POE Is Newark...2 hours enough??

[Julie&Chris 1]

Hey guys! So I am travelling back to the US on Monday, my POE is Newark with a layover time of 2 hours...

is there anyone on here who has had their POE in Newark? I have read the reviews and they seem pretty quick just wanted a few more opinions. Can I ask the customs officer to hurry it up?? lol

[thelastpetitioner 218]

Honestly it all depends on the officers, my poe took like 45 mins, and only because i had too much junk in my carry all and took me forever to get stuff out. Not every poe is slow

[46]

Hey guys! So I am travelling back to the US on Monday, my POE is Newark with a layover time of 2 hours...

is there anyone on here who has had their POE in Newark? I have read the reviews and they seem pretty quick just wanted a few more opinions. Can I ask the customs officer to hurry it up?? lol

I would give yourself more time than that, and I would not suggest that you ask a US official to hurry-up until you are a citizen (and even then it's likely to result in a positive effect).

[Julie&Chris 1]

I would give yourself more time than that, and I would not suggest that you ask a US official to hurry-up until you are a citizen (and even then it's likely to result in a positive effect).

haha i didnt ACTUALLY mean say "hurry up" maybe just asking how long it might take because I have a connecting flight...?

[vacrimefighter 10]

My friend just picked his future (WIFE) up at EWR Airport last week. First questions the officer ask her if her future husband was there waiting for her, and his phone number to call him. The process was less in 2 hours for her "THAT" day.

If you have ever flown a International trip and return back to the US, sometime it takes a good hour to get through customs. {LONG LINES}

Things to Think about..

1st ) Time of the arrival of flight and the volume of others PAX in Customs

2nd) Your Spouse - WILL THEY BE THERE WAITING FOR YOU.

3rd) Regular Customs issues

[Nich-Nick 3,354]

Can I ask the customs officer to hurry it up?? lol

If there is an escort to the secondary processing area, it wouldn't hurt to say "I have a connection in x minutes. Do you know how long this will take?" You know, just politely express worry about your connection so they are aware you have a need for speed. Once you get through immigration, you still have to retrieve luggage in baggage claim, go through customs, re-check bags, then get to your departure gate. Sometimes those are in a different terminal.

If you check in online, you can change seats at that time. If anything closer to the front of the plane has opened up, grab it so you get off the plane faster. Or ask at the counter when you check in at the airport in the UK.

Good luck! What airlines are you flying?

Edited December 16, 2011 by Nich-Nick

[Julie&Chris 1]

If there is an escort to the secondary processing area, it wouldn't hurt to say "I have a connection in x minutes. Do you know how long this will take?" You know, just politely express worry about your connection so they are aware you have a need for speed. Once you get through immigration, you still have to retrieve luggage in baggage claim, go through customs, re-check bags, then get to your departure gate. Sometimes those are in a different terminal.

If you check in online, you can change seats at that time. If anything closer to the front of the plane has opened up, grab it so you get off the plane faster. Or ask at the counter when you check in at the airport in the UK.

Good luck! What airlines are you flying?

I am flying Continental for both so do you still think I will need to collect my luggage in Newark??

[Tindsay 3]

I am flying Continental for both so do you still think I will need to collect my luggage in Newark??

Yes, I'm pretty certain you always have to collect your luggage at POE in order to pass through customs.

[Julie&Chris 1]

Yes, I'm pretty certain you always have to collect your luggage at POE in order to pass through customs.

ok thanks, hopefully i'll make it through

[Nich-Nick 3,354]

I am flying Continental for both so do you still think I will need to collect my luggage in Newark??

Yes. Your luggage has to go through customs at Newark with you toting it. Your leg to Dallas(?) will be a regular domestic flight and won't even land at a terminal with the international services...immigration, Customs anf Border Control, etc. You just get off the plane in Dallas, get your bags, and walk out.

[little_g 35]

Depending on how busy the visitors line is, i flew into JFK and the visitors line was huge took over an hour but the actual border agent part was very quick less than 10 mins, so really depends on how busy your flight is and how fast you can get off the plane i would suggest an aisle seat maybe.

-Jock

[Boiler 45,538]

I went through Newark once, never again.

[elmcitymaven 9,712]

Not to scare you, but when my ex and I moved back to the States, we went through Newark. We went together through the non-citizens line, as instructed by an officer. It took a while (30 mins? I can't really remember exactly how long) to get to the head of that queue. Then they took him off for processing his CR-1 while I went to collect the bags. Figured it would take maybe another 45 mins. Well, they forgot about him and processed an entire planeloads of people before they finally noticed him, the very last person left in the room. They said, "Oh, you're still here?" The entire checking of documents took a couple of minutes.

I, on the other hand, was freaking out in baggage claim because it had been three hours since we stepped off the plane and we had a livery car waiting for us -- and I was prevented from using my cell phone in the baggage area to alert the driver. The officers in baggage claim tried to move me along, but I couldn't go, because I had his bags as well as mine. They couldn't find out what was going on for me. Eventually he appeared and I was relieved but SO stressed out by the whole experience.

Lesson: always give yourself ample time. If you're wondering if it's enough time, it probably isn't. (Unless you're a complete imbecile and are wondering if 10 hours is sufficient, because that's just silly. )

[Helen Louise Pile 80]

I think 2 hours is bare minimum.

I had 2 hours in Newark and I wish I'd given myself longer. I got off the plane (10 minutes), I queued at immigration (40 minutes), I was taken to secondary (20 minutes), I picked up my bags and went through customs (10minutes), I put my bags back on the belt and then ran through Newark (20 minutes) to clear security again (15minutes) before getting on my flight just before the doors closed. Newark was a blur. The only reason I made my flight was because the lovely lady at security eventually let me in the 1st class line.

All international flights into the US must collect baggage and clear security again, add immigration process to that and it takes a bit of time. Plus Newark is a large airport.

As Nick-Nich said, try to get a seat at the front of the plane.

And wear running shoes!

Good luck!!

Edited December 18, 2011 by Helen Louise Pile

[Pooky 3,787]

I POE'd through Newark (a while back) and 2 hours leaves little margin for error. The POE procedure, combined with the baggage claim and customs clearance will take up a surprising portion of that 2 hours, leaving little room for an incoming flight delay, or other Murphy's Law related snafu.

If all goes well, you should be fine. Think positive.