my detailed POE experience 01/18/2012

[jon&cess 0]

Hello everyone! As promised, I'm gonna share my detailed POE experience last jan 18th of this year. POE was on SFO.

Hubby and I arrived on SFO last jan 18th at 6:30pm. A lot of people were in the US citizen's lane. Hubby instructed me to go to the new immigrants line, far right, only 3 people were on that line. I just brought my visa packet, passport & admission record (given during the flight) with me and left everything else with hubby. A serious faced, strict Chinese-American immigration officer was at the counter. When my turn was called, he asked for my passport and form (I think its a customs form - not sure though). Coz I was unable to present him the form (we were asked to fill up forms at the plane, hours before landing. An admission record for me, a form for US citizens for hubby and a customs form for the both of us. Those who traveled together will only get one customs form. Hubby has ours) he was lookin for, he shouted "next". He didn't even look at me, nor gave me instructions. So I asked him, where should I go, what should I do. Luckily, a fellow Filipina was next in line with me, so she showed me the form. After recognizing the form, I told the officer that I'm with my husband and he has that form, he stared at me and told me to "go to your husband". I thanked him and went back to my hubby.

After 30mins, our turn was called, a Indian-American immigration officer catered us. We handed out our passports, my visa packet and all of our 3 forms. He took my picture and biometrics and told us to move to another lane (I think its lane 7, left side - another line for new immigrants, he didn't open my visa packet). There were 2 lines at lane 7. The American immigration officer told us to go the 2nd line. He was only catering the 1st line! After an hour of standing and waiting in line, another officer approached his counter and gave out forms. Our American officer had run out of green card forms! That's when the American officer asked everyone in the 2nd line to get one form, print our index fingerprint, sign and move at the back of the 1st line! By that time, all of the other counters were empty. So, for speedy process, we were again, asked to move to another counter. A Vietnamese-American immigration officer will serve us this time. Again, we handed out our passports, my visa packet, all of our 3 forms and my green card form. Our officer was very friendly. The immigration officer on the counter beside us, catering another client, sounds pissed. She was shouting, telling the client he should not lie with her and that she can deny his entry to the US. Our immigration officer and hubby chatted for quite a while. I was already starving! Haha! When he opened my visa packet, he was in shocked. He can't find my pictures. He told me, each packet usually has 2 2x2 pictures inside but mine has none and those pictures were needed in order for them to issue me my green card. Luckily, I brought with me 8 2x2 pictures! LOL! So I gave the immigration officer 2. He later then explained us the removal of conditions procedure, asked us to sign and gave us a copy. He told us that the green card may took about 1-6months to process.

It took us 2 long, excruciating hours to get out of the airport!

BTW, I just received my US SSN last monday! :dance:

[jkelly07 120]

what airport was that. it took so long 2 hours at the peo,

[jon&cess 0]

what airport was that. it took so long 2 hours at the peo,

San Francisco, California

[sunshine_84 11]

San Francisco, California

No wonder it was SFO airport. My parents traveled thru this airport two years ago when they were on green card. They returned to USA after 5 months abroad trip, and the officer was angry that if you want to stay outside this long then why do you keep green card. One of my uncle's wife also came to USA first time at SFO and had similar experience as yours about 5 years ago. I don't recommend someone to have their first POE at SFO if possible. My first POE was at LAX airport many years ago and it was very pleasant. I was out of the airport in less than 1 hour from the time we landed at LAX airport.

[Ryan H 3,812]

Moved from Process & Procedures to Progress Reports.

[iwuvcheshert 6]

congratulations jon and cess.. awaiting for my turn next.. very good that you have ur hubby around, as per me, i will be on my own in 2 weeks.. thanks for the detailed post..

congratulations jon and cess.. awaiting for my turn next.. very good that you have ur hubby around, as per me, i will be on my own in 2 weeks.. thanks for the detailed post..

[Leatherneck 693]

Congrats Cess and welcome to the USA!

[nickoxxy 2]

...asked us to sign and gave us a copy. He told us that the green card may took about 1-6months to process.

Welcome to the USA, Cess ! Which copy are you talking about? Me and my wife were not given any papers at POE (well, we did POE via car). She was stamped with IR1 in her passport and that was it. I've only asked about approximate GC time arrival.

