Airport line with IR1 visa

[Talo 26]

Hi all, I have an IR1 Visa and I will be entering the US through Houston in the next couple of days.

I have a short connecting flight so I want to avoid delays. I have been googling for the line that I should choose to go through and I've read conflicting information. From what I've seen from a video, IAH has 3 lines:

1) U.S Citizens

2) U.S Citizens & U.S Residents

3) Visitors with Visa

Is it the 2nd one because I will be getting the permanent residence when I get in?
3rd doesnt sound right because I am not a visitor, but I am entering with a visa 🤓

Thanks in advance!
 

[kris&me 572]

first i hope your connecting time is not too short 

landing time is about 20 minutes before you get to even unload 

most of us do allow 3 hours for customs and immigration / things happen like plane can be late / bad weather/ much depends on the day and time you are arriving

 

one review of Houston said line was long as he had to stand in tourist line (as you are not US resident yet

 

but process with officer was just checking visa and asking a few questions

 

[pushbrk 12,898]

You are entering with a visa, but I expect there is staff directing traffic ahead of any queue area.  Just tell them you have a short connection and ask for assistance.

 

You are entering with a visa.

[Ksenia_O 696]

Houston can get really busy, with huge lines, long waits, delays and etc.... and with no assistance from airport stuff. ZERO. 

Really hope a short layover will work for you. 

Good luck!

[Just Paul 4,595]

You are a visitor with a VISA.   Normally the first time you enter you will be sent to secondary and your packet will be opened or the electronic file verified and then have your fingerprints taken.

 

Don't expect it to be fast.   

 

When your VISA is stamped you will become a permanent resident.

 

Good luck.

[USS_Voyager 1,972]

Yeah how long exactly is the “short connection”

because if less than 3 hours there is a chance you won’t make it. You can either get on line 2 or 3 but basically as soon as you get to a booth they will kick you to secondary and there you wait some more. There are extra stuff they need to do when you first arrive on an immigrant visa. They spend about 10-20 mins per new immigrant and depends on how many people ahead of you. Then you have to get your bags and get through the agricultural checks. Then you have to recheck you bags for the domestic flight. Depends on the airport, I don’t know Houston that well, but for example Chicago, you have to get out of the international terminal, then take a train to a domestic terminal, then go through security all over again. 
 

And I swear to God, everytime I go through Chicago, I always land at the furtherest gate away possible from where I need to go so I always ended up running like a maniac

 

Edited December 18, 2019 by USS_Voyager

[Talo 26]

Thanks for all the comments. 

I have 2hs between flights. My bad 😖

 

Anyway, I'll try to run and make it but from what you guys tell me chances are high that I'm gonna miss thst flight. Luckily it's from the same airline so I'm hoping they will let me in the next one.

[USS_Voyager 1,972]

4 minutes ago, Talo said:

Thanks for all the comments. 

I have 2hs between flights. My bad 😖

 

Anyway, I'll try to run and make it but from what you guys tell me chances are high that I'm gonna miss thst flight. Luckily it's from the same airline so I'm hoping they will let me in the next one.

Yes, most of your time will be spent waiting in lines. That's the thing

[Talo 26]

6 minutes ago, USS_Voyager said:

Yes, most of your time will be spent waiting in lines. That's the thing

Right. I just checked again and the airport is Dallas. Not Houston. Reviews for that poe are better I think. 

[USS_Voyager 1,972]

2 hours ago, Talo said:

Right. I just checked again and the airport is Dallas. Not Houston. Reviews for that poe are better I think. 

I hate that airport. They have dogs sniffing at your luggage as you pick them up and if the K9 gives a "referral", they're gonna open everything and check every inch of that luggage. 

[tomatoboy 33]

Visitor with a visa line, unless staff direct you otherwise. Sometimes they send you to other lines. For example, at JFK in NY, my wife got waived into a “diplomat” line by the staff. She was exceptionally lucky that night, however. 
 

You may or may not get sent to secondary on a CR/IR-1, my wife wasn’t when she entered on her CR-1 (they stamped her visa at passport control and sent her on her way) but many people are indeed pulled for secondary. If you are, figure on being there NO LESS THAN 30 minutes. It may actually be less, but I tend to build in schedule assumptions with a safety factor. As a USC, the last time I got pulled by CBP (at EWR, because my declared, sealed, store bought cookies looked suspicious lol) just for a bag search it took an hour. If they don’t insist on searching your bags, they aren’t busy, and they’re quick, maybe you’ll get done pretty quickly, as the stuff they actually need to do isn’t *usually* all that  time consuming.

 

Three hours may be cutting it close on a connection, but I’m not familiar with Dallas enough to comment on what’s normal processing time there. I’d certainly say if you were still planning to build in AT LEAST three hours at most airports. 

Edited December 18, 2019 by tomatoboy

[Suze1 366]

Will you be entering alone or with your US spouse?

When we entered with the CR1 visa, with the US spouse, we told them, and they directed us to a shorter line for faster processing, within the VISITORS with VISAs lines.

But is better to not cut it too short, of course. Allow MORE than enough time, you only have to do it once. Why stress yourself out? Give yourself time.

Edited December 18, 2019 by Suze1

[Talo 26]

8 minutes ago, Suze1 said:

Will you be entering alone or with your US spouse?

When we entered with the CR1 visa, with the US spouse, we told them, and they directed us to a shorter line for faster processing, within the VISITORS with VISAs lines.

But is better to not cut it too short, of course. Allow MORE than enough time, you only have to do it once. Why stress yourself out? Give yourself time.

I am going to be travelling alone. My wife is already in the US. 

I agree with you. It was a mistake to get that ticket with such little time. Tickets were getting expensive and I got that one without thinking about the connecting flight. 

[Suze1 366]

25 minutes ago, Talo said:

I am going to be travelling alone. My wife is already in the US. 

I agree with you. It was a mistake to get that ticket with such little time. Tickets were getting expensive and I got that one without thinking about the connecting flight. 

Okay.

No matter the amount of time you eventually have, be sure to let them know and see how they respond.

The wait to get to the Border Officer was the longest part of it for us. They moved us to the front of the line, so even that wait was quick.

Once we got to the Border Officer, it went so quickly it was mind-spinning. He took the package, asked a few questions, did a few stamps, and DONE!

My US Citizen spouse even asked, "What about me?", and he said, "You're good...Welcome Home", and he was done too.

 

Worse case scenario, IF you DO miss your flight, the airline could comp you (put you on another flight, maybe for a fee or even free).

So, even worse case, YOU MADE IT!

So, don't sweat it TOO much.

You only have to do it ONCE!

Best of luck to you.

Edited December 18, 2019 by Suze1

[AlbieBio 7]

Honestly you wouldn't know the exact line to be in till you get there, when you get to the Airport. There are Staff available who will direct you to the right line once you tell them that you have an IR1 visa. that should be pretty easy. Don't stress about it. 

 

Welcome to the Land of Dreams!!!!