Husband's First POE Traveling Solo

[cbconte 0]

Buenas tardes, all! (I posted this earlier in the wrong forum. Sorry... Just NERVOUS.)

I have been in the Dominican Republic for a little over a week for my husband's visa interview. He was approved, and our status currently says issued, but I don't want to get my hopes up.

The PROBLEM is I have to return Sunday for a job interview on Monday and now he will most likely be traveling to the US alone. I am absolutely sick over this. His English isn't very good, I am worried about him missing his flight, I am concerned about him filling out Customs paperwork while on the plane, and my biggest concern is him ALONE at the POE.

Here's what I can share. I will be flying him direct from Santo Domingo to Philadelphia, and driving to get him there. I live in Pittsburgh and we have maybe one direct flight to the DR each week, and that's to Punta Cana. I DON'T want him connecting!

Can anyone give me/us suggestions on what he will need on the flight? What he can expect at the POE? Whether or not an airline will grant me a Gate Pass?

I am just sick over this, but the job interview is VERY important to me.

Any & all advice is welcome. Thank you in advance!

~Courtney [and Lorenzo]

[kehills 217]

AFAIK, Spanish is well-spoken at the Philly airport. I doubt you will be granted a gate pass; even if they did, it wouldn't help, because passengers are filed into customs and you wouldn't be able to go that way (you're not entering the country, after all).

I'd simply give him good instructions about how to get from customs to baggage claim, and make it clear you'll meet him in a specific, easy to find spot. Will he have a cell phone that will work in the US with him? Can you spend some time going over the customs form with him before you leave, so he understands what to put where?

[Boiler 45,516]

Customs is a pretty simple procedure for most, just hand the form over after collecting your bags. Usually the cabin crew help or there would be a guide in Spanish.

Gate pass would only be of use for a domestic flight.

Presumably all the international arrivals go out through one gate at Philly?

[Bill and Vicky 25]

Tell him to be patient and calm through Customs and Immigration. There will be at least one officer that speaks Spanish, and they can have your husband wait until that officer is available to process him. Tell him to smile a lot...that tends to work well.

Make sure he understands he can *not* get upset or angry or emotional during the process. If he does, and they feel he's a problem, they will put him in a room until he calms down.

He'll be fine.

Regards,

Bill

[sadavis5 46]

http://www.cbp.gov/sites/default/files/documents/CBP%20Form%206059B%20English%20%28Fillable%29_0.pdf

You can go over the customs forms with him beforehand and translate it for him.

Most airports are good about pushing people through the right customs lines and he can follow other people to the baggage claims. He'll be okay.

When you're waiting to pick him up, remember that the non-citizen lines take a long time, especially if other international flights arrive at the same time. Expect to wait a long time and don't worry yourself while waiting.

[J&N071213 57]

I'm not sure if the airpot in Punta Cana does it, but the one in Santiago has the forms available outside before going into customs. I usually fill mine out before hand. The one they give inside the plane is available in Spanish also. The crew and the person next to him will be available for help. Tell him to be calm and cordial there will be a wait, and even if you were with him your not allowed to go where he will need to go.

PS. From a friend's experience, he was only asked he had come alone and he said "wife" and that was it, out in 10 min.

[janet&adonis 57]

what my hubby did was found someone that was dominican on the same flight and made friends with them, then they were able to direct him through to get his luggage, and get to the connceting gate. This helped him immensley as Miami Airport is pretty big and he would have gotten lost. I also sent him a US cell phone that he could turn on in the airport and call me if he needec help getting through to find his gate. However, he could not have the cell phone on when he went through customs.

[Boiler 45,516]

Usually going through Customs only takes a few minutes anyway.

[kehills 217]

Presumably all the international arrivals go out through one gate at Philly?

Terminal A-West will be the terminal to meet in, and there is an international arrival lounge. There are a couple of ways out though, so selecting a clear meeting point will be important. (Or having a cell phone.)

[El Mayimbe 6]

The customs forms are in both english and spanish.

[cbconte 0]

Thank you all for the information.

We are going to take a crash course in the travel documents tonight.

Unfortunately I don't think he will have a cell phone with him; I am not sure if Orange will work once in the US.

On the upside, I am connecting in Philly when I go home to PIttsburgh, so I will seek out some information while on my layover.

[Ian H. 207]

He shouldn't have a problem, my wife spoke no english and the CBP officer spoke no spanish. She was able to come in just fine. Also, there is always someone who speaks spanish in my experience. The process is pretty straightforward, they take your passport, envelope check everything, take fingerprints, selfie, and sign. He will be fine. If my crazy aunt who can't read or write in spanish let alone english, can get through customs, your husband will be just fine.

[kehills 217]

On the upside, I am connecting in Philly when I go home to PIttsburgh, so I will seek out some information while on my layover.

Unless you have a really long layover, there's no real point; while you could walk over to A terminal, you won't be able to see the customs area or the international arrival waiting area (outside of security). So what you'll learn is: A terminal is an obnoxious walk to get to, and it really bites when they change your gate at 6:25am for a 6:50 departure. That's about it, though.

Have you thought about picking up a prepaid cell phone and mailing it to him overnight, so you guys have a way to talk should you get separated?

[menina 50]

My husband traveled alone and had a connection in Mexico. He spoke zero English. Everything went fine. At POE, the officer called me on my cell phone to verify a couple of things like that we would marry within 90 days. I gave him some simple translations in English and Portuguese that he could point to in order to communicate. Things like "I don't speak English" and "You can call my wife if you need more information." The officer was incredibly kind and helpful. It sounds like your husband will be fine since the forms will be in Spanish, and there should be an officer who speaks Spanish there. I am not familiar with the Philadelphia airport, but the times I have flown internationally, all of the airports were good about guiding people to customs. There was really no way to get lost as it is blocked in so that no one gets through without having their passport checked. I also made notes about the airport when I returned from visiting him and sent them to him so that he would recongize the signs and know how to proceed. If you are flying back early, you could also do that. (ie: take the escalator down to the baggage claim, etc.) Good luck and congratulations!

[Dave&Roza 748]

Unless you have a really long layover, there's no real point; while you could walk over to A terminal, you won't be able to see the customs area or the international arrival waiting area (outside of security). So what you'll learn is: A terminal is an obnoxious walk to get to, and it really bites when they change your gate at 6:25am for a 6:50 departure. That's about it, though.

Have you thought about picking up a prepaid cell phone and mailing it to him overnight, so you guys have a way to talk should you get separated?

She is travelling back from the DR thru Philly to Pittsburgh, so she will go thru the same process as her husband will.

OP: He will be fine. My MIL spoke no English and she managed when coming from Almaty and Russian or Kazakh is not a common foreign language spoken in the US. Just make certain he completes the customs form and has the brown envelope readily available to hand over to the CBP person with the customs form--it would be a good idea for him to have a pen on him for the customs form. When you go thru Philly check to see how to exit and where you will meet him. At least he will not have to worry about a connecting flight.

Good luck,

Dave