POE process

[jcg303 1]

hey everyone - the big day is finally here. my fiancee will be arriving this thursday in chicago!! we've prepared as much as we can, but we still have a few questions about the process of going through customs.

if you can, please give us a run down of the order of events, which documents will be taken by the customs officer, which documents my fiancee will keep for her records and AOS process.

also, if anyone has specific details about arriving and going through customs in chicago, it would be much appreciated.

thanks for your help!!

[arya 22]

Hello, and congrats! I went through a Canadian POE but I'll tell you my experience anyway. It was very easy. I had my envelope with me and when I got to the customs I told the guy that I'm entering on a K1 visa and he was really nice, joked around saying "Are you sure you want to get married?" Then he took my fingerprints and my picture and my passport and sent me through the secondary inspection. Of course I had to give him the envelope. I waited at the secondary inspection about 45 mins until I was called up. In the meantime they gave me an I94 form to fill out. Very easy to do. Then I was called up. All they asked me was for my birthdate and when we were getting married. They made sure I know that the visa is only for 90 days and that I have to get married in that time. I think I signed something and that was it, they sent me on my way. Make sure she gets to Chicago airport early if she has a connecting flight. I didn't get any of the documents back, except my passport with I94 stapled on it. They send all your stuff from the envelope to USCIS office. Once she gets here, she should wait at least couple of weeks before she applies for SSN. I went 3 days after I got here and it took about 6 weeks to get it since I wasn't in the system yet. I hope everything goes well for you guys

[Nich-Nick 3,354]

If you look at the top of the page in the lighter blue menu bar, you will see POE. Click on that and select the airport of choice to read specific reviews about that POE.

[Tina&Roland 4]

Hi, I see that you're from Indianapolis, too. We drove by car and POE'd at Port Huron, so it's not quite the same. We just gave them my K1 package, stapled I-94 to my passport, did my fingerprints, and asked that I pay them $6. That was pretty much it. They didn't even ask us any questions

Hopefully your fiancee won't have to go through any hassles. Good luck!

[alex and astrid 38]

hey everyone - the big day is finally here. my fiancee will be arriving this thursday in chicago!! we've prepared as much as we can, but we still have a few questions about the process of going through customs.

if you can, please give us a run down of the order of events, which documents will be taken by the customs officer, which documents my fiancee will keep for her records and AOS process.

also, if anyone has specific details about arriving and going through customs in chicago, it would be much appreciated.

thanks for your help!!

I did not go through Chicago, but LAX. The gist of a POE is pretty much the same. Give the CBP officer your passport, I-94 and mysterious envelope, the office will open the envelope and go through it, and then put it off to the side. They will take your photo and fingerprint, mark your passport and attach the I-94, and explain the terms of the K1. Sometimes you are sent to secondary inspection to have the K1 processing completed. I have never been sent to secondary in the five times I have been into the country. You do not get anything back from the officer except your passport. Ideally, you should already have your own copy of your K1 paperwork and a copy of your medical, including the vaccination portion. If you don't...I guess you could ask the CBP officer if they could make a copy but I don't know if they will.

[HeatDeath 430]

The clerk at the consulate (Vancouver, Canada) who handed me my K-1 visa and sealed packet said "This envelope contains three copies of your medical. Ask for one of them from the border officer." So I did, telling the border officer what the guy said and explaining tentatively that I think I use it for the AOS process. So he gave me a copy of my medical. USCIS didn't miss it - my AOS was approved in 2 months with no RFE or interview.

It's something you might want to think about, if you're curious about your medical.

[summersurf 10]

hey everyone - the big day is finally here. my fiancee will be arriving this thursday in chicago!! we've prepared as much as we can, but we still have a few questions about the process of going through customs.

if you can, please give us a run down of the order of events, which documents will be taken by the customs officer, which documents my fiancee will keep for her records and AOS process.

also, if anyone has specific details about arriving and going through customs in chicago, it would be much appreciated.

thanks for your help!!

Hi,

i think you have all the answers you need for your questions, just dropping by to say CONGRATULATIONSSSS that you guys are gonna be together, AT LAST!! Oh Happy Day!! Happy for yous!