POE timeframe

[okinawa 0]

Dear all, I have an immigrant visa (just got approved at the US Consulate in Japan) My husband (USC) and I will be arriving in the states (LAX) and have 1 and 1/2 hrs before our connecting flight to get through customs and board our next flight ..IS THIS ENOUGH TIME TO GO THROUGH CUSTOMS WITH MY IMMIGRATION PACKAGE/TO GET MY FINAL STAMP? (Our paperwork is very simple as well, I am Canadian and have no criminal record/ we both have no prior marriages/children)

Appreciate any advice!

[Lizzy 0]

Hi,

Sounds like you should be ok (just)... even if you miss your flight they will put you on the next connecting flight if there are any available.

He will go through the USC and Perminat residents line, his will be quickest but you can only do that line if you have a Green Card or are a USC.. your line (the visitors line) will be slower.

[brtlmj 0]

If each of you has one ticket for the entire trip, then there is not much to worry about - the airline will find seats for you on the next flight if you miss your original one. However, if you booked both segments (international and domestic) separately, then 90 minutes is not safe.

I was about to advise you not to take too many bags - this is the main delaying factor during POE transfers. Then I realized that this is not an option for a new immigrant

Bartek

Edited March 12, 2007 by brtlmj

[payxibka 10,047]

While the number of bags may be a concern, typically the most amount of time is spent waiting in the immigration line. What is a safe connect time all depends on how busy the POE is at the time and how many other concurrent international flights they are trying to process at the same time. I have arrived at a POE where we were the only arrived flight and processed in 15 minutes. I have also arrived at a POE where there were 6 other concurrent flights and the wait time was 1.5+ hours. It is just a ####### shoot....

[brtlmj 0]

While the number of bags may be a concern, typically the most amount of time is spent waiting in the immigration line.

It depends on the airport. Sometimes you go clear immigration first and by the time you are done, your bags are already there. Sometimes you have to wait for your bags, and then queue for immigration.

Bartek

[payxibka 10,047]

While the number of bags may be a concern, typically the most amount of time is spent waiting in the immigration line.

It depends on the airport. Sometimes you go clear immigration first and by the time you are done, your bags are already there. Sometimes you have to wait for your bags, and then queue for immigration.

Bartek

Not any airport I have been through.... Passport control is always first....

[tweety 1]

While the number of bags may be a concern, typically the most amount of time is spent waiting in the immigration line.

It depends on the airport. Sometimes you go clear immigration first and by the time you are done, your bags are already there. Sometimes you have to wait for your bags, and then queue for immigration.

Bartek

Not any airport I have been through.... Passport control is always first....

yeah, immigration first, then the bags/customs... the other way round on arriving international flight wouldn't make sense

[Jasman0717 9]

It took Claudeth about 45 minutes to get through customs at LAX. The only thing I would be concerned about is going through security at your connecting flight.

Edited March 14, 2007 by jasman0717

[brtlmj 0]

While the number of bags may be a concern, typically the most amount of time is spent waiting in the immigration line.

It depends on the airport. Sometimes you go clear immigration first and by the time you are done, your bags are already there. Sometimes you have to wait for your bags, and then queue for immigration.

Not any airport I have been through.... Passport control is always first....

That's the way it was in San Francisco until 2001 (I think). The good side was that people went to passport control gradually and the lines weren't too long. Then they built a new terminal and now immigration is first. There might be other airports where you get your baggage first, I don't know.

Bartek