Has anyone entered America on a CR-1 visa since the second lockdown started in Britain?

[Ugoogli 2]

Hi all,

 

I looked for recent topics about this but couldn't find anything regarding entry on a visa. I am just wondering if there is any additional documentation I should bring with me (I obviously have my passport/visa, and my documents from the visa interview). I am planning on entering on my CR-1 visa next week and got an email from my airline basically saying to look up any additional required documentation for entry into the US.

 

I have had a search online and couldn't find anything from the US government website regarding additional documentation, but thought I would ask if anyone has entered recently, given how untransparent they can be.

[SEWI 50]

Hi @Ugoogli, 

My understanding is that you're pretty much set to go on the basis of your passport having the visa. Beyond this, it seems sensible to have a copy of your marriage certificate at hand. It sounds like you'll be travelling with your visa interview documents- so, you're likely to have all the evidence you might need. 

 

I plan on entering the US with my CR1 in the coming weeks, so I'm interested in following this thread for updates and experiences. 

Best of luck- please do keep us posted and update this thread with your POE experiences! 

 

 

 @PBabz recently travelled to the US to visit their spouse, so It is probably very useful for me to share the post with you in this thread- 

 

On 12/3/2020 at 10:59 PM, twln said:

Hi all,

 

I'm flying to Chicago shortly, to visit my spouse, from Scotland and via Heathrow.

 

My question is; has anyone flown to the US from the UK recently and if so, what did you have to do (if anything).

 

I have our marriage certificate, a copy of the procolomation excluding spouses, a copy of my spouse's passport, and have checked that my ESTA hasn't been cancelled.

 

If anyone could offer some advice I'd very much appreciate it!

 

Thanks.

 

On 12/3/2020 at 11:11 PM, PBabz said:

I took a trip at the beginning of September to see my husband; flew into Dulles via Heathrow. 
Some advice from my journey:

1. DON’T CHECK IN ONLINE 

2. Get to the airport early, since you’ll need to check in at a desk and speak to someone

3. Bring along all that you mentioned you have prepared already 

4. Make sure you know where you’ll be staying and be prepared to give this address when checking in (an employee from homeland security was at Heathrow and asked for details from me)

5. Have a wonderful trip, enjoy every moment  most know about the exception to the proclamation by this point so you shouldn’t have any issues really 🤞🏽

 

Edited December 5, 2020 by SEWI
Edited to include quotes from a different thread.

[JFH 12,190]

You’re good to go. The UK “mockdown” (seriously, I can’t call that a lockdown but that’s just me...) has no bearing on your ability to leave the country and come here with your valid visa. Your immigration documents will be sent electronically so all you need is your passport, ticket, luggage and your good self. 
 

No need to carry your marriage certificate. You’re traveling on a spousal visa. 

Edited December 5, 2020 by JFH

[Dags 134]

We will be travelling in February. Is anyone able to advise how long does it take to go through homeland security check in US? 
we will be having layover, and just wanna make sure we won’t miss our second flight 😅

[Wuozopo 4,293]

16 hours ago, Dags said:

We will be travelling in February. Is anyone able to advise how long does it take to go through homeland security check in US? 
we will be having layover, and just wanna make sure we won’t miss our second flight 😅

That is going to depend on your POE airport, the day/date/time of arrival, baggage claim, and how many other immigrants from all over the world happened to arrive on planes at about the same time.  To get a better sense of your specific POE, try looking at the VJ menu for “”Office Reviews and Info”, then choose “US Port of Entry Reviews”. From there you can choose your airport and read POE experiences at that airport. 
 

Usually you will

• Go through the arrivals immigration desk officer (how crowded is Arrivals at the time?)
• Get taken to a secondary room so they can review your visa entry (How many other international flights arrived  with individuals needing visa processing?)
• Go to Baggage Claim to collect your luggage (Any delays there?)
• Go through Customs  (Will they pick you to have your bags checked or just collect your form and wave you through?)
• Recheck your bags for your domestic connecting flight
• Get to your next departure gate (Is it close by or in another terminal requiring  catching a train/tram?)

Edited December 7, 2020 by Wuozopo

[Appy 38]

17 hours ago, Dags said:

We will be travelling in February. Is anyone able to advise how long does it take to go through homeland security check in US? 
we will be having layover, and just wanna make sure we won’t miss our second flight 😅

I landed in JFK in September and it took less than 7 minutes. No secondary room, just the normal immigration booth. 

[Appy 38]

On 12/5/2020 at 6:34 AM, Ugoogli said:

Hi all,

 

I looked for recent topics about this but couldn't find anything regarding entry on a visa. I am just wondering if there is any additional documentation I should bring with me (I obviously have my passport/visa, and my documents from the visa interview). I am planning on entering on my CR-1 visa next week and got an email from my airline basically saying to look up any additional required documentation for entry into the US.

 

I have had a search online and couldn't find anything from the US government website regarding additional documentation, but thought I would ask if anyone has entered recently, given how untransparent they can be.

