POE fun - get ready to wait

[Shauna 0]

Hi all.

I went through my POE at Queenston/Lewiston Weds and guess what? They have already changed the way that they process the K1 and I had to sit there while the poor immigration officer made calls on the phone for an hour, tried to figure out where to stamp my papers.. that kind of thing.

Basically. my parents and I drove down in their RV, told the the guard and she took the passports and sent us inside. We parked and went in, and sat there. They call your name when its your turn. People came and went for a while, and finally when there was no one else, and it had been maybe 20 mins, I finally walked up and said umm... and a young woman said yes, I have yours here. She had been staring at a computer screen the whole time and working her mouse. Anyway I sat down for another long while, and my parents and I watched while she hauled out the big book of all knowledge (the manual I am guessing) and she and another fellow conferred, and then she got on the phone. She went to the phone, the computer, the phone , the computer...this went on for a long time and didn't look too pretty. Anyway she finally called me up, asked me if what was on the form was my new address and did I know where the closest office was? Um yes and no. That's all she asked. Someone else came through at the same time as well, as I saw another K1 paper there, so if that's someone on here, hope yours went faster! Anyway they had a nice debate over what piece of paper to stamp on what side, kept looking at the manual and finally the girl went off to find an admin supervisor. I said to the other guy - they changed the way they processed this recently? He said yup... I said is it some to do with the marriage broker thing? Yup... I siad yes, I think I am close to the tail end of the previous version...so fine, my girl comes back with the admin guy, she has stapled a piece of paper into my visa which she stamps, then he says does she know its one entry only? Yes, I say, so she then with a pen scribbles out what says multiple on the paper, stamps some papers, stamps my passport again and says ok go over there and pay. PAY!!!!

I paid 6 dollars US, and the guy I paid said - just remember whatever you do, after you are married do NOT leave the country. I said yup, I know, thanks. They handed back all 3 passports and we were done.

They didn't ask me or my parents what we were bringing in. In fact, no one talked to my parents at all to ask them the normal questions you get at customs, esp with an RV they always ask about plants and beef. Didn't want to know how long they were staying down. I mean literally they never spoke to my parents at all. I had made a list of things I was bringing as opposed to sending with the movers, no one wanted to see it. Frankly I think they were too freaked out by new changes and tired of looking at my visa to care.

THe worst part of it all had nothing to do with immigration, I - 90 was closed because of flooding, and we had no clue when we crossed. We ended up driving an hour and half south which was the worst direction possible (anyone see pictures of I 88 on the news, you will see what I mean), got turned back, spent the night in a campground (I saw fireflies!), and when we left Thursday the I 90 was still closed, and the road we were on had detours on it, ick. Anyway, got to my brother's outside Boston about 1:30 and my fiance picked me up after work and all was well.

So, be ready to sit. Don't be surprised if they look confused, I guess. My interpretation is that what she saw on the screen was not what she was looking at in the papers. She had all the originals we sent in by the looks of things, when she opened the visa packet, and she didn't do that til she had been looking at her computer for a looooooong time. Good luck everyone! I have to pack up this apartment now as we are moving to another one in a few days!

[Mrs Alford 0]

WOW, what an ordeal! At least you made it through - congratulations!!!

[Tuneses 0]

Yikes. The new K1 sounds like such a pain.

Grats on making it here thouhg

[KiminON 0]

thanks for the info Shauna! I'm not quite sure which POE to use, but yours sounded painless in that they weren't hassling you - just they were confused. scott had issues not related to confusion - just crankiness!

so now i'm torn whether to brave the detroit crossings or to go out of the way and cross at Lewiston where they kinda know us there already.

and have fun re-connecting with the fiance and have a great wedding!

k

[jen&darcy 0]

Congratulations! We too have been contemplating where to cross when the time comes. Although, we won't be as far East as Ontario.

[Shauna 0]

thanks for the info Shauna! I'm not quite sure which POE to use, but yours sounded painless in that they weren't hassling you - just they were confused. scott had issues not related to confusion - just crankiness!

so now i'm torn whether to brave the detroit crossings or to go out of the way and cross at Lewiston where they kinda know us there already.

and have fun re-connecting with the fiance and have a great wedding!

k

Very painless. I would definitely go that way, you don't have to drive through the city, though I guess it depends on where your final destination is!

Yikes. The new K1 sounds like such a pain.

Grats on making it here thouhg

THanks!

Problem is, I am NOT the new K1, which appeared to be the problem. They were really nice though, let my mom go back to the rv to get a snack which is pretty good, since they hadn't inspected it.. though they never did heh heh. It was my chance to bring down live plants and oranges and I missed it!

[Cygnet 0]

Congratulations, Shauna! At least your parents were with you that time... sometimes it helps to have people you know around you.

[Jersey Girl 2]

Shauna, congratulations on being home free and in such a short time. Your timeline tells a good-luck story of being approved just before IMBRA. You must have horseshoes someplace!