Anyone here use LAX for a Port Of Entry? (K1 Visa)

[spatial 0]

Not sure if this is the right place to post, but anyway my fiance will be arriving very soon. She's on a K1 visa, and I'll be meeting her at LAX's international terminal (Tom Bradley) on the Sunday the 28th.

I've used the Tom Bradley terminal before, and the last time I was there (January '08) it was a nuthouse with the post-holiday travelers and all of the construction. Arriving as a K1 visa holder (as opposed to an ordinary citizen) I imagine the process will be different for her. Can anyone tell me:

1. Where do I wait for her? Is there a lounge or an area for people awaiting those who are going thru the POE?

2. How long will it take for her to go through the POE?

3. Is there any additional paperwork she needs to have, besides the Visa packet?

This and any other advice is welcome.

[payxibka 10,047]

1) You can wait outside the international arrival "door"

2) Depends on how busy the POE is

3) I-94 and Customs declaration that is filled out on the aircraft

[StillThePrettiest 3]

my POE was LAX, in May this year (Memorial Day weekend, so also a nuthouse )

I was with my then-fiancé, so I'm not sure about the waiting question (though we just exited from the same gate as everyone else from our flight, so I'd imagine if you check the boards you'll be fine... certainly there was no special treatment for me as a K1 visa holder)

it took me at least 45 min to get through the POE, but most of that was waiting in line because a few flights had all come in at once... the actual processing took about ten minutes, or maybe slightly less; the officer took the brown envelope and looked through everything, stamped stuff, etc, but again, it was just at the normal entry point, nothing special

he hadn't heard of the infamous stamp, but I guess it can't hurt to keep asking

she'll be given an entry card to fill in on the plane - there are a few different ones, so make sure she knows which one to ask for! I THINK the difference is people entering on the VWP, or staying for a short time, and people entering on visas, but it was a while back, so I'm not sure on this point... from memory the one I needed was white, and the other one was green

but maybe check this with someone else

in any case, if she gets the wrong one, or there's a problem, there are stacks more at the actual processing area, so I'm sure she'll be fine

all the best

[braveheart1 0]

I came through LAX almost 2 months ago, so this much I remember. My then-fiance was amongst the crowd, in the arrivals lounge, as I emerged with the other passengers from the fligh. I forgot to say it took almost 15-20 minutes to be seen by immigrations - they checked the contents of the brown envelope and asked questions. But they also chose to check my baggage as my suitcases were quite heavy. That took another 20-30 minutes. This timing did not include the 45 minutes delay before the plane was allowed to 'release' its passenger due to some kind of mixup.

[Jasman0717 9]

Claudeth came in through LAX and had no problems. The immigration officer who helped her was very nice. It took her about 40 minutes from the time she got off the plane to come out of customs.

[spatial 0]

Thanks for all the replies and feedback guys! I think I have a clearer idea about what should happen now.