What is the process of entering the country?

[LCSTOTT 5]

My flights are booked and I’m due to arrive into America from England in two weeks. Im just wondering what the process is once I arrive into the country? Is there a strict interrogation or is it very simple? What has some peoples experiences been? 

 

Thanks 😊

[payxibka 10,045]

3 minutes ago, LCSTOTT said:

My flights are booked and I’m due to arrive into America from England in two weeks. Im just wondering what the process is once I arrive into the country? Is there a strict interrogation or is it very simple? What has some peoples experiences been? 

 

Thanks 😊

Certainly not anything close to an interrogation 

[Moslund 94]

I came over on a k1. When I went threw border control they took me in the back (so don't be alarmed if border control agents escorts you to the back) along with my sealed envelope I got from the American embassy (I'm a UK citizen btw) they sat me in an open room with other people there for multiple reasons. They handed my folder to a person sitting at a desk. I sat there maybe 20mins then They called me up askes me if under stood my requirements I needed to fullfil the k1 visa now that I entered the country I said yes then they gave me passport back and I went on my way

Edited May 2, 2019 by Moslund

[Wuozopo 4,293]

1 hour ago, LCSTOTT said:

My flights are booked and I’m due to arrive into America from England in two weeks. Im just wondering what the process is once I arrive into the country? Is there a strict interrogation or is it very simple? What has some peoples experiences been? 

 

Thanks 😊

People write their experiences and you can read about your specific airport. A different airport tale won't be as helpful. Look at the menu under Office Reviews & Info. Find POE and your arrival location.

[Pitaya 2,577]

1 hour ago, Wuozopo said:

People write their experiences and you can read about your specific airport. A different airport tale won't be as helpful. Look at the menu under Office Reviews & Info. Find POE and your arrival location.

From DOS Travel Info:

Entering the United States: Port of Entry

 

A visa allows a foreign citizen to travel to the U.S. port-of-entry and request permission to enter the United States. You should be aware that a visa does not guarantee entry into the United States. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS), U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officials have authority to permit or deny admission to the U.S. Upon arrival at the port-of-entry, be prepared to present to the CBP officer your passport with visa and your unopened/sealed packet containing your documents. Travelers should review important information about admissions and entry requirements on the CBP website under Travel.

[DaveAndAnastasia 2,092]

1 hour ago, Wuozopo said:

People write their experiences and you can read about your specific airport. A different airport tale won't be as helpful. Look at the menu under Office Reviews & Info. Find POE and your arrival location.

Though going by his profile, his POE is likely Denver (not a lot of transatlantic flights, but there are a few from London, so I'd think someone coming from the UK would normally take one of them).

[payxibka 10,045]

23 minutes ago, DaveAndAnastasia said:

Though going by his profile, his POE is likely Denver (not a lot of transatlantic flights, but there are a few from London, so I'd think someone coming from the UK would normally take one of them).

I have gone across the ponds in both directions 25 or 30 times, I have yet to enter the country at MSP

[LCSTOTT 5]

8 hours ago, DaveAndAnastasia said:

Though going by his profile, his POE is likely Denver (not a lot of transatlantic flights, but there are a few from London, so I'd think someone coming from the UK would normally take one of them).

I’m flying in to JFK and then connecting to Denver 😊

 

[Mike E 11,739]

3 hours ago, LCSTOTT said:

I’m flying in to JFK and then connecting to Denver 😊

 

 

 

Some K-1s immediately get sent to secondary screening and some don’t. My wife was not but perhaps that was because I was flying with her and we presented a single landing card since as my fiancée our addresses were the same.  

 

If your layover in JFK is under 4 hours, expect to misconnect.  

 

Otherwise It will be fine.  Safe travels. Hopefully you won’t experience a late spring blizzard.  Colorado and England are similar in that they both experience 6 weeks of summer.  

Edited May 3, 2019 by Mike E

[LCSTOTT 5]

1 hour ago, Mike E said:

 

 

Some K-1s immediately get sent to secondary screening and some don’t. My wife was not but perhaps that was because I was flying with her and we presented a single landing card since as my fiancée our addresses were the same.  

 

If your layover in JFK is under 4 hours, expect to misconnect.  

 

Otherwise It will be fine.  Safe travels. Hopefully you won’t experience a late spring blizzard.  Colorado and England are similar in that they both experience 6 weeks of summer.  

So in my case, is the POE going to be JFK since that’s where I first land in the US, or will it be Denver as that’s my final destination? 

 

And I  was out there last summer from June - September and mostly every day was 25 degrees Celsius and up, I don’t know where you’re from in England but for me that’s a very good summer 😂

Edited May 3, 2019 by LCSTOTT

[Lil bear 4,234]

39 minutes ago, LCSTOTT said:

So in my case, is the POE going to be JFK since that’s where I first land in the US, or will it be Denver as that’s my final destination? 

 

And I  was out there last summer from June - September and mostly every day was 25 degrees Celsius and up, I don’t know where you’re from in England but for me that’s a very good summer 😂

POE will be JFK 

[LCSTOTT 5]

1 hour ago, Lil bear said:

POE will be JFK 

Even though this isn’t my final destination? With previous experiences I’ve never had to go through customs with connecting flights. Customs only came at my final destination as this is where I’m actually leaving the airport and entering the country... 

[payxibka 10,045]

9 minutes ago, LCSTOTT said:

Even though this isn’t my final destination? With previous experiences I’ve never had to go through customs with connecting flights. Customs only came at my final destination as this is where I’m actually leaving the airport and entering the country... 

Sorry,  not how it works.   Your first us airport from an international flight is your Poe, your connection is a domestic flight 

[Mike E 11,739]

35 minutes ago, LCSTOTT said:

Even though this isn’t my final destination? With previous experiences I’ve never had to go through customs with connecting flights. Customs only came at my final destination as this is where I’m actually leaving the airport and entering the country... 

Passport control and customs inspection are separate functions. 

 

When traveling to any country in the world, passport control is generally always at the point of entry when the next connection is domestic.   

 

In some set ups, customs inspection can be at the final domestic destination. In the last few years, I’ve had domestic connections in the UK, USA, Canada, India, Japan,  Myanmar, Thailand, Malaysia, Schengen Area, and passport control / visa processing was always at point of entry.  

 

The USA, Canada, and I think Australia and India  have customs inspection at point of entry.  The rest, plus EU and Schengen do customs inspection at final destination. It’s pretty easy to do at final destination because the baggage handlers can tell if a bag had an international origin, but this confounds advanced North American countries.   

 

Still, theUSA is very slowly moving toward customs inspection at the last destination.

 

You will have passport control at JFK. You will join a long queue that will take hours for you to reach the head of the line. You will spend 5 to 30 minutes with the officer(s) who examine your passport and the embassy packet you receive.

 

After that I am pretty sure you will collect your checked  bags at JFK, and be expected to recheck them.   Even though in the USA now (at least at SFO and LAX) customs cards are collected passport control instead of after collecting bags (hence my assertion that the USA will eventually have customs inspection to final destination).   Customs is actually quite fast now in the USA (again my experience with this new process is limited to LAX and SFO).  

[Mike E 11,739]

3 hours ago, LCSTOTT said:

So in my case, is the POE going to be JFK since that’s where I first land in the US, or will it be Denver as that’s my final destination? 

 

And I  was out there last summer from June - September and mostly every day was 25 degrees Celsius and up, I don’t know where you’re from in England but for me that’s a very good summer 😂

I’m from Canada and lived 20 years in Colorado.  

 

Summers are generally short in Colorado and in Denver it can snow 11 months out of the year.  But you can ignore my experience. You’ll find out.