k1 POE windsor / detroit

[Kimbear 53]

David and i got to the bridge around 5:15 or so. the man in the booth was very nice, and old fellow, and i explained i was to process my k1 visa today. he took the passports, swiped them, asked if i had my sealed consulate package, and did a bit of typing on the pc. he then asked me if i knew the rules and asked me what not to do once i cross..to which i said. i can't work..he said i was wrong..and that i could work as soon as i crossed..erm..not as a k1 i cant but i did not argue with him. then he asked me the same question again, to which i replied i cannot leave the us until i get my ap. that was the correct answer he was looking for.

so we head over to secondary, two guys are waiting for us and are like ..whats all this stuff in your car..to which i replied, personal effects, i'm activating my k1..they look at me puzzled..and i said..k1 visa approved i'm moving to the usa..then they realize i'm there for processing and send us in.

a k1 visa with 5 kids was being processed as we got in, and a few ppl lined up. the girl processing the k1/k2 was having computer issues. a few cbp were arguing with a woman trying to import her 3rd car. about 15 mins or so go by and ppl leave, the k1/k2 is still being processed, and the rest of the ppl are just sitting at their terminals.

at 5:45 one of the officers says oh i see you have that big yellow envelope..ya i'm leaving in 5 mins i can't help you. to which i sigh and continue waiting. i guess we arrived during a shift change as i heard ppl complainging about overtime and some trainees.

finally at 6pm someone says ill be served shortly as the person to do the k1 is not there..ok so wait some more. finally around 6:15 an older man sits down and helps me out right away. he seemed to know what he was doing. asked if i knew the rules and what to do after i marry, i recited aos form numbers etc etc..he seemed happy, i think i shaved 2o mins of explanation off his timetable LOL.

he gives me my passport with the i94 in it and i realize my name is misspelt. not such a simple thing to fix. he had to get a supervisor and that took about another 15 mins to fix, then he started having computer issues. finally at 7pm i was not done being processed yet and he was sposed to be done and gone for supper. so i get handed over to another guy, to have the final stuff done, get my new i94 passport and that stamped. i double check it all, and ask if i can get a copy of my medical, and was told they dont give out anything from the package or make copies.

finally got out of there around 7:20 about. most of it was waiting, or computer issues, or other stuff, overall seemed easy enough. i just made sure passport was stamped, and i 94 was all good paid the 6$ and was starving and wanted food.

i did not get asked to sign anything, though i would have to, and also they asked for davids address, and his id card has the old one on it..well it's current but not where we will be living as of next week. Not sure if that will be an issue, his parents will still be living at the old address til end of may so we get mail at both address's. i just thought it was wierd as all the address info is in the pile of papers they have.

i'm just worried my medical will get lost due to the passing the file around and computer errors..so i'm going to wait 3 weeks before i go to get my SSN just in case.

oh and we realized when we got home they completely searched the car and tossed around all our stuff..sigh. oh well.

Edited April 7, 2010 by Kimbear

[Kathryn41 3,205]

Not the easiest crossing - but not the most difficult as well. Welcome to the US. Hopefully all of the computer problems at the POE have no effect on the rest of your Visa Journey.

[Kimbear 53]

oh i forgot to metion..david got drilled..i have no clue why

as we were waiting a girl asked if anyone had a us passport, and they 20 questioned him. about his parents. there place of birth middle names, where he had his passport mailed to etc.. he was like #######..i'm here with my fiance activating her k1.. this went on for about 5 mins or so..and i was getting GRR like #######..anyway she gave him back his passport ant that was it..

[Kathryn41 3,205]

oh i forgot to metion..david got drilled..i have no clue why

as we were waiting a girl asked if anyone had a us passport, and they 20 questioned him. about his parents. there place of birth middle names, where he had his passport mailed to etc.. he was like #######..i'm here with my fiance activating her k1.. this went on for about 5 mins or so..and i was getting GRR like #######..anyway she gave him back his passport ant that was it..

Good grief! Maybe that was one of their 'trainees' practicing. Does seem really ridiculous though.

Edited April 7, 2010 by Kathryn41

[Kimbear 53]

true no clue what was going on that day..usually they are all good ppl i recognized at least 3 i've dealt with before..

all i care about..is that one year and 3 weeks after we applied for a k1..i am in the usa and finally getting married in 4 days!! lol

[Kathryn41 3,205]

true no clue what was going on that day..usually they are all good ppl i recognized at least 3 i've dealt with before..

all i care about..is that one year and 3 weeks after we applied for a k1..i am in the usa and finally getting married in 4 days!! lol

Absolutely! And Congratulations!

[J & J 3]

Oh Boy... Looks like i'll be up for a treat when I have my POE (when the time comes) Hopefully they won't have computer problems that day. I usually take the tunnel. Not sure if i'll take the bridge yet.

Glad you made it across safely

[Sam and Ben 2]

Sorry to hear that you had issues at the crossing. Though to anyone else planning to cross via Ambassador Bridge, it is certainly not always this tough. My fiance and I had no issues whatsoever when we crossed in December. As with all crossings, it'####### or miss.

Congratulations on getting into the States safely, and best wishes for your wedding in a couple of days.

