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Port of Entry ATL (from SAL)

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Filed: Country: El Salvador
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Hello everyone, I just wanted to share our US entry experience with everyone. I know we were a little anxious before our trip and we hope that in sharing our story you might feel a little better it all.

We arrived at the airport in El Salvador about an hour and a half early though I had hoped for more like two hours. We arrived with all our luggage at the terminal and headed to the airline desk to present our reservation and documents. I was personally a little nervous since at any moment I thought they would say that my husband’s documents were not good enough. I presented my passport and then my husband’s visa. Sure, they looked at my husband’s visa a little longer but in the end we got our boarding passes.

After our last meal at Pollo Campero we headed to the entry point where we presented our boarding passes and documents to go through the metal detector. We then went through the gels and liquids search of our carry on before proceeding to the gate. We waited about five minutes and off to the plane. Let me just sum up the first flight by saying that first class made all the difference to my husband who had never been on a plane before. After a very exciting flight (for my husband) we arrived in Atlanta around 6:30pm where we had to go through the other nail biting experience at the port of entry. (Another advice for all of you if you are connecting to another plane, allow plenty of time because the port of entry part through the dept. of agriculture or whatever it’s called can take a while. Maybe it’s because we were allowed more bags in first class, or it could be that my husband’s family decided to send so much stuff, but those agriculture people went through all our bags and that took a long time. )

Once we got off the plane we had different options as to where to go. Since I was a little confused I asked an officer where would be best to go with my husband. We were directed to the US Citizen line because we were married. Once there I had an uncomfortable moment when another officer tried to tell my husband to get out of the line. I explained to here we had just been directed there and that my husband was not a tourist. She then retracted and said we were OK. It pays to ask in advance because I would have certainly been pissed if she had sent us to the wrong place where we would have lost valuable waiting time. Anyway, we got in that line, and the officer looked at my documents and then at his documents, we had that manila envelope and his x-rays on hand just in case. All that was required here however was just our documents and I believe the officer gave us a sheet of paper and directed us to go pick up our luggage were we would be directed on the next step and they would look at his manila envelope. At this next point however we were separated because I was a citizen and he was not, we were told we could see each other since it was not far, but it was a little unnerving since my husband’s English is still very limited. I proceeded to the line were they check all our luggage, and for the sake of expediency and convenience the officer thought it would be best to join all our luggage so I would go through the revisions and not my husband. We went over to my husband who was about twenty feet away on another line and grabbed all his luggage.

Meanwhile my husband was told to just sit and wait while the officer looked at his manila envelope. Like I said before we had a lot of luggage and they went through all of it and it was very nerve wracking because on top of the worry about my husband I was facing a potential penalties because one of my husband’s relatives sent meat in a package. Anyway, I talked to the officer, avoided the fine, stuffed all the suitcases as best as I could and rushed back to my husband.

My husband said he was beckoned by the officer to sign two pieces of paper enclosed by a metal plate that left only a small space to sign. (He is not sure what he signed since the paper was covered by the metal plate.) He also had his thumb print taken twice. Once I arrived the officer told him he could put the x-ray away and that he did not need it. He looked some more at the paperwork and after a while called us back. He was asked to go ahead and sign a piece of paper acknowledging the temporary nature of his residency and that he knew he had to remove the temporary part in two years. After that the officer said welcome to the United States and that was it. Off we went to search for our connecting gate. I felt so relieved that it was finally done and we had made it safely to the US, without a hitch and any trauma. Hope this helps relieve some of your worries. To be honest my experience with the agriculture people was more nerve wracking than his entry. Everything went smoothly and aside from the lady that tried to take him out of the line, everyone was kind and glad to help us.

Nydia Y Neftaly (NYN)

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Im glad everything went well. congrats

"Tall, dark and handsome with an amazing smile. He gave me butterflies every time he looked my way. I knew he was the one."- Me

I-129F NOA1 : April 5, 2008

I-129F NOA2 : April 28, 2008

NVC Left : Aug.18, 2008

Packet 3 Received: Sept. 3, 2008

Interview Date : Dec. 18, 2008

APPROVED!!!!

Dec. 19, 2008- Alfredo comes home!

Jan. 5, 2009: Alfredo and I become husband and Wife

March 10, 2009 AOS paperwork sent, will wait for it to arrive via tracking #

March 12, 2009 AOS paperwork arrives in Chicago

March 23, 2009 NOA1 for I-485, I-131, I-765

March 30, 2009-Biometrics letter received, appt date April 10th @11am philly office

April 10, 2009-Biometrics appt. done, in and out in 15 minutes

Nov. 18, 2009-Card production ordered

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