it if they had been actually doing something but...they weren't. this sounds like a bunch of thugs letting people know who is in charge. shameful!!

[nane1104 146]

WOW, I am sorry you had to o through that. I would definitley write a complaint!!

I had a pretty unpleasant experience like that in Charlotte once, so I feel you!!

I was travelling on VWP but had to go through secondary inspection. Not sure why, but in the process, they got my passport and flight itenenary mixed up with someone elses, so when they asked me how long I intended to stay in the US, my answers din't match what they had in front of them. THe way they were holding the papers, I couldn't see that it wasn't my passport. After about an hour of questioning me, someone came in with MY passport, looking for me. After they figured it out, I thought I was good to go, bit nope, another 30 mins of questions about my intentions in the US.

I didn't know at that time, how ugly it can get, so when it was time for boarding my next plane, I had enough and told them that if I'd miss my connection, I'd be back and ask for their supervisor. LOL

I don't know if it was that or if they got bored with me, but they finally stamped my passport and let me go.

I had to run through customs and all, but I made it to my flight. And that only because I was on the boarding list and they were waiting a few minutes extra.

[rhymeswithcandi 0]

I sense there was a huge power-trip going on.

I was reading other reviews VJers have left for Newark and most were quite positive so I'm thinking maybe I got there on a bad day. It was a Sunday which might explain why it was so busy.

Let us know how it goes for your fiance in Atlanta!

So sorry to hear about this debacle.

My fiance is flying in to Atlanta--I am hoping some southern hospitality will be waiting for her.

Who hires these bozos?? I could almost understand it if they had been actually doing something but...they weren't. this sounds like a bunch of thugs letting people know who is in charge. shameful!!