[ashenflowers 5]

I crossed at the same place. Sounds like one of the old men you talked to was similar to one that I met. He asked me if I knew what I couldn't do when I entered the U.S. and I said 'work' and he said the same thing, that I can work right away. I'm like... uhhhh?? no. Anyways, he meant that I can't leave.

It sounds like despite both going to the same place we had different experiences. They didn't search my car at all, didn't give me an I-94 at all, took fingerprints and had me sign something, and it still only took me about 45 mins to get through. But ultimately, they STILL don't seem like they know what they're doing with K-1s there. It's kind of sad really. lol

[Hugglebuggles 60]

Sounds like an adventure! But you made it, that's the good news Congrats!

[OBX 51]

Wow quite the adventure for sure!

Best wishes for your upcoming wedding. Have a wonderful day!

[jmd77 1]

Must have been something with Tuesday. It took us over two hours at the Peace Bridge in Buffalo, and the actual immigration/k-1 part of that was like 20-30 minutes total. The rest of the time, we just sat there.

We also were told we were not entitled to a copy of anything from the packet.

The only part of our experience that differs much from Kimbear's was our initial border guard. He was insistent that we did not need to go to secondary and just needed some form 3--- (not sure what number now, 3925, 3295, something like that). As a result, I had to be insistent that we did need to go to secondary and that the form he was referring to was not part of our process. Border guards don't like it much and are certainly not pleasant when they think you think they're wrong, but in our case, he was wrong.

I didn't get grilled at any point like Kimbear's fiance, but the immigrations officer did want to know who my brother was (he's a USC commercial driver, so we brought him to drive the moving truck we rented).

In the end, our only mistake was expecting it to be shorter than it was. Our POE date had gotten moved because of a delay with Canada Post, and we needed to fit in the whole move on Tuesday because of some other plans for the next two weeks. We had been delayed because of the QEW shutdown for a tractor trailer fire and we were tired enough when we got to the border that we just wanted to get home - that made the wait seem like an eternity.

[antda 13]

Kimbear-Congrats on a successful POE and thanks for sharing about that here on VJ!

Welcome to America!

Good luck with the rest of your journey and your upcoming weddding too.

Ant

David and i got to the bridge around 5:15 or so. the man in the booth was very nice, and old fellow, and i explained i was to process my k1 visa today. he took the passports, swiped them, asked if i had my sealed consulate package, and did a bit of typing on the pc. he then asked me if i knew the rules and asked me what not to do once i cross..to which i said. i can't work..he said i was wrong..and that i could work as soon as i crossed..erm..not as a k1 i cant but i did not argue with him. then he asked me the same question again, to which i replied i cannot leave the us until i get my ap. that was the correct answer he was looking for.

so we head over to secondary, two guys are waiting for us and are like ..whats all this stuff in your car..to which i replied, personal effects, i'm activating my k1..they look at me puzzled..and i said..k1 visa approved i'm moving to the usa..then they realize i'm there for processing and send us in.

a k1 visa with 5 kids was being processed as we got in, and a few ppl lined up. the girl processing the k1/k2 was having computer issues. a few cbp were arguing with a woman trying to import her 3rd car. about 15 mins or so go by and ppl leave, the k1/k2 is still being processed, and the rest of the ppl are just sitting at their terminals.

at 5:45 one of the officers says oh i see you have that big yellow envelope..ya i'm leaving in 5 mins i can't help you. to which i sigh and continue waiting. i guess we arrived during a shift change as i heard ppl complainging about overtime and some trainees.

finally at 6pm someone says ill be served shortly as the person to do the k1 is not there..ok so wait some more. finally around 6:15 an older man sits down and helps me out right away. he seemed to know what he was doing. asked if i knew the rules and what to do after i marry, i recited aos form numbers etc etc..he seemed happy, i think i shaved 2o mins of explanation off his timetable LOL.

he gives me my passport with the i94 in it and i realize my name is misspelt. not such a simple thing to fix. he had to get a supervisor and that took about another 15 mins to fix, then he started having computer issues. finally at 7pm i was not done being processed yet and he was sposed to be done and gone for supper. so i get handed over to another guy, to have the final stuff done, get my new i94 passport and that stamped. i double check it all, and ask if i can get a copy of my medical, and was told they dont give out anything from the package or make copies.

finally got out of there around 7:20 about. most of it was waiting, or computer issues, or other stuff, overall seemed easy enough. i just made sure passport was stamped, and i 94 was all good paid the 6$ and was starving and wanted food.

i did not get asked to sign anything, though i would have to, and also they asked for davids address, and his id card has the old one on it..well it's current but not where we will be living as of next week. Not sure if that will be an issue, his parents will still be living at the old address til end of may so we get mail at both address's. i just thought it was wierd as all the address info is in the pile of papers they have.

i'm just worried my medical will get lost due to the passing the file around and computer errors..so i'm going to wait 3 weeks before i go to get my SSN just in case.

oh and we realized when we got home they completely searched the car and tossed around all our stuff..sigh. oh well.

Edited April 8, 2010 by Ant+D+BabyA

[Kimbear 53]

heeh ty again all.

and ya must have been a tuesday thing! LOL

[CDAgirlMI 51]

Congrats on getting through.

Argh...I wish I could get a job working there processing visas, haha...there's a few people there that know absolutley nothing about it.

But glad you made it ok. Welcome!