Atlanta as a POE

[Oregonfiancee 0]

Hello, everyone!

I am going to fly through Atlanta, so it is going to be my POE. Since I am not that good with English I am trying to learn what I will need to do when I arrive there. Step-by-step. When do I get my luggage? (I have connection flight to Portland then and so should I get my luggage in Atlanta or only in Portland?) When they take a yellow package from me? Is it a special room for immigration?

I also read that people give officers a blue paper. I am not sure what it is? Is it something like declaration? And is it nesessary to fill it out if I have nothing to declare?

I feel pretty nervous about it as I heard not so nice things about Atlanta POE. So I am trying to learn.

I would appretiate any help!

Thanks!

[KarenCee 3]

Would it be possible for you to choose a different POE? Atlanta isn't the nicest POE by a long shot. There are some here who have had problems coming through ATL. Not trying to make you even more nervous, but maybe there might be a way to come through somewhere else. It's the reason my husband chose to come through another POE, even though we live close to ATL airport.

As for luggage, you would get it in ATL if that is where you will be going through customs. If you have nothing to declare you still have to give them that blue piece of paper. The yellow envelope is to be given to the customs officer who processes you through. I believe they take you aside to do your immigration stuff, although some have been taken to a side room. I wish the best for you on your trip home.

[Danny&Adri 1]

Atlanta isn't the nicest POE by a long shot. There are some here who have had problems coming through ATL... It's the reason my husband chose to come through another POE, even though we live close to ATL airport.

If you remember where you heard this information, I hope you can point us to those posts. I did a VJ serach on Atlanta but could not find any such complaints, in fact I found just the opposite:

<see post>

[yabasta 0]

Hello, everyone!

I am going to fly through Atlanta, so it is going to be my POE. Since I am not that good with English I am trying to learn what I will need to do when I arrive there. Step-by-step. When do I get my luggage? (I have connection flight to Portland then and so should I get my luggage in Atlanta or only in Portland?) When they take a yellow package from me? Is it a special room for immigration?

I also read that people give officers a blue paper. I am not sure what it is? Is it something like declaration? And is it nesessary to fill it out if I have nothing to declare?

I feel pretty nervous about it as I heard not so nice things about Atlanta POE. So I am trying to learn.

I would appretiate any help!

Thanks!

I went through Atlanta POE but i didn`t go anywhere else afterwards.

Here is how it goes though to the best of my knowledge.

Arrive at ATL go through immigration which is not too long usually but it depends on time and other flights there at the same time.

Then you pick up luggage and have to recheck it.

You recheck the luggage if you are connecting or not but before rechecking you go through customs.

Customs is when you get sent into a side room and this is where the immigration process happens. You hand over your envelope at this point not the first immigration point.

After rechecking luggage you go through security and then after that you go through security you take a train to get your baggage although in your case i guess you recheck your baggage and then go to your connecting flight.

[KarenCee 3]

Atlanta isn't the nicest POE by a long shot. There are some here who have had problems coming through ATL... It's the reason my husband chose to come through another POE, even though we live close to ATL airport.

If you remember where you heard this information, I hope you can point us to those posts. I did a VJ serach on Atlanta but could not find any such complaints, in fact I found just the opposite:

<see post>

I'm sure you did find some posts....and I wish I had the time to research. BUT, I assure you I don't post a response with information out of the blue. I do know of one person on here...her husband came through ATL and they live in Alabama. It was not a pleasant experience from what I understand. However, I will leave it to her to post that if she desires to do so.

I am glad you have found something to substantiate your response.

[iceyspots 0]

I think one person actually had their SO sent back FROM atlanta.. and they have also been pretty mean to foreigners. Pretty harsh stuff.

[Tim and Bethanie 1]

Hubby is scheduled through ATL. It was the best deal we could find, so we are just going to deal with it. If he finally gets the visa I will post after his flight next Friday and let you know his experience.

[yabasta 0]

I hate to say it but i wonder if it is easier if you are white. Most of the immigration officials at ATL are white middle aged dudes and whilst they always seem fine with me i guess it is possible that they are harsher towards non white immigrants.

[Tim and Bethanie 1]

I hate to say it but i wonder if it is easier if you are white. Most of the immigration officials at ATL are white middle aged dudes and whilst they always seem fine with me i guess it is possible that they are harsher towards non white immigrants.

Could be, after all we are talking the deep south.

[VetsWife328 7]

Well I'm sorry for having to give you bad news on Atlanta.....

I had a really horrible experience in Atlanta February 2nd ,2006!!!!!

