What is considered long enough time on first arrival to USA with visa?

[MPGGPM 0]

Got good news this morning....to say the least.

I've already booked the plane ticket, and my wife will be arriving through JFK next week. The maximum amount of time that I could find on her initial flight from Istanbul to New York was just over 2 hours.

I've read through some of the directions and info from this website (the POE drill) to have an idea of what my wife will expect when she enters the USA. I'm not too worried about her having that much problem, considering she's had enough various non-immigrant visas over the past years, that she pretty much knows the routine.

However, THIS time......and thankfully, she's not going to leave.(yay!) So, from what I've read, it's a bit different in that she will be taken to secondary inspection, and I imagine that will take longer......especially if she has people in front of her.

Not much I can do about it now, since I already purchased the ticket, but still want to hear from others about their experience......and to know whether 2 hours is a sufficient amount of time?

Thanks

P.S...any other pointers, would be helpful as well.

Edited April 14, 2007 by MPGGPM

[Otto 83]

(Assuming 'through' meaning she has a connecting flight)

I know the airlines will tell you "we wouldn't book the flight, if there wasn't enough time to make the connections." That may be true - BUT - my advice is, if she doesn't arrive on the scheduled time or feels it's taking too long and might not make it, she should ask for help. It's not uncommon to be pulled from the line and moved ahead if this happens.

[MPGGPM 0]

(Assuming 'through' meaning she has a connecting flight)

You assume correctly.

We live in Florida...........so yes, she will have a connecting flight.

I am just concerned that she has enought time in between. I'm still unclear as to how much longer (if it actually is) this process takes, than say, the times when she entered on her tourist visa , F-1 visa, and J-1 visa.

Edited April 14, 2007 by MPGGPM

[milimelo 4,477]

(Assuming 'through' meaning she has a connecting flight)

You assume correctly.

We live in Florida...........so yes, she will have a connecting flight.

I am just concerned that she has enought time in between. I'm still unclear as to how much longer (if it actually is) this process takes, than say, the times when she entered on her tourist visa , F-1 visa, and J-1 visa.

MPGGPM,

you may want to check this site of Customs and Boarder Protection - the link shows you approximate waiting times for airports and boarders http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/travel/wait_times/ Based on this, you might calculate if there is sufficient time between her connecting flights - since you booked the ticket you should have know all the travel times. If not enough, as soon as she gets to the immigration officer have her tell him/her she is a new immigrant and has X amount time until her next flight. Hopefully this gets her expedited processing.

Best of luck!

Edited April 15, 2007 by milimelo

[Anyta Holland 1]

It took us about 1.5 hours to get out of the second inspection... I hope JFK is not that busy when she gets there....