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LeilaLyn

Tourist Visa, what to expect on arrival to the US

By LeilaLyn in Tourist Visas

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LeilaLyn Explorer

LeilaLyn   4

Posted
Filed: K-1 Visa Country: Argentina
 Timeline
Posted

Hello!

A friend of mine is coming to the U.S. to visit for 22 days, she has her Visa and plane tickets, she is arriving next Monday and there she has a few concern points. I honestly do not know the answer to her concerns so I decided to ask you guys. I will appreciate any help. 

She is arriving at  Chicago airport from Argentina. 

-She would like to know how much money she needs to bring with her for customs to consider it is enough, she is staying 22 days at a friends house.

-Should she bring cash or it is ok if she leaves the money in the bank and uses her credit card. She was told that customs request to see the money sometimes. 

-Should she bring a bank statement showing how much money she has there?

 

I personally thought that once you have your visa, customs and immigrations was not really a problem, but I guess with our new president things have changed. I appreciate any help you guys can provide us. Thank you very much. 

 

Visa K1

Vermont Service Center

Consulate :Argentina

I-129F Sent : 2011-08-12

I-129F NOA1 : 2011-08-16

Interview Date : 2012-02-02

Visa Received : 2012-02-15

Estimates/Stats :

My I-129f was approved in 120 days from your NOA1 date.

My interview took 170 days from your I-129F NOA1 date.

AOS:

CIS Office : Syracuse NY

Date Filed : 2012-03-20 (Lock-box Chicago)

USCIS received : 2012-03-22

NOA1 email: 2012-04-02

Check Cashed: 2012-04-03

NOA in hand: 2012-04-09

Biometrics: 2012-04-20

EAD & AP Approved 2012-05-16

AOS interview 2012-07-30 APPROVED

GC Prod. order 2012-08-10

Green card touched 2012-08-15!!!!

ROC:

Vermont Service Center

Date sent : 2014-05-09

Vmnt received : 2014-05-12

Check Cashed: 2014-05-15

Children NOA received: 2014-05-16

My NOA received 2014-05-29

Biometric Current

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Boiler Grand Master

Boiler   45,467

Posted
Filed: K-1 Visa Country: Wales
 Timeline
Posted

Not aware of any changes, do you have a link?

“If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles. If you know yourself but not the enemy, for every victory gained you will also suffer a defeat. If you know neither the enemy nor yourself, you will succumb in every battle.”

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KULtoATL Experienced

KULtoATL   1,551

Posted
Filed: Lift. Cond. (apr) Country: Malaysia
 Timeline
Posted

At my last POE, the CBP officer asked me how much cash I had in hand. I only had $1300 at that point plus two credit cards and I was visiting for 15 days. It wasn't an issue and I was not asked to show the actual cash or any statements.

 

Frankly, I don't think a CBP officer would expect her to have a certain amount of cold hard cash to allow her entry. However, make sure she at least have some cash in hand :) Also, if the officer queries further, she can tell them that she would just withdraw as she goes and has credit card facilities at her disposal.

 

I hope your friend have a wonderful time in the US!

For my I-129F, K-1, AOS, EAD, AP and ROC detailed timelines, please refer to my timeline page :)

ROC filed on December 1, 2020, assigned to SRC, approved within 106 days on February 18, 2021.

My sincerest gratitude to all VJers, especially the late geowrian.

 

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Boiler Grand Master

Boiler   45,467

Posted
Filed: K-1 Visa Country: Wales
 Timeline
Posted

I have turned up to visit with loose change.

“If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles. If you know yourself but not the enemy, for every victory gained you will also suffer a defeat. If you know neither the enemy nor yourself, you will succumb in every battle.”

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PedroDaGr8 Collaborator

PedroDaGr8   245

Posted
Filed: Citizen (apr) Country: Vietnam
 Timeline
Posted
22 hours ago, LeilaLyn said:

 

 

I personally thought that once you have your visa, customs and immigrations was not really a problem, but I guess with our new president things have changed. I appreciate any help you guys can provide us. Thank you very much. 

 

No changes, Customs and Immigration can ALWAYS deny you entry, they have the final say. This is not something that is a recent change, it has ALWAYS been this way. When my now wife was travelling to meet me the second time, she got stopped by Immigration and pulled aside along with around two dozen other individuals. The three people before her were denied entry, my wife was not. This was while Obama was president, not Trump. So the risk is always there, if not usually very low. 

Steps Before Citizenship:

Spoiler

K-1

09/24/2016 - I-129F Packet Submitted, 09/26/2016 - NOA1, 10/27/2016 - RFE Received

11/02/2016 - RFE Reply sent

11/09/2016 - NOA2

11/21/2016 - NVC Receives packet

12/12/2016 - Case left NVC for BKK Consulate

01/10/2017 - After travelling via the slowest route possible (likely via carrier pigeon) BKK Consulate receives packet

01/16/2017 - Packet 3 Instructions received 02/28/2017 - Packet 3 Instructions Completed

03/05/2017 - Packet 4 received (now the fun begins) --> 03/29/2017 - Interview disappears from the schedule on the embassy website -->03/30/2017 - She goes to her interview, is told they need to verify her documents since she is Vietnamese interviewing in Thailand, receives a 221G with 'Verification of Viet documents' as the reason. Gave back her passport.-->03/31/2017-04/04/2017 - Case is being continuously touched. We suspect that our case was approved at this point but they didn't have her passport. --> 04/10/2017 (10 days after interview) - Email emabssy to inquire about updates and if there was anything we could do to move things forward. (3h later) - She is told that she is approved and to expect her passport soon (how when they don't have it in their posession?) After clarification, instructed to send our passport to them. Ship out passport in a rush to beat Songkran (which failed) --> 04/11/2017 - Passport at embassy according to Thai Post Office --> 04/17/2017 - Emailed to confirm they received the passport. They issued an evasive answer about Songkran backlog (they love evasive non-committal answers)--> 04/24/2017  Evening - Case changes from Immigrant Visa to Non-Immigrant Visa and a new case created date is given --? 04/25/2017 morning  (less than 12h later) - Case flies through Ready -->Admin Processing --> Issued

04/26/2017 - Checks mail, passport is there. No mention of it being mailed out. 

05/02/2017 - Arrives in the USA, without Issue

06/17/2017 - Marriage!

AOS

7/01/17- Mailed AOS packet to Chicago

7/03/17- Packet received

07/07/17 - SMS and Email notification of NOA1 for AoS, EAD, and AP

07/13/17 - Received paper copies of NOA1 for AoS, EAD, and AP

07/21/17 - Received Biometrics Appointment Letter

08/02/17 - Biometrics Appointment Completed 

11/04/17 - EAD Approved - New Card Is Ready For Production

11/09/17 - AP Approved, EAD - Card Produced Awaiting Mailing, EAD - Card Has Been Mailed.

11/13/17 - EAD/AP Combo Card Received. 

11/05/2018 - Received SMS Notification that Interview Has Been Scheduled

11/10/2018 - Received Paper Interview Notice

12/11/2018 - Interview Date
12/12/2018 - Approved

ROC

11/18/2020 - Mailed ROC packet

11/20/2020 - Packet received

01/16/2021 - Received NOA1 

05/28/2021 - Biometrics Waived

08/04/2021 - ROC Approved

08/11/2021 - GC received

 

Citizenship

09/15/2021 - N-400 Filed Electronically, NOA-1 received, Biometrics Waiver Received

07/01/2022 - Interview Notice Received
08/10/2022 - Interview Date, Approved, Oath Ceremony

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