POE, How long and which line?

[txladykat 1]

My husband has his interview July 1st and will receive his visa July 2nd. He has already booked his air for July 3rd. His POE is Newark airport, but his final destination is Houston, TX. We figured with it being so close to a holiday, it would take extra time for processing, so we allowed 5 hours between flights. Should this be enough? Also, when entering on the visa, does he go through the line US citizens go through, or through the immigrant line?

[elmcitymaven 9,712]

5 hours should be fine. There was a major cockup when we did POE at Newark -- my husband was taken away for secondary processing, but once he was there they *forgot* about him for over two hours. He was literally the last person in the room, and someone said, oh, you're still here? The processing itself took less than two minutes.

When we got off the plane (we were amongst the first), we asked a CBP official which line to go through with the visa. We were instructed to go through the visitors line, but this could be different on the day. Ask which one they're using for CR1/IR1 visas -- you may get lucky!

[Penguin_ie 5,996]

We went through the citizen/ resident line in Newark, but my USC husband was with me. When we went it was the of season (October), but we got processed very fast and were at the lugage carousell before our lugage arrived.

[elmcitymaven 9,712]

Penguin's post proves my point -- what was procedure on one day was not on the other, so it's best to ask. I too accompanied my husband but we were sent through the other line together.