I went to visit my better half (we are not married yet!) and was asked by the Officer whom I was going to visit,I answered truthfully with "my boyfreind" and was asked at least 50 questions.And that wasn't it!

They guy put all the paperwork in a folder and told me I had t go and be interviewed since there were "some questions on this case".

Mind ya,I NEVER had an overstay or any other problems........on top of that I was traveling with my at the time 4 year old son.

So I go to the Office and there sits Officer Butler-let me tell you that man is RUDE.

Some more questions and a very rude remark ( I asked how long it would take,informing him very politley and no I'm NOT being sarcastic,I was VERY polite and scared to death,and his answer was "So you wanna play hardball huh? Well lets see you either sit down over there and shut up or I will put your ### on the next plane back!" ),and I DID get my 3 months stamp. (VWP,not filed for K1 yet not now not then)

I will NEVER again use POE.

Now I will be flying to the US next month to see my man and I'm terrified!

Anyone knows anything about washington Dulles Airport as a POE for VWP??????

And what the heck does "WT" mean right on the stamp in my little boys passport??????????????

Nat

[Jackson1975 0]

Now I will be flying to the US next month to see my man and I'm terrified!

Anyone knows anything about washington Dulles Airport as a POE for VWP??????

And what the heck does "WT" mean right on the stamp in my little boys passport??????????????

Nat

I've used Washington as a POE and they seemed fine with me on both occasions when arriving to visit while my K1 visa was in process. Please PM me for further details

[Fuzzness 2]

www.airlinequality.com

user reviews of airlines and airports. Many negative comments about customs and immigration at ATL.

as others have said, avoid ATL as a poe at all costs. otherwise, as a connecting or a domestic airport, it is one of the best I have been to (for major airports)

[Danny&Adri 1]

I hate to say it but i wonder if it is easier if you are white. Most of the immigration officials at ATL are white middle aged dudes and whilst they always seem fine with me i guess it is possible that they are harsher towards non white immigrants.

I see a couple of major flaws in your opinion...

1. it seems from the pictures posted on VJ, most of the folks expressing concern with ATL are also white.

2. Your personal observation of the demographic make-up of the employee base does not agree with my experiences in ATL.

3. "Most immigration officials in ATL are white middle aged dudes" implies that only whites can be prejudice, only middle ager can be prejudice and only 'dudes' can be prejudice.

My personnal opinion is that there is a problem in Atlanta, but it is not limited to the airport nor immigration. Atlanta is no longer a quaint southern city, but is now a large metropolis. It has large city problems that give way to "smaller" issues like poor service, neighbors not trusting neighbors and law enforcement not trusting the general population.

Atlanta has changed over the past few decades. Sure there is still an underlying tension between blacks and whites. However, that underlying tension has now spread to everyone.

I realize I might have slightly hijacked this thread for a moment on my soap box. If so I apologize. I just wanted to let everyone know that coming into ATL is probably going to have the same issues as any other large city POE. I wonder if it is possible to use Omaha Nebraska at a POE?

[yabasta 0]

I see a couple of major flaws in your opinion...

1. it seems from the pictures posted on VJ, most of the folks expressing concern with ATL are also white.

2. Your personal observation of the demographic make-up of the employee base does not agree with my experiences in ATL.

3. "Most immigration officials in ATL are white middle aged dudes" implies that only whites can be prejudice, only middle ager can be prejudice and only 'dudes' can be prejudice.

flaws in my opinion? Firstly my opinion was not given as FACT or even a FIRM opinion. I simply made a summation on a possible reason for Atlanta having a bad rep. I also pointed out that this was just something possible and made it clear that i have had no problem with ATL personally.

Your views of the demographic is based on immigration or all ATL staff? I was talking about Immigration officers who from what i have seen seem to be largely white middle aged dudes. This again was not claimed to be fact but i was just offering an idea up. If the immigration officers are mostly black women then i guess it is just chance that it has not seemed that way to me.

How does the sentence "Most immigration officials in ATL are white middle aged dudes" imply that only white dudes can be prejudice?

If i offended you in some way i am sorry but i think you just took what i said the wrong way or something. Again as i said i had no problems at ATL apart from the fact it was a busy airport and i had jsut been flying for 9 hours. No problems here.

[Tim and Bethanie 1]

Tim's comment on Atlanta as his POE, "they have been the nicest so far". He said he was sent downstairs with his MBE, the gentleman at the counter told him to take a seat, welcomed him to America, told him this will take just a few minutes, made a joke about his last name which is Nice and ask if he lived up to it stamped, his passport and sent him on his way. He said it took maybe 5 minutes. Hope that helps others.