[jon&cess 0]

No wonder it was SFO airport. My parents traveled thru this airport two years ago when they were on green card. They returned to USA after 5 months abroad trip, and the officer was angry that if you want to stay outside this long then why do you keep green card. One of my uncle's wife also came to USA first time at SFO and had similar experience as yours about 5 years ago. I don't recommend someone to have their first POE at SFO if possible. My first POE was at LAX airport many years ago and it was very pleasant. I was out of the airport in less than 1 hour from the time we landed at LAX airport.

I'm currently residing in San Jose, California. SFO was the nearest international airport. We didn't expect we'll experience such trouble.

[jon&cess 0]

congratulations jon and cess.. awaiting for my turn next.. very good that you have ur hubby around, as per me, i will be on my own in 2 weeks.. thanks for the detailed post..

congratulations jon and cess.. awaiting for my turn next.. very good that you have ur hubby around, as per me, i will be on my own in 2 weeks.. thanks for the detailed post..

Thank you! I hope you have a smooth and easy POE experience. Glad I can help.

Congrats Cess and welcome to the USA!

Thank you for the warm welcome Leatherneck!

Welcome to the USA, Cess ! Which copy are you talking about? Me and my wife were not given any papers at POE (well, we did POE via car). She was stamped with IR1 in her passport and that was it. I've only asked about approximate GC time arrival.

Hi nickky! Sorry for the late response. Uhm, the immigration officer, after explaining to us the ROC procedure, handed us a form where he have us, the beneficiary and the petitioner, sign. This is what the form looks like:

U.S. CUSTOMS AND BORDER PROTECTION

Department of Homeland Security

Memorandum

Date: Jan 18 2012 SFR XXXX

To : Name of Beneficiary

Pursuant to section 216 of the Immigration and Naturalization Act, you have been granted CONDITIONAL Permanent Residence Status as of 18 Jan 2012. You and your petitioning spouse must file a Form I-175, Petitioning to Remove the Conditions on Residence, within the 90day period immediately preceding the second anniversary of your admission for permanent residence.

If a petition, Form I-751, is not filed within this period, your Conditional Permanent Residence status will automatically terminate and you will be subject to removal from the United States.

Beneficiary Signature:_____________________

Petitioner Signature:______________________

CBP Officer Signature: ____________________

Edited February 5, 2012 by jon&cess

[nickoxxy 2]

Thank you! I hope you have a smooth and easy POE experience. Glad I can help.

Thank you for the warm welcome Leatherneck!

Hi nickky! Sorry for the late response. Uhm, the immigration officer, after explaining to us the ROC procedure, handed us a form where he have us, the beneficiary and the petitioner, sign. This is what the form looks like:

U.S. CUSTOMS AND BORDER PROTECTION

Department of Homeland Security

Memorandum

Date: Jan 18 2012 SFR XXXX

To : Name of Beneficiary

Pursuant to section 216 of the Immigration and Naturalization Act, you have been granted CONDITIONAL Permanent Residence Status as of 18 Jan 2012. You and your petitioning spouse must file a Form I-175, Petitioning to Remove the Conditions on Residence, within the 90day period immediately preceding the second anniversary of your admission for permanent residence.

If a petition, Form I-751, is not filed within this period, your Conditional Permanent Residence status will automatically terminate and you will be subject to removal from the United States.

Beneficiary Signature:_____________________

Petitioner Signature:______________________

CBP Officer Signature: ____________________

Thank you for your reply, Cess. Oh, I see, Cess. You've gotten CR1 visa (marriage less than 2 years). My wife got IR1 (we've been married since September 2008). While officer was stamping visa entrance in her passport, I was watching him doing this and making sure he puts down the correct type of visa - I've read on VJ stories about that kind of mess and was on alert.

Thank God, we had no issues at all, I've brought in even more plants this time than the previous . This is my wife's hobby .

No customs declaration, nothing at all. As I've mentioned on other VJ thread, Port Huron (in Michigan) is a nice POE by land compare to Detroit.

How're you getting adapted to USA? My wife got her SSN already - took 5 days to get it in mail. On Thursday-Friday we're going to replace my wife's previous Temporary Visitor's Driver License into regular (without passing any tests ).