LAX Point of Entry Experience (5/13/2018)

[johncheinna 15]

Hi -

 

Just wanted to add our experience regarding my fiance entering the United States on 5/13/2018 (Entering at Los Angeles, CA for Philippines).

 

When we arrived we headed to immigration were there are two lines, one line for people with US passports and one line for everyone else.  I read somewhere (most likely a thread on here) that I could go through the "others" line with her so I asked one of the employees directing people.  I told the employee she is here on K1 visa and she told us to both get in line together.  The line went pretty fast, maybe 20 - 30 minutes before the agent called us up to the counter.  By this time, my fiance looked like she was going to have a heart attack.

 

Once we walked up, the agent asked for both our passports.  He then proceeded to process mine first and that only took 2 - 3 minutes.  After mine was finished, he asked her to step up.  She handed him her packet and he said " Oh, this is a big day for you."  Then while he was opening her packet, a coworker of his came up and they started talking about "hooking" each other up (not women but some event) and that lasted about 5 minutes.  While they talked he was looking over her papers and then stamped her passport.  He handed her visa back and said "you have 90 days to marry, Welcome to America and take care".  He never asked her any questions and was pretty nice guy.

 

Thanks,

John 

[johncheinna 15]

Sorry, it was actually 5/11/2018 but close enough.

[Sunnyland 639]

Congratulations. They never sent her to secondary room to check her papers? Lucky girl. Usually they send the K1 visa holder to secondary room. At least that was my case in Miami POE and many people I met on this site that did K1. 

[payxibka 10,045]

8 minutes ago, Sunnyland said:

Congratulations. They never sent her to secondary room to check her papers? Lucky girl. Usually they send the K1 visa holder to secondary room. At least that was my case in Miami POE and many people I met on this site that did K1. 

Depends on the POE and how busy it is.  If there is a long queue they will defer to secondary.  If it is not busy then they can handle at the booth.  

[JRob 2]

I came in the US by myself 14 yrs ago with fiance visa from the Philippines.  I did not get interrogated at my port of entry (Detroit) either LoL it was a very smooth process. Congratulations on your engagement. I hope your fiancé will have an easy adjustments in the US.  

[Chris Duffy 1,257]

1 hour ago, Sunnyland said:

Congratulations. They never sent her to secondary room to check her papers? Lucky girl. Usually they send the K1 visa holder to secondary room. At least that was my case in Miami POE and many people I met on this site that did K1. 

We entered Minnesota,  Looked at the paper work.

 

CBP asked me if I had paid my income taxes, and told us once we get married go to the Dallas Texas (local USCIS office) and file for adjustment of status there in person.

[DaveAndAnastasia 2,092]

Good to hear, since unless airline schedules reshuffle a lot between now and when A gets her visa, LAX is likely going to be A's POE ...

[Chris Duffy 1,257]

13 hours ago, DaveAndAnastasia said:

Good to hear, since unless airline schedules reshuffle a lot between now and when A gets her visa, LAX is likely going to be A's POE ...

CBP gave my friends fiance a hard time at LAX about 4 years ago, had her crying and trying to convince her to go back home.  He had a assault for fighting and CBP was giving her a  hard time.

 

I wouldn't send my dog thru LAX 

 

 

Edited May 14, 2018 by Chris Duffy

[DaveAndAnastasia 2,092]

2 hours ago, Chris Duffy said:

CBP gave my friends fiance a hard time at LAX about 4 years ago, had her crying and trying to convince her to go back home.  He had a assault for fighting and CBP was giving her a  hard time.

 

I wouldn't send my dog thru LAX

Not a huge fan of LAX, but It's the only airport west of the Mississippi you can get to on a direct commercial flight from Moscow (and one of only 3 in the US), and I just got back on that flight myself on Saturday (it was fine). And for a lot of reasons a direct flight is a lot easier to deal with, especially for a Russian traveling with a lot of stuff.

[Chris Duffy 1,257]

22 minutes ago, DaveAndAnastasia said:

Not a huge fan of LAX, but It's the only airport west of the Mississippi you can get to on a direct commercial flight from Moscow (and one of only 3 in the US), and I just got back on that flight myself on Saturday (it was fine). And for a lot of reasons a direct flight is a lot easier to deal with, especially for a Russian traveling with a lot of stuff.

I hear you.

 

I found LAX to be very dirty and over crowded, almost like a 3td world airport, Remindeds me of Manila Airport.

 

I find SFO to be nice and clean and easy to deal with

[Cyberfx1024 7,980]

6 minutes ago, Chris Duffy said:

I hear you.

I found LAX to be very dirty and over crowded, almost like a 3td world airport, Remindeds me of Manila Airport.

I find SFO to be nice and clean and easy to deal with

That's why if you live in the LA area and are able to you fly out of either Burbank, Long Beach, or even San Bernadino.

[DaveAndAnastasia 2,092]

2 minutes ago, cyberfx1024 said:

That's why if you live in the LA area and are able to you fly out of either Burbank, Long Beach, or even San Bernadino.

My informal rule of thumb for flying out of any LA airport (rather than San Diego) is I need to save at least 3 hours each way and $300 on the ticket... but that still happens fairly often for trans-Atlantic flights.

[Cyberfx1024 7,980]

23 minutes ago, DaveAndAnastasia said:

My informal rule of thumb for flying out of any LA airport (rather than San Diego) is I need to save at least 3 hours each way and $300 on the ticket... but that still happens fairly often for trans-Atlantic flights.

Well where I lived at in the LA area Burbank was closer but more expensive so that didn't work. But the Burbank airport is one of those airports that no one knows about so you can literally walk in and 5 minutes later your at the gate already. I hate LAX with a passion. I remember one time at Christmas it took me over 1 1/2 hours to go from the freeway just to the parking garage.

[Russ&Caro 1,549]

22 hours ago, Sunnyland said:

Congratulations. They never sent her to secondary room to check her papers? Lucky girl. Usually they send the K1 visa holder to secondary room. At least that was my case in Miami POE and many people I met on this site that did K1. 

Yeah, my wife also arrived in Miami and was taken to secondary. She had 3.5 hours between connecting flights and secondary used up 3 hours and 10 minutes of that time. Luckily she was able to get her bags transferred to the next flight, go thru security, and race to the gate in time.

 

Oh, and to echo what cyberfx says above, I also hate LAX especially if I have to transfer to another flight. That airport will test your tolerance and patience limits.

Edited May 14, 2018 by Russ&Caro

[C-ma'am 684]

**Post moved from K1 Process to Progress Reports.