Re-entry the U.S as a green card holder

[Mr Genuis 91]

Hello  everyone. Have you traveled out of U.S as a green card holder? If yes.., which line did you stand on or follow at the airport? Immigrant line, Citizen's line  or regular Visitor's line?

Edited April 22, 2022 by Mr Genuis
Spelling

[Timona 4,207]

There's only 2 lines, citizens and everyone else. You fall in the latter 

[Adventine 3,196]

Depends on which airport you're landing in.

 

When I landed in Houston last year, there was 1 line for US citizens and another for everyone else.

 

When I landed in Atlanta today, there was 1 line for US/Canadian citizens+PRs and another line for Foreign visitors.

 

Whichever airport you choose, the right line going to be clearly marked at the entrance.

[Rocio0010 5,579]

There is usually two lines. Could be Citizen +PR and foreign visitors. Or citizen and foreign vistors+PR. You go with the PR

[Dashinka 24,495]

I know in Detroit, USCs and LPRs use the same kiosks and line, and visitors use the other line.  The only time that changed for my wife was when she was traveling with her expired conditional GC and extension letter, at that time, she had to go through the visitor line.

[Ontarkie 14,222]

~~Moved to Working and Traveling, from IR1/CR1 P&P ~~

[Chancy 6,241]

8 hours ago, Adventine said:

Whichever airport you choose, the right line going to be clearly marked at the entrance.

 

That has been my experience so far.  The airport immigration lines were clearly marked.  Also, there were ushers telling people where to line up, depending on their travel documents.

 

At San Francisco airport, on one of my visits with my B1/B2 visa prior to getting my GC, the usher directed me to the line for USC travelers, because there were no USCs left to be processed, while the line for foreign travelers was getting very long.

 

At Dallas-Fort Worth airport, there were 3 lines -- 1 for Global Entry (kiosks), 1 for USC/LPR/Canadians, 1 for foreign visitors.  The usher asked incoming travelers, "With visa or no visa?"  So even though I was entering with my immigrant visa, the usher directed me to the line for foreign visitors.

 

[nastra30 2,286]

In recent times, the NY metro area specifically (EWR, JFK), LPR and USC share same lines on arrival.

So it really depends on the airport.

[Mr Genuis 91]

52 minutes ago, nastra30 said:

In recent times, the NY metro area specifically (EWR, JFK), LPR and USC share same lines on arrival.

So it really depends on the airport.

My return air port is DULLS at DC

[SalishSea 17,829]

1 hour ago, Mr Genuis said:

My return air port is DULLS at DC

Just follow the signs.

[SteveInBostonI130 3,449]

Others have posted proper answers.

 

I want to mention Global Entry.  It is a 5 year membership offered by CBP/DHS that costs $100.  It allows you to use the TSA precheck lines and, more importantly, use the quicker global entry lines when returning from overseas.  It is open to enrollment for USC's and LPR's.

 

[Carpe Vinum 2,327]

My wife just came through at LAX...Citizens and Permanent Residents (Green Card Holders) in one line. Everyone else in the others. There will be helpers when you walk in to ask for help, also.

[CMJuilland 485]

I habe been in out of Dulles more times than I care to remember.  Dulles has citizens, LPRs, returning ESTA in one section, and everybody else in another one.  Even when I was visiting before I got my Green Card, Dulles usually allowed me to use the citizens/LPR line because of ESTA.  There are kiosks where you scan your documents first, and then you move up to a CBP officer. 

Somebody already mentioned Global Entry, and I would second their recommendation.  I got it as GC holder, and it’s a huge time saver in Dulles (major airports also let you update your citizenship if you recently became a citizen - for anybody reading that and asking themselves). 

[Scandi 4,166]

Always the citizen line for me at LAX (they direct greencard holders to that line, but also Canadian citizens for some reason). 

Edited April 22, 2022 by Scandi

[Megadreams 81]

4 hours ago, Mr Genuis said:

My return air port is DULLS at DC

You'll be going in the same line as citizens then. I'm a GC holder myself and enter through Dulles as well and this has been my experience.