Going through immigration line together

[PK and PK 13]

My wife and I will be coming together on her entry to the US. Can I (the USC) go in the same line with the (immigrant) spouse together at the airport immigration point? Usually there are three separate lines at immigration... Resident, non-resident and new immigrant.

[k.loveh 0]

My wife and I will be coming together on her entry to the US. Can I (the USC) go in the same line with the (immigrant) spouse together at the airport immigration point? Usually there are three separate lines at immigration... Resident, non-resident and new immigrant.

No, you will have to go through the US Citzens line and she will have to go through the immigrant line. You need to have a meeting place. Just ask an airport employee when you get there where you can meet back up with her.

[attaya_girl 1]

My wife and I will be coming together on her entry to the US. Can I (the USC) go in the same line with the (immigrant) spouse together at the airport immigration point? Usually there are three separate lines at immigration... Resident, non-resident and new immigrant.

It probably depends on the airport, but at JFK I went through with my fiance, and no one said anything to me. He doesn't speak English very well at all, so they were actually very grateful that I was with him. I would go with your wife and stay with her until someone tells you otherwise. Good luck!

[k.loveh 0]

My wife and I will be coming together on her entry to the US. Can I (the USC) go in the same line with the (immigrant) spouse together at the airport immigration point? Usually there are three separate lines at immigration... Resident, non-resident and new immigrant.

It probably depends on the airport, but at JFK I went through with my fiance, and no one said anything to me. He doesn't speak English very well at all, so they were actually very grateful that I was with him. I would go with your wife and stay with her until someone tells you otherwise. Good luck!

I don't know details, but have heard that JFK is easier for POE.

Best bet is that you call your POE Airport and 'ask' them if you can, but know too that there are other POE's that will 'not' let you, so you'll have to have a meeting place.

[lucyrich 20]

Different POEs can be different. And a given POE can change from one time of day to another, depending on how busy they are.

I (native-born USC) have gone through the non-citizen line twice. Once when entering with my spouse who had a CR-1 visa, and another time when with my sister-in-law who was entering with a student visa. In no case did the border inspector seem the least bit concerned or upset that a USC was going through the visitor's line. They understand that people with different statuses sometimes travel together and don't want to be separated.

When it's busy, many ports of entry will have an official answering questions and directing people into the appropriate line. If you can find such a person, ask, and follow their instructions. The instructions of a uniformed CBP official who is on the scene ALWAYS take precedence over somebody's random Internet advice, including my own advice here.

If you can't find anyone to direct you into the appropriate line, then don't assume you have to split up. I'd suggest staying together and going through the visitor's line. Some people have reported success staying together and going through the US Citizens line. A new immigrant coming in on an immigrant visa is probably going to go to secondary inspection anyway, so it may not matter.

And don't stress too much about this. As long as you're reasonably polite and respectful, the worst possible thing they'll do is tell you to go wait in a different line. And I've never heard of them even doing that much for a USC going through the visitor's line when travelling with someone who wasn't eligible for the citizen/LPR line.

[Mononoke28 135]

Same in Miami. Since my husband didn't speak any English at the time I told him to follow me as soon as we landed. We both went through the US citizens line and I told the Immigration officer that my husband was entering with a CR1 visa. The guy then flagged another guy who was standing by and told us to follow him to the processing room.

Diana

[k.loveh 0]

Different POEs can be different. And a given POE can change from one time of day to another, depending on how busy they are.

I (native-born USC) have gone through the non-citizen line twice. Once when entering with my spouse who had a CR-1 visa, and another time when with my sister-in-law who was entering with a student visa. In no case did the border inspector seem the least bit concerned or upset that a USC was going through the visitor's line. They understand that people with different statuses sometimes travel together and don't want to be separated.

When it's busy, many ports of entry will have an official answering questions and directing people into the appropriate line. If you can find such a person, ask, and follow their instructions. The instructions of a uniformed CBP official who is on the scene ALWAYS take precedence over somebody's random Internet advice, including my own advice here.

If you can't find anyone to direct you into the appropriate line, then don't assume you have to split up. I'd suggest staying together and going through the visitor's line. Some people have reported success staying together and going through the US Citizens line. A new immigrant coming in on an immigrant visa is probably going to go to secondary inspection anyway, so it may not matter.

And don't stress too much about this. As long as you're reasonably polite and respectful, the worst possible thing they'll do is tell you to go wait in a different line. And I've never heard of them even doing that much for a USC going through the visitor's line when travelling with someone who wasn't eligible for the citizen/LPR line.

Ok, I made my original conclusion based on other's experiences where they were 'split up' at POE. But after reading the below I found it was in part because they 'assumed' they weren't allowed go through the same line and weren't told any differently.

After research on POE reviews to see what others have experienced. Lucyrich and PK and PK's experiences I found 'are' typical. There were only a few who were directed to separate lines, or if they automatically got in the same line, they at worst were only given a grumpy look, nothing else. So, as PK and PK stated, just go through the same line without asking and you'll probably not have any problems. Stay with her because I read one review of a couple who were split up and their non-USC SO had to stay behind and ended up missing their domestic flight home. The SO had to wait till the next day to get on another flight.

Anyway, after my research, just want to correct my earlier posts.

Take care.

Edited September 28, 2009 by k.loveh

[rin and john 71]

Rin entered the USA twice in 2007 (both times at LAX) on her K-3 visa and both times went through the "US Citizen and Permanent Residents" line with me as there was no "new immigrant" line. The first time, we asked an officer there and he directed us to the USC line. This year we have entered in both Chicago and Minneapolis and since she now has her GC, she can go through with me as a permanent resident.

MSP has a line (Line 2) clearly marked for new immigrants (saw two K1's sent there by the officer), so as others have said, it varies by airport.

[trinket 30]

My POE was Chicago and got with my USC husband at the USC line. We were standing together for our turn, I was ready to go towards the new immigrant line, but then my husband talked to the lady officer who said I can join my husband at USC line.

[milimelo 4,568]

At our POE in Chicago we went through the US Citizens/PR line and then were re-directed to secondary inspection for processing.

[AniaJ 0]

At first each of us went to a different line. My husband said to the officer that he had his fiancee with him and the guy hold the queue letting Jaime grab me from my line. So when I was being processed he was just one step ahead of me, which was very suppotive! It was in Chicago.

[apalopohapa 0]

Hi. I'm a USC and my wife just got her CR1 visa approved and we're waiting for her passport to arrive in the mail. We plan to enter the US through LAX as POE, and I was wondering about the process. Do we have to fill out the I-94 or any other form? Also, which line should we use, I don't remember seeing a "new immigrants" line anywhere in LAX but I've never looked for it though. Any advice or experiences? Thanks.

Edited October 28, 2009 by apalopohapa

[milimelo 4,568]

Hi. I'm a USC and my wife just got her CR1 visa approved and we're waiting for her passport to arrive in the mail. We plan to enter the US through LAX as POE, and I was wondering about the process. Do we have to fill out the I-94 or any other form? Also, which line should we use, I don't remember seeing a "new immigrants" line anywhere in LAX but I've never looked for it though. Any advice or experiences? Thanks.

No I-94 for CR-1 visas is needed. If they give you one, return it to them.

She can go with you through the US Citizens/PRs line.