Landing in NY flight changing

[WelcometoAmerica 0]

Hi,

 

I have a question My spouse will be arriving in JFK new york airport soon. Our visa is IR1 visa. She will land at 2:30 pm and her next plane isnt until 6pm. will this be enough time for her to get through border and customs? 

 

also I read that she will need to fill out a I-94 form and a paper for baggage claims in airport. where to get that?  

 

1 more question, on our application We put that we would live in california but we are wanting to travel to arizona capital to look for jobs there and create a life there. will it be an issue once she lands if she bought a ticket to arizona instead of california? My sister lives in arizona, we are going to stay with her while searching a job for about 2 weeks before heading back to california.

[A'n'L 735]

She should have enough time, but it's not necessarily a comfortable amount.

 

The i94 is electronic and generated by CBP when she goes through immigration. She does not need to worry about it. If JFK still uses paper customs forms, these will be distributed on the plane.

 

She's immigrating to the US - it doesn't matter which state she goes to.

Edited April 21, 2017 by A'n'L

[Ben&Zian 4,398]

9 minutes ago, WelcometoAmerica said:

Hi,

 

I have a question My spouse will be arriving in JFK new york airport soon. Our visa is IR1 visa. She will land at 2:30 pm and her next plane isnt until 6pm. will this be enough time for her to get through border and customs?  Should be fine. Usually 3 hours is okay depending how busy.

 

also I read that she will need to fill out a I-94 form and a paper for baggage claims in airport. where to get that?   Declaration will be given on the plane before landing, I-94 will be electronic ad done with immigrations.

 

1 more question, on our application We put that we would live in california but we are wanting to travel to arizona capital to look for jobs there and create a life there. will it be an issue once she lands if she bought a ticket to arizona instead of california? My sister lives in arizona, we are going to stay with her while searching a job for about 2 weeks before heading back to california. Once in the US with valid ID and all she can fly inside the US no issues.

 

[charmander 692]

Did she check if there is another flight if she misses that 6pm one? If not, have a plan B if she needs to stay overnight at JFK. 3.5 hrs is usually fine but I last time I flew in JFK (2013), it was a nightmare. CBP line started right out of jetway, low ceiling corridor, no air, few people literally had panic attacks, it was a while ago but I think we waited around 2 hrs just to get through CBP. Since then I have not flew in or out of JFK internationally. This was when I was an LPR, visa lines are usually longer than Citizen/LPR lines. Does IR1 visa qualify her to go through LPR line?

 

I'd recommend getting a seat to the front of the plane and be in the first group that gets out. At least that could dodge another 200 people depending on the size of the plane.

[DrEllaNJ 288]

I've been in that line multiple times, and I think the longest I ever waited was 2.5 hrs. She could politely try to approach one of the employees if it gets near 445pm or so, no guarantees that will work though...

I learned that once I deplaned (and I was usually in the cheap seats in the back) to walk as fast as possible, no bathroom stop, no chatting, just focus on getting to the front of the line... and to use the restroom in the air right before they started descent.

[WelcometoAmerica 0]

does she pick up her bags after she goes through customs or is it before customs? her plane gets off in terminal 7 and she has to get to terminal 8 is it easy to get through terminals? we didnt check for extra planes but I will call now and ask. 

 

 

and thank you all for the replies

 

Edited April 22, 2017 by WelcometoAmerica

[A'n'L 735]

3 hours ago, WelcometoAmerica said:

does she pick up her bags after she goes through customs or is it before customs? her plane gets off in terminal 7 and she has to get to terminal 8 is it easy to get through terminals? we didnt check for extra planes but I will call now and ask. 

 

 

and thank you all for the replies

 

First she goes through immigration, then she picks up her bags and takes them through customs. 

[DrEllaNJ 288]

there's an AirTrain between terminals, so allow an extra 15 minutes (waiting time, on train, getting off and finding your way around). She should pay attention as there are two trains going the opposite direction, so she should take the one that stops in terminal 8 next. It's free to take the AirTrain between terminals.

[WelcometoAmerica 0]

thank you all! 

[mindthegap 2,605]

On 4/21/2017 at 0:56 PM, WelcometoAmerica said:

I have a question My spouse will be arriving in JFK new york airport soon. Our visa is IR1 visa. She will land at 2:30 pm and her next plane isnt until 6pm. will this be enough time for her to get through border and customs? 

Yes, no, maybe.

I have gone from 2K on a BA flight from London into T7 to a cab in less than 5mins. Conversely, from exactly the same seat on the same flight number on a different day, I have waited three hours. On the day I activated my CR-1, I waited a shade over 90 mins to get to the desk.

Immigration is total pot luck.

 

On 4/21/2017 at 0:56 PM, WelcometoAmerica said:

also I read that she will need to fill out a I-94 form and a paper for baggage claims in airport. where to get that?  

Blue customs form will be given on the plane. 

No I-94 is given with an immigrant visa, so don't worry about that.

 

On 4/21/2017 at 0:56 PM, WelcometoAmerica said:

1 more question, on our application We put that we would live in california but we are wanting to travel to arizona capital to look for jobs there and create a life there. will it be an issue once she lands if she bought a ticket to arizona instead of california? 

No issue.

 

On 4/22/2017 at 1:56 PM, WelcometoAmerica said:

does she pick up her bags after she goes through customs or is it before customs? her plane gets off in terminal 7 and she has to get to terminal 8 is it easy to get through terminals?

 

1) Off plane

2) Immigration - on this occasion, pick whichever line is shortest - Citizen, LPR, or visitor -  they will send you to secondary regardless, so it really doesn't matter. Hand over sealed envelope, x-ray disc, blue customs form, and passport (removed from holder) open to the visa page.

3) Secondary immigration in this case will be required, so will take you through the door on the far right wall to process the visa, which shouldn't take long. In my case it was just a few minutes to sign a few things.

4) Baggage belt - they sometimes pull bags off the belt and stack them nearby, to avoid it getting clogged. Make sure she checks this area! She MUST collect her suitcase, as incoming international baggage is not automatically transferred.

5) Customs desk

6) Exit

7) Immediately turn right when exiting from customs and there is a baggage transfer desk - make sure that the originating airport tags it for the connection, as it will save considerable time having to drag luggage on the airtrain and recheck it in T8, as it will be transferred to T8 automatically.

8) Walk out of the terminal, straight across the road towards the parking garage, and there is an elevator/escalator up to the Airtrain, and it is quick between 7 & 8. Just make sure she gets on the right train, which will be a train to either Federal Circle or Jamaica (doesn't matter which) but NOT the terminal loop train which will take her the wrong way to T5.

 

 

T7 is small. However, T8 is not and she may have a schelp to one of the far gates which means a long walk under the taxiway. Still waaaay better than connecting at FRA or AMS though... 

[mindthegap 2,605]

Oh, and to add, if the originating airport will issue her onward BP too or if she can get it via an app, all the better, and it will save even more time.

 

 

(why can't you edit posts on here after a few mins? Irritating)