POE in Abu Dhabi - how long does it usually take?

[ImminentImmigrant 1]

On 8/23/2017 at 5:40 AM, j N j said:

 

Checked the flight detail of my above post.. is Dubai, the same as Abu Dhabi? Ive read that they are separate cities.. and hopefully not our POE.

They are sister cities (Two separate Emirates in the country United Arab Emirates)

[j N j 50]

7 hours ago, Quite Confused said:

They are sister cities (Two separate Emirates in the country United Arab Emirates)

Thank You, I found out that the flight would lay over at DBX, which is not a POE. (whew)

[kokokrunch 54]

On 8/22/2017 at 3:41 PM, doggieandsam said:

hi guys, anybody out there with experience using Abu Dhabi as their POE? 

 

I am going to be using Abu Dhabi airport soon as my POE and I am entering on a K1 visa. I am just wondering how long does the CBP take to "process" k1 entrants there? how early should i plan to arrive at the airport?

 

any advise would be appreciated. thanks! 

Hi

 

I saw your post that you used Etihad airways and AUH as POE.

Ill be flying with Etihad flight EY131 next week and my POE is Abu Dhabi also, can you please help me what to do after I arrive at the airport, when to check in, what to bring and stuff, I called Etihad and they were asking 8 digit numbers for the preclearance, what is that? Im so confused. Hope you could help me Thank you!!! 

[doggieandsam 765]

On 10/9/2018 at 10:52 AM, kokokrunch said:

Hi

 

I saw your post that you used Etihad airways and AUH as POE.

Ill be flying with Etihad flight EY131 next week and my POE is Abu Dhabi also, can you please help me what to do after I arrive at the airport, when to check in, what to bring and stuff, I called Etihad and they were asking 8 digit numbers for the preclearance, what is that? Im so confused. Hope you could help me Thank you!!! 

hi there! glad to hear you are close to the end of your K1 journey. the POE process in AUH is pretty straightforward. Make sure you arrive to the airport early. i got there 4 hours before my flight so there was plenty of time to go through security etc. the CBP officer was pretty nice and just asked me basic questions - nothing you cannot answer if you have a genuine relationship with your petitioner so don't worry to much. don't bring food because it's not allowed.

[kokokrunch 54]

4 hours ago, doggieandsam said:

hi there! glad to hear you are close to the end of your K1 journey. the POE process in AUH is pretty straightforward. Make sure you arrive to the airport early. i got there 4 hours before my flight so there was plenty of time to go through security etc. the CBP officer was pretty nice and just asked me basic questions - nothing you cannot answer if you have a genuine relationship with your petitioner so don't worry to much. don't bring food because it's not allowed.

Hey thanks! So upon arrival at airport,ill go first to CBP with all my things? Or should I check in first? And at the CBP, Ill just bring the yellow packet?are they asking for pictures or something because i kept the whole k1 packet at my check in luggae cz its quite heavy and wont fit in my hand carry. Plus, are they strict on hand carry baggage allowance cz mine is around 8. Something kgs. So im really nervous. Thaaanks

[doggieandsam 765]

On 10/13/2018 at 9:38 PM, kokokrunch said:

Hey thanks! So upon arrival at airport,ill go first to CBP with all my things? Or should I check in first? And at the CBP, Ill just bring the yellow packet?are they asking for pictures or something because i kept the whole k1 packet at my check in luggae cz its quite heavy and wont fit in my hand carry. Plus, are they strict on hand carry baggage allowance cz mine is around 8. Something kgs. So im really nervous. Thaaanks

sorry for taking so long to reply. think of POE just like how you travel to and from the your home country. say you are travelling from your home country back to the uae. you check in first, then go to home country immigration, go to your gate, then board your flight. upon arrival in dubai, you deplane, go to uae immigration then collect your bags then exit. since abu dhabi is a pre clearance facility for the US, then the order of things is a little different...first you check in, then uae immigration, then you go to the US immigration pre-clearance facility (CBP), then you go to your gate, then board your flight to the US. upon arriving in the US, there no longer any need to go to US immigration since you already did that in Abu Dhabi. all you need to do then is either get to your connecting flight if you are connecting or collect your bags and exit. you need to hand carry your yellow packet!!! this is very important because you need to hand that to the CBP offer in Abu Dhabi!!! if you dont have it with you when you present yourself at the US immigration counter, they will not let you in as a K1!!!

Edited October 25, 2018 by doggieandsam

[SusieQQQ 11,586]

On 10/25/2018 at 4:06 PM, doggieandsam said:

you need to hand carry your yellow packet!!! this is very important because you need to hand that to the CBP offer in Abu Dhabi!!! if you dont have it with you when you present yourself at the US immigration counter, they will not let you in as a K1!!!

Irrespective of where you POE, pre-clearance or in the US, you always need to hand carry your yellow packet anyway. You don’t get access to your baggage before immigration in the US, and besides anything that is precious and valuable - and this certainly is even if not in monetary terms  - should always be kept in your hand baggage when traveling.