POE - Who gets in which line - traveling together

[ARTY AND LILI 0]

Soon we are flying from Bogota to Miami. I read that some people go to the interview process together which suggests to me that I can go through the same immigration line as my fiancee, traveling on our freshly issued K1.

Which lines do we get into? There are lines for permanent residents/citizens and for visitors. How do we go through together? How can I join her for her interview?

Thanks!

Arty

[payxibka 10,047]

Soon we are flying from Bogota to Miami. I read that some people go to the interview process together which suggests to me that I can go through the same immigration line as my fiancee, traveling on our freshly issued K1.

Which lines do we get into? There are lines for permanent residents/citizens and for visitors. How do we go through together? How can I join her for her interview?

Thanks!

Arty

There is no interview per se... Just possible secondary inspection if the POE is busy. You can go through the line together... You as a USC can always downgrade yourself to enter the visitor line. I would ask the crowd control officer is she can go with you via the USC/Resident line. Chance are they will allow.

[KimandRuss 0]

Yup, every POE is different. Some people have reported going through the USC line and some the other line. As pay suggested, just ask the officer.

[maliciant 7]

Some have gotten difference responses at the same PoE's, I think it depends on how busy the place is (seems like the crowd control person knows which line will be shorter and tends to put people into the line that will get them through fastest from reading others accounts).

[chris4gretchen 1]

I just went with Gretchen thru the non immigrant line.

Chris

[Ban Hammer 13,641]

mbc

[Mononoke28 135]

Soon we are flying from Bogota to Miami. I read that some people go to the interview process together which suggests to me that I can go through the same immigration line as my fiancee, traveling on our freshly issued K1.

Which lines do we get into? There are lines for permanent residents/citizens and for visitors. How do we go through together? How can I join her for her interview?

Thanks!

Arty

My husband and I also came in through Miami and I told him to follow me wherever I went. We went to the US Citizens line, I told the POE officer that he was coming in with a CR1 visa, we showed him the brown envelop and then we were asked to go to a separate room for processing. Since we arrived on a Tuesday, the whole thing only took about 15 minutes. I've heard that it can take up to 3-4 hours some times, especially if you travel over the weekend.

Diana

[lucyrich 20]

We also came in through Miami. We went through the non-citizen line together. The officer didn't seem the least bit concerned or upset about seeing a US Citizen going through the visitor's line. It didn't take long to get through that line, either, but they sent us off into secondary inspection for 20-30 minutes or so.

I second the recommendation to first ask the "traffic cop" if you can spot one. A direct answer from an official in charge who is at the scene is bound to be more applicable to the circumstances at that particular time and place than any generic answer you read here.

But if you can't find someone to ask at the scene, I've never heard of a problem if both of you try to go through the visitor's line together.

[Dr Mirage 0]

For POE ... we arrived on LAX on 5/2/08. There was so many people in the lines at LAX at immigration. I was with my fiance (K1), my brother (B1/B2) and myself (USC).

We went to the VISITOR Line and there was probably 40 people ahead of us. About 5 officers were in the window and 1 person walking where the line ends (before the window).

It was a crazy experience because I had to fill up 3 custom forms since I did not know if customs will accept only 1 customs form because we all had different last names. Also, I filled up the I-94 for both my brother and fiance.

While we were almost infront of the line, the immigration officer walking around the lines took our sealed envelope and opened it and gave it back to us. We were like #######! Was he supposed to do that... I assumed that the person at the window was gonna open it, but I guess he just felt like opening something and it was about another 5 min wait until we got to the window. (so we took a peek at what was inside that envelope) *tsk tsk*

So when we were up next... Luckly, it was already almost 11pm at night and the immigration at the window was in a good mood / no harrassment whatsover.. I remember he was saying that he is hungry and he cannot wait to get out of his shift... LOL

So. I told him that I am a USC. I have my fiance on a K1 and my brother on a B1/B2.

So he basically did it from easiest to hardest.. Starting with me, my bro then my fiance.

He took at look at the opened envelope, and the X-Rays and the medical records.. and boom. Welcome to the USA and reminded us to get married within 90 days of POE.

We were in the window less than 5 mins.