Crossing Into US

[calidreamer80 0]

based on experience is it better to drive across the border when ur entering on your visa or fly??

[iceyspots 0]

swim

[calidreamer80 0]

what? lol oooooooooooook

[Kathryn41 3,205]

based on experience is it better to drive across the border when ur entering on your visa or fly??

Depends on how much you want to bring with you and how far you are going.

We drove - took us two days since we had 6 cats with us and had to break the distance down into manageable units for them - but I was able to bring a lot of my other personal, more sensitive items that I didn't want to trust to the movers with me as well. We moved from SW Ontario to Georgia. We had no trouble at our POE - about 20 minutes total time while they processed me.

[zyggy 9]

based on experience is it better to drive across the border when ur entering on your visa or fly??

Depends on how much you want to bring with you and how far you are going.

We drove - took us two days since we had 6 cats with us and had to break the distance down into manageable units for them - but I was able to bring a lot of my other personal, more sensitive items that I didn't want to trust to the movers with me as well. We moved from SW Ontario to Georgia. We had no trouble at our POE - about 20 minutes total time while they processed me.

There is no difference in the POE experience per se... They process the same paperwork. Just depends on what you want to do, what you want to bring, etc...

[Fetaria 0]

Depends where you drive across. Your wait may be shorter if your POE is a major airport rather than a small town border crossing. My own experience was driving across into Montana and they did not see many K1/K2's come through there. Took a long time to get the paperwork done.

[Reba 2]

airports will likely be less hassle in processing you, they're more used to seeing K visas and marriage based CR1/IR1s than a land crossing may be.

But then if you are moving your belongings yourself, a land crossing may be easier for you.

[calidreamer80 0]

You mean you have more paperwork when u get to ur POE?? Don't you just give them what you have and they check it and then let u through? I think I am going to fly because its cheaper.

[Marilyn. 340]

I don't think there is more paperwork..... at both the land and air POE's they look through your papers and then they take your fingerprints (at least for a CR1/Ir1) and you have to sign something I think.... The process wouldn't any different for a land crossing.... what people are saying is that some land crossings might not be too familar with different visas...

[calidreamer80 0]

I don't think there is more paperwork..... at both the land and air POE's they look through your papers and then they take your fingerprints (at least for a CR1/Ir1) and you have to sign something I think.... The process wouldn't any different for a land crossing.... what people are saying is that some land crossings might not be too familar with different visas...

Ah ok, gotcha! Thankx

[moondancer627 0]

Depends where you drive across. Your wait may be shorter if your POE is a major airport rather than a small town border crossing. My own experience was driving across into Montana and they did not see many K1/K2's come through there. Took a long time to get the paperwork done.

Was it Sweetgrass, MT? My husband drove through there last year and it took forever for the greenhorn INS officers to even figure out what to do with the K-1 Visa they had to call a supervisor.

Now also, the results of a denial at Sweetgrass are coming back to haunt us, because he has a handwritten denial in his passport, but our interviewing INS officer had no record of a denial in the file.

She really dwelt on that too.

I would suggest fly, but if you have a lot to bring driving us best, since if you forget something important you wouldn't be able to go back without applying for AP once you have arrived in the states on your K-1.

Good luck and happy traveling!

Moondancer

[Reba 2]

You mean you have more paperwork when u get to ur POE?? Don't you just give them what you have and they check it and then let u through? I think I am going to fly because its cheaper.

the only thing you have to fill out at the POE is the I-94, and perhaps the customs declaration for your personal goods if you haven't already.

[canucker18 0]

I crossed from Ontario into NY at Alexandria. My POE was great. They referred to their guide book to make sure they were doing everything right. They were friendly, and they didn't even check the truck that was FULL of my stuff.

I have no complaints there. They were familiar with the visa and I feel they did very well.

Everyone's experience is different.