What to expect at port of entry

[Jenkitkat 3]

Hi everyone,my flight to US is on next saturday June 29. I read one here that she said her friend's fiancee got hassled by immigration officer coz of having criminal history of fighting. I dont know what was that exactly(if he was fighting with immigration officer or fighting with some other people and got charged). So in short that woman was told to go back to the home country (they made her cry and good thing they didnt make her go back home anymore). I am worried coz my fiance has a criminal history too long time ago like 20 years ago. But we declared that  into our petition before. Is it possible also that they will send me back to the home country? I am so worried, we declared it and approved by USCIS, even consul asked me if i am aware of it and i said yes, i even told her what criminal charges.

[Ann15 0]

I have a question you left the USA to go to your country to get the Visa? The judge made you sign the voluntary departure or only tell you go for your Visa, because I have to go in consular process too.

[Jenkitkat 3]

22 minutes ago, Ann15 said:

I have a question you left the USA to go to your country to get the Visa? The judge made you sign the voluntary departure or only tell you go for your Visa, because I have to go in consular process too.

No i am a filipina has a k1 visa. And will travel to US next week to be with my fiance

[givionte 138]

Customs officers only give a hard time if you lie or get impatient with them while they do their job. If you calmly answer any questions they have, are polite and smile,and say the whole truth, you won't run into any issues.  Certainly getting argumentive with an officer is the fastest way to have them come down hard on you. 

[TheSkywalkers 143]

2 hours ago, Jenkitkat said:

Hi everyone,my flight to US is on next saturday June 29. I read one here that she said her friend's fiancee got hassled by immigration officer coz of having criminal history of fighting. I dont know what was that exactly(if he was fighting with immigration officer or fighting with some other people and got charged). So in short that woman was told to go back to the home country (they made her cry and good thing they didnt make her go back home anymore). I am worried coz my fiance has a criminal history too long time ago like 20 years ago. But we declared that  into our petition before. Is it possible also that they will send me back to the home country? I am so worried, we declared it and approved by USCIS, even consul asked me if i am aware of it and i said yes, i even told her what criminal charges.

As long as it has been declared in your petition, you should be good. I didn't even have to talk to the officer during my time. Without being asked, I just handed over my yellow packet and passport and he took me to a room with other people waiting for their passports to be returned. Took me over an hour waiting for them to give it back. My luggage was the last one left and already taken off of the conveyor belt. It will work out just fine for you, too.

[Loren Y 2,756]

The whole process for me and my fiancee was at most 15 minutes coming thru LAX. I have been thru customs in more countries than I can count, and as long as you put on a happy face, and like others said be friendly and just answer any questions there will be no problems. I know after flying for 20 hours and you finally get to the end of the trip, and customs is the last part of it there has been many times where I am not looking forward to it, but you just smile and continue on. I think there is more to the story in the incident you made reference too. I have seen CBP put up with some real nasty is a nice word I guess people, and they made it thru. Just pay attention to what you are doing, do your best to be in the right line ( There are 3-4 of them) have your envelope out and ready when you approach the desk along with your passport. Say hello, and just be nice from the get go. I assure you you start out nice and have everything ready for the CBP officer you already earned some serious brownie points. I see all the time people fumbling for their passport and paperwork, not being organized at all, and I just see the CBP roll their eyes and take a deep breath because you can tell they are one step from Tazing this person and sending them to secondary. They understand you are going to be nervous especially if it is your first time to the US, but I have to say 90% of the CBP officers I have had to deal with are very nice and want you to be comfortable and not stressed out. There have been times you get the one that just hates their job, or is having a bad day, but you just be as nice as possible and go with the flow. This is the last part after a long trip and process you have gone thru and the last test to be with the love of your life. After everything else you have been thru until now this is the easiest part. You have the visa, your already approved, it is just a matter of a few minutes of your time, and your new life begins. I am not saying you can't end up in secondary tied up for a few hours ( I have been there a few times, even with my global entry), but stay positive and it will be no issues.

[Ryan H 3,834]

Moved from Progress Reports to Process & Procedures.

