My POE ... ugh

[thatangela 134]

Here's my recommendation:

Make sure you do your POE at a border crossing where they process K-1s often enough to know what they're doing.

We crossed at Osoyoos/Oroville on Monday. Where I've read estimates of a half hour to an hour of wait time, it took CBP almost two hours to get me through the door. First, they made me kennel my dog while they inspected my truck (not unusual but I didn't need the lecture on procedure when I asked if my fiance could hold her instead). Then, they just didn't know what they were doing and had to keep consulting a manual to get through my paperwork.

In addition, they didn't know how to import my truck, telling me I should have faxed them my title 72 hours in advance, so we have to go back up to Oroville on Saturday and get all the paperwork done. Oroville is still the closest POE for us (OK, well, Grand Forks/Laurier is closer but it's just a shack on the side of the road so I can't imagine they know what they're doing).

Also, one thing I did not know was that RICE from Asia is not allowed across the border at this time. I said I didn't have any and then crossed my fingers so hard that they wouldn't pull everything out. They didn't and I escaped that little hiccup. The stress of wondering whether that would not happen is not worth it. Make sure you know what you can and can't bring over. I thought I knew but rice must have slipped through my brain.

In any case, we got through and all is well.

[TBoneTX 45,309]

Congratulations, and bienvenidos a los Estados Unidos! (Uh... wrong border...)

In regard to those in your situation, I've recommended phoning ahead to the planned POE, to apprise them of the pending entry and to ask what times of day someone can be available to process the entry. Those entrants who've reported back have said that the CBP personnel were uniformly appreciative of the courtesy, and they weren't blindsided by the extra work.

The smaller ports (which can be appealing to K-1 entrants because of the lighter traffic) might be able to pull someone from a larger port during certain windows of time. At least at the southern POEs, I've found that the larger ports tend to be very adequately staffed, whereas the smaller ports tend to have just enough personnel to handle the traffic that they think they'll get.

The CBP has a publication called "Know Before You Go," which tells of prohibited items. I don't know if the on-line version has been updated to mention rice from Asia (or even why that's prohibited).

The above is presented for the consideration of others who are contemplating drive-across entries.

Angela, the standard of beauty and intelligence in the U.S. has risen as a result of your entry.

Edited January 29, 2015 by TBoneTX

[Marco&Bettina 502]

Congratulations, and bienvenidos a los Estados Unidos! (Uh... wrong border...)

In regard to those in your situation, I've recommended phoning ahead to the planned POE, to apprise them of the pending entry and to ask what times of day someone can be available to process the entry. Those entrants who've reported back have said that the CBP personnel were uniformly appreciative of the courtesy, and they weren't blindsided by the extra work.

The smaller ports (which can be appealing to K-1 entrants because of the lighter traffic) might be able to pull someone from a larger port during certain windows of time. At least at the southern POEs, I've found that the larger ports tend to be very adequately staffed, whereas the smaller ports tend to have just enough personnel to handle the traffic that they think they'll get.

The CBP has a publication called "Know Before You Go," which tells of prohibited items. I don't know if the on-line version has been updated to mention rice from Asia (or even why that's prohibited).

The above is presented for the consideration of others who are contemplating drive-across entries.

Angela, the standard of beauty and intelligence in the U.S. has risen as a result of your entry.

I can't not know why it's prohibited & a Google search yielded no sufficient answer.

[jfgk1987 303]

Here's my recommendation:

Make sure you do your POE at a border crossing where they process K-1s often enough to know what they're doing.

We crossed at Osoyoos/Oroville on Monday. Where I've read estimates of a half hour to an hour of wait time, it took CBP almost two hours to get me through the door. First, they made me kennel my dog while they inspected my truck (not unusual but I didn't need the lecture on procedure when I asked if my fiance could hold her instead). Then, they just didn't know what they were doing and had to keep consulting a manual to get through my paperwork.

In addition, they didn't know how to import my truck, telling me I should have faxed them my title 72 hours in advance, so we have to go back up to Oroville on Saturday and get all the paperwork done. Oroville is still the closest POE for us (OK, well, Grand Forks/Laurier is closer but it's just a shack on the side of the road so I can't imagine they know what they're doing).

Also, one thing I did not know was that RICE from Asia is not allowed across the border at this time. I said I didn't have any and then crossed my fingers so hard that they wouldn't pull everything out. They didn't and I escaped that little hiccup. The stress of wondering whether that would not happen is not worth it. Make sure you know what you can and can't bring over. I thought I knew but rice must have slipped through my brain.

In any case, we got through and all is well.

We actually crossed at Niagara, and the guys helping us had to look at their manuals too. You'd think enough people with K-1s cross there...

My husband is Korean and we had some rice from Asia with us, but they didn't seem to give a damn about my overloaded car once I told them it was a bunch of clothes, a PC and non meat/non fruit foods. I never thought rice would be something that's banned and it never occurred to me to check, but it's actually true:

Refrain from bringing rice across the border; according to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's border patrol website, rice can harbor unwanted insects.

Who knew?

Glad you made it through! Is your fiance going back to Oroville for you?

[Bonnie&Darren 4]

Ok, so after being away for quite some time trying to figure out whether or not we were shifting gears and having me move up to Canada instead, it looks like we're going to try to give this visa another go. Quick question. They lost our passport photos and we need to send them in again this week before the RFE deadline expires. How many passport pictures do we need to send again? 2 or 3??? Congratulations to all our July filers who have made it through the process!!!

[Ms Hogan 295]

My POE was hours long as well but not because they didn't know what they were doing. The guy actually took a dinner break in the middle of it while I sat there with a 4 year old and 7 year old. Read my POE writeup under my profile some time. It sucked!

Glad you're done with it, though.

[thatangela 134]

Angela, the standard of beauty and intelligence in the U.S. has risen as a result of your entry.

Oh, you flirt. (Thanks. )

Glad you made it through! Is your fiance going back to Oroville for you?

Yes. It's a drive he thought he was done doing. Oopsie.

Ok, so after being away for quite some time trying to figure out whether or not we were shifting gears and having me move up to Canada instead, it looks like we're going to try to give this visa another go. Quick question. They lost our passport photos and we need to send them in again this week before the RFE deadline expires. How many passport pictures do we need to send again? 2 or 3??? Congratulations to all our July filers who have made it through the process!!!

Gosh, I dont even remember. You have to start all over again?

My POE was hours long as well but not because they didn't know what they were doing. The guy actually took a dinner break in the middle of it while I sat there with a 4 year old and 7 year old. Read my POE writeup under my profile some time. It sucked!

Glad you're done with it, though.

Oh my goodness. I have some choice four letter names for that guy!