Arrival on the very last day on immigrant visa?

[ali576 0]

First time here but I am long time lurker. Actually my parents went through this ordeal known as AP. Their interview was done in August 2011 so after almost 30 months in AP, they finally got their visas back in early March.

anyway I am here to ask one basic question and this is very important and I can't seem to find discussion around it on the interweb.

I went to the Oath and fingerprinting at Embassy (since I was in the country already) with my parents and I asked about the timeline of their travel to USA. I was told May 28th (on and before, I guess) for my mother. I guess it depends upon the medical exam date which will be expiring in six month (from Nov 28th). My father has till July to make travel arrangements. Now I have booked them on May 28th, 2014 ( together) and I am flying back to bring them along with me. We are scheduled to be back in USA (Boston as POE) on May 28th at 7 pm and then connecting onward flight to our final destination on the same day with 2 hour layover. Here are my questions:

1) is there any chance of them being not admissible (due to fact of the very last day of their Visa)?

2) Should we plan for more than 2 hour at our POE?

The reason I don't want to change anything at this point:

1) really hard to get time off from work.

2) All the tickets have already been booked, so trying to avoid paying $$$ in change fees.

If this all matters, my mother (who needs to travel on and before May 28th) will be on the wheel chair and I must go there to bring her here.

[Dave&Roza 748]

First time here but I am long time lurker. Actually my parents went through this ordeal known as AP. Their interview was done in August 2011 so after almost 30 months in AP, they finally got their visas back in early March.

anyway I am here to ask one basic question and this is very important and I can't seem to find discussion around it on the interweb.

I went to the Oath and fingerprinting at Embassy (since I was in the country already) with my parents and I asked about the timeline of their travel to USA. I was told May 28th (on and before, I guess) for my mother. I guess it depends upon the medical exam date which will be expiring in six month (from Nov 28th). My father has till July to make travel arrangements. Now I have booked them on May 28th, 2014 ( together) and I am flying back to bring them along with me. We are scheduled to be back in USA (Boston as POE) on May 28th at 7 pm and then connecting onward flight to our final destination on the same day with 2 hour layover. Here are my questions:

1) is there any chance of them being not admissible (due to fact of the very last day of their Visa)?

2) Should we plan for more than 2 hour at our POE?

The reason I don't want to change anything at this point:

1) really hard to get time off from work.

2) All the tickets have already been booked, so trying to avoid paying $$$ in change fees.

If this all matters, my mother (who needs to travel on and before May 28th) will be on the wheel chair and I must go there to bring her here.

If everything goes as planned, no problems. However, if the plane is delayed or for some unforeseen reason your Mother does not make it by midnight, she will most likely be turned away at the boarding process of the aircraft. You are cutting it too close for my comfort level, but that is your choice. Just realize the consequences of this choice if things do not go smoothly.

Good luck,

Dave

[ali576 0]

^^ thanks for the quick response. So the date on the visa ( stamped on her passport) is may 28th which I believe is the expiration date. Does this mean,she needs to be here in states on or before May 28th OR before May28th?

Thanks for the clarification. On a side note, similar experience by anyone or is this just me thinking and taking things lightly?

[Not a Tailor 1,370]

I would have concerns that, given the likelihood that people in charge of the aircraft's boarding might not have seen someone flying on the last day of validity of a visa before, she would experience a lot of difficulty getting on the plane, even if she'd be making it to the US on time. It just seems like a really dangerous game you're playing, to me, but that may be my paranoia--I have no experience with this, but it would be nervewracking for me.

[ali576 0]

Thanks for the replies. I guess I need to rework the whole booking thing without incurring serious $$$ damage.

[aussie_jason 195]

If they have their visas then what does it state on the visa itself as the expiry? As far as I am aware the medicals should expire at the year mark not 6 months so it sounds like the IO may have been confused by the 6 months that is usually granted for the visa itself.

Upon further research it seems the medicals are country specific and some are only valid for 6 months so ignore what I just said.

[ali576 0]

Thanks for the advise. Yes, her visa says "Expires on May 28th, 2014", same date when her medical exam is expiring.

Another question, Currently we are arriving in Boston and connecting to Philly but what If we fly to Toronto/Montreal and then connecting to Philly. Is it the same due to PreClearance facility at both of the above airports or does they need to go through immigration at POE in Philly?

[aussie_jason 195]

If you transit through Toronto you will go through U.S. Customs and Border Protection there and depending on the terminal you may also need to go through Canada Border Services Agency beforehand.

If you transit through Boston you will go through US CBP there.

[ali576 0]

If you transit through Toronto you will go through U.S. Customs and Border Protection there and depending on the terminal you may also need to go through Canada Border Services Agency beforehand.

If you transit through Boston you will go through US CBP there.

Thanks.

Sorry but another question, what about other transiting countries ? In this case we will most likely be transiting through Istanbul and Frankfurt. Does the IV visa would be sufficient or do we have to arrange visas for these particular countries separately. Layover is no more than 4 hours.

[aussie_jason 195]

It depends on your home country and the countries you are transiting through, you will need to research that yourself. As an Australian citizen I typically don't need to worry about such things but it is a lot tougher for some countries.

[ali576 0]

Thanks again. As per visa guidelines, if you are transiting through Germany and if you hold valid Visa (or Green Card), you don't need transit visa.