I did in September. I think you can find my review somewhere. I was just questioned at Heathrow at check in and then at the gate they had to call to confirm. But everything was fine. Apart from all

documents needed for the visa, I didn’t have any additional documents except my passport and the white envelope. 

[Dags 134]

1 hour ago, Wuozopo said:

That is going to depend on your POE airport, the day/date/time of arrival, baggage claim, and how many other immigrants from all over the world happened to arrive on planes at about the same time.  To get a better sense of your specific POE, try looking at the VJ menu for “”Office Reviews and Info”, then choose “US Port of Entry Reviews”. From there you can choose your airport and read POE experiences at that airport. 
 

Usually you will

• Go through the arrivals immigration desk officer (how crowded is Arrivals at the time?)
• Get taken to a secondary room so they can review your visa entry (How many other international flights arrived  with individuals needing visa processing?)
• Go to Baggage Claim to collect your luggage (Any delays there?)
• Go through Customs  (Will they pick you to have your bags checked or just collect your form and wave you through?)
• Recheck your bags for your domestic connecting flight
• Get to your next departure gate (Is it close by or in another terminal requiring  catching a train/tram?)

I’ve tried looking it up in the place you mentioned, but it doesn’t seem to be showing any latest one to be fair. 
 

thanks for pointing these out! To be fair I’m hoping there we would get a connected flight without need of getting our luggages and that. But we haven’t booked tickets yet, so will bare all of that in mind when booking.
 

1 hour ago, Appy said:

I landed in JFK in September and it took less than 7 minutes. No secondary room, just the normal immigration booth. 

Wow, sounds easy and smooth! I would hope for the same for me ☺️

[Wuozopo 4,293]

2 hours ago, Dags said:

I’ve tried looking it up in the place you mentioned, but it doesn’t seem to be showing any latest one to be fair. 
 

thanks for pointing these out! To be fair I’m hoping there we would get a connected flight without need of getting our luggages and that. But we haven’t booked tickets yet, so will bare all of that in mind when booking.
 

Wow, sounds easy and smooth! I would hope for the same for me ☺️

Unfortunately most  people don’t put their POE experiences or interview experiences there where people can find them. They just tell somebody in their local threads they chat in like this one. Those get forgotten/lost quickly and many people are not monitoring your same thread.

 

Everybody on an international flight has to clear customs with their luggage upon arrival at their POE in the US. If on a direct flight, you just leave the airport after retrieving luggage and clearing with the customs guy who may or may not want to search your luggage. If you have a connection then you recheck the already cleared bags (while still airside, not in the Departures lobby) before your connecting flight. At that point you are just on a domestic flight with no Immigration and Customs to go through at your final destination. Think about it like this...suppose you arrive at Denver, a big International airport with Immigration/Customs officers. You have to get those bags cleared there because when you arrive at your final destination, little Casper, Wyoming, there are no CBP officers. Who is going to find your kilos of cocaine and live parrots in Casper?

 

Edited December 7, 2020 by Wuozopo

[RadChan 84]

On 12/5/2020 at 6:34 AM, Ugoogli said:

Hi all,

 

I looked for recent topics about this but couldn't find anything regarding entry on a visa. I am just wondering if there is any additional documentation I should bring with me (I obviously have my passport/visa, and my documents from the visa interview). I am planning on entering on my CR-1 visa next week and got an email from my airline basically saying to look up any additional required documentation for entry into the US.

 

I have had a search online and couldn't find anything from the US government website regarding additional documentation, but thought I would ask if anyone has entered recently, given how untransparent they can be.

I entered on Nov 25th, via JFK. I would say it took less than 5 minutes from getting called up to the main immigration desk to being able to go and collect my luggage. The immigration side room called me right up to the desk, no waiting at all. They didn't require any documents besides my passport, although they did ask for my husband's name and phone number. Super quick and easy!

[SEWI 50]

I'm due to travel to the US on December 28th, curious to know if there are any updates relevant to this thread? 

So far, I have not received any updates or (covid) travel guidance from Virgin Atlantic/ Delta, and my flight departs a week today. 

[Ugoogli 2]

Forgot to update the thread, apologies everyone!

 

I got to my Port of Entry (Atlanta), got through Immigration and had to wait at a little part off to the side (not the secondary search room), it was actually really good for people watching 😄. After about half an hour or so, I was called and handed my passport and could continue to my final destination.

 

For anyone in the future that comes across this topic, just keep this part in mind while booking flights and layovers. Mine took about half an hour and was called fourth or fifth from when I arrived at the little area. This will be longer when flights start chartering more people.

[Mark71426 3]

Hi All

Just walked out of newark airport,with my stamped CR1 very easy process no interview just taken to secondary processing asked to confirm my address and job done,quickest and easiest entry into the US i’ve ever had,probably helps that the airport was empty due to covid though.

But a stress free experience i’m actually more worried that it was to simple and they’ve done something wrong 😂