Aiport issue?

[gatoula_tou 0]

My fiance's flights were canceled out of Frankfurt to Seattle due to the recent Lufthansa strikes!!!

We're going to have them completely cancel the flight so we won't have to deal with any more frustration of cancellations. We'll try and book from another airline alltogether.

The problem:

Before the flights we had were direct from Europe to Seattle so he wouldn't have gone through immigration in another city before flying to seattle as the last airport.

Will he go through immigration in say Dulles if that's the first place he lands in the USA? The flight we're looking at only has an hour of layover in Dulles, I'm worried that he'll miss the next flight out to Seattle.

Will they compensate for us or would he be able to leave the immigration POE before an hour?

PLEASE help, I'm so worried he won't be able to come this week.. it's been so long apart

[Darnell 8,479]

first place he lands inside of the USA - processed wit Immigration.

There is an exception or two with Canada, having USA CBP at a Canadian Airport.

I say go the other way - off to Singapore for a week, get a tan on Sentosa Island, then come in via Seattle

[belinda63 3,047]

First place you land in the US is your POE. Will need more than one hour, I would say at least three if not more. My hubby missed his connection due to immigration and spent his first night in the US sleeping on a bench at O'Hara. They did put him on the next flight out at no cost.

[Otto 83]

The flight we're looking at only has an hour of layover in Dulles, I'm worried that he'll miss the next flight out to Seattle.

I'd be concerned about that too - that isn't a lot of time for any airport, much less Dulles - 90+ is pushing it in most airports in my opinion (because you never know how things can go).

Will they compensate for us or would he be able to leave the immigration POE before an hour?

Other than get you on a later plane? Probably not.

[gatoula_tou 0]

THank you for the replies, we booked a ticket landing in Canada first, and for a 5 hour layover anyways. At least he has window seats for his flights now..

He's coming Wednesday!!!!

[Audy_Rob 26]

THank you for the replies, we booked a ticket landing in Canada first, and for a 5 hour layover anyways. At least he has window seats for his flights now..

He's coming Wednesday!!!!

He needs time at the first city he enters the USA. Unless the border entrance is a Canadian city with flights to the USA where US immigration is performed in the Canadian city. If his first entrance into the USA is Seattle, that is all you need to do.

[HeatDeath 430]

He needs time at the first city he enters the USA. Unless the border entrance is a Canadian city with flights to the USA where US immigration is performed in the Canadian city. If his first entrance into the USA is Seattle, that is all you need to do.

All Canadian international airports with commercial flights into the US have US Customs and Immigration pre-clearance. If you're switching planes in a Canadian airport, you'll clear US Immigration in the Canadian airport.

[Audy_Rob 26]

All Canadian international airports with commercial flights into the US have US Customs and Immigration pre-clearance. If you're switching planes in a Canadian airport, you'll clear US Immigration in the Canadian airport.

Oh, I did not know that. That is good to know. Can they handle a K-1 or K-3 entering the USA for the first time?

Thanks

[HeatDeath 430]

The only one I've personally gone through is Winnipeg, and I've never gone through it with a visa. My PoE with my K-1 was at the Pembina, North Dakota land crossing. But they occupy a significant area in the Winnipeg International Airport terminal building - lots of rooms and offices. The officers all have the same badges, etc. They have all the same stamps and stuff. I would certainly assume they could, even if they don't do it very often and might have to check the reference binders.

[lucyrich 20]

Oh, I did not know that. That is good to know. Can they handle a K-1 or K-3 entering the USA for the first time?

Thanks

Yep, any place that handles immigration can handle a K-1, K-3, CR-1, or any other visa type. Basically, if you fly a scheduled commercial airline flight, you will go through a place that can process you. The only issue is the time required, and if there's a 5 hour layover in Canada, that should be plenty of time.

[gatoula_tou 0]

So that's all how it went, he cleared US immigration in Canada all fine, but then in Seattle no one even asked him about his visa papers or to see his passport or the sealed envelope! Now we have to drive back to a different part of the airport and turn it in.

[Marilyn. 340]

So that's all how it went, he cleared US immigration in Canada all fine, but then in Seattle no one even asked him about his visa papers or to see his passport or the sealed envelope! Now we have to drive back to a different part of the airport and turn it in.

he probably cleared customs in Canada not immigration.. he should have told the customs person that he was activating a visa and they would have directed him over to immigration where he would have handed over his envelope and would have been processed...

Edited February 26, 2010 by Marilyn.