[Hemutian 68]

On 6/22/2019 at 9:48 PM, Loren Y said:

The whole process for me and my fiancee was at most 15 minutes coming thru LAX. I have been thru customs in more countries than I can count, and as long as you put on a happy face, and like others said be friendly and just answer any questions there will be no problems. I know after flying for 20 hours and you finally get to the end of the trip, and customs is the last part of it there has been many times where I am not looking forward to it, but you just smile and continue on. I think there is more to the story in the incident you made reference too. I have seen CBP put up with some real nasty is a nice word I guess people, and they made it thru. Just pay attention to what you are doing, do your best to be in the right line ( There are 3-4 of them) have your envelope out and ready when you approach the desk along with your passport. Say hello, and just be nice from the get go. I assure you you start out nice and have everything ready for the CBP officer you already earned some serious brownie points. I see all the time people fumbling for their passport and paperwork, not being organized at all, and I just see the CBP roll their eyes and take a deep breath because you can tell they are one step from Tazing this person and sending them to secondary. They understand you are going to be nervous especially if it is your first time to the US, but I have to say 90% of the CBP officers I have had to deal with are very nice and want you to be comfortable and not stressed out. There have been times you get the one that just hates their job, or is having a bad day, but you just be as nice as possible and go with the flow. This is the last part after a long trip and process you have gone thru and the last test to be with the love of your life. After everything else you have been thru until now this is the easiest part. You have the visa, your already approved, it is just a matter of a few minutes of your time, and your new life begins. I am not saying you can't end up in secondary tied up for a few hours ( I have been there a few times, even with my global entry), but stay positive and it will be no issues.

I'll be flying with my fiancee from China to San Francisco.

Will I be able to accompany her when she goes for her POE interview?

Do I need to go through my own Border and Customs procedure first before I can accompany her? How does that work?

Thanks!

[Loren Y 2,756]

6 hours ago, Hemutian said:

I'll be flying with my fiancee from China to San Francisco.

Will I be able to accompany her when she goes for her POE interview?

Do I need to go through my own Border and Customs procedure first before I can accompany her? How does that work?

Thanks!

I have been thru SFO a few times. Normally I go thru LAX, but SFO is pretty similar, and depending, not as busy as LAX, but it has its moments. You should have no problem going thru the POE with your Fiancee. If you have global entry or plan on using mobile passport, don't bother as they won't have the reader for it at the Foreign passport lines. Just fill out the blue card on the airline, you can each fill out your own, or do one together from my understanding. We both did our own blue card, and just went thru together in the foreign passport line. It's kinda a madhouse and easy to get mixed up in the lines as they have 3-4, so just find the right line and have your stuff ready, and it should be no problem. I even got a little mixed up as I come thru LAX all the time, so it is like going to the grocery store for me, but when I came thru with my fiancee I almost got into the wrong line as I am so used to doing it by myself. Just go thru with her in her line, and should be no problems. We didn't get pulled into secondary or anything, so I am not sure if they want to take her to secondary inspection if you are going to be allowed to go, maybe someone else can answer that who has been thru secondary bringing their fiancee into the US for the first time. But the CBP officers like I said are overall pretty nice and you should not have any problems.

[Falcon Cara 378]

7 hours ago, Hemutian said:

I'll be flying with my fiancee from China to San Francisco.

Will I be able to accompany her when she goes for her POE interview?

Do I need to go through my own Border and Customs procedure first before I can accompany her? How does that work?

Thanks!

From my past experience for a first time K1 passenger entering the USA it is pretty much a couple of questions. I accompanied my fiancé thru the line.  

 

It seems as if the people who work the lines are maybe newish or on the bottom of the ladder in seniority, They were not familiar with the K1 process and for some odd reason I was asked by them if I had paid my US taxes last year, which I found to be a strange question. 

 

Then I was told once we got married in the US to go our local USCIS office and file for removal of conditions.  Since this wasn't my first rodeo I knew this was false and was the policy like 20 years ago, I just smiled and moved on thru immigration line.

 

Also going thru POE thru SFO is much better than going thru POE at LAX in general

 

[JFH 12,191]

*~*~*question about POE moved from “K-1 fiancé visa process and procedures” to “moving to the USA”*~*~*