How long should I expect getting through customs to take on K1?

[ShandoMoncelle 5]

Hi everyone,

My K1 visa got issued last week and my fiancé and I are trying to plan the flights for when I get the visa. I'm a little bit unsure on what to plan for in terms of layovers at the US port of entry because I keep getting conflicting info regarding how long it takes going through customs on a K1 visa. Some say it can take a couple of hours and some say it doesn't take much longer than flying in on an ESTA or regular tourist visa?

Anyone got experience with this and what should I expect?

Thank you!

[Fe.Ta 874]

2 minutes ago, ShandoMoncelle said:

Hi everyone,

My K1 visa got issued last week and my fiancé and I are trying to plan the flights for when I get the visa. I'm a little bit unsure on what to plan for in terms of layovers at the US port of entry because I keep getting conflicting info regarding how long it takes going through customs on a K1 visa. Some say it can take a couple of hours and some say it doesn't take much longer than flying in on an ESTA or regular tourist visa?

Anyone got experience with this and what should I expect?

Thank you!

Do you know or have an idea what POE (port/point of entry) you are considering?

[ShandoMoncelle 5]

Just now, Fe.Ta said:

Do you know or have an idea what POE (port/point of entry) you are considering?

At this point not really. Most flights from Denmark go through JFK, Newark, Minneapolis or Atlanta. I've had super bad experiences with JFK before so would like to avoid that if possible

[Fe.Ta 874]

1 minute ago, ShandoMoncelle said:

At this point not really. Most flights from Denmark go through JFK, Newark, Minneapolis or Atlanta. I've had super bad experiences with JFK before so would like to avoid that if possible

ATL (Atlanta) is also pretty bad with just being busy and not efficient overall - even when you are flying within USA.

For all airports, it definitely depends on the day, the time, and whatever the officers decide to do.

I would say err on the side of caution and give yourself plenty of time by assuming it will take the "worst case scenario" time in immigration and consider overall security delays and weather.

[Crazy Cat 41,727]

8 minutes ago, ShandoMoncelle said:

Hi everyone,

My K1 visa got issued last week and my fiancé and I are trying to plan the flights for when I get the visa. I'm a little bit unsure on what to plan for in terms of layovers at the US port of entry because I keep getting conflicting info regarding how long it takes going through customs on a K1 visa. Some say it can take a couple of hours and some say it doesn't take much longer than flying in on an ESTA or regular tourist visa?

Anyone got experience with this and what should I expect?

Thank you!

I would plan on 3 to 4 hours to be safe. 

[Verrou 1,961]

i will schedule at least 4 hours, better be safe than sorry. 

i guess it really depend on POE on that day which is hard to predict

[Boiler 45,411]

Denver 15 minutes, I think I was the only one from my plane sent to secondary 

[Mike E 11,739]

5 hours ago, ShandoMoncelle said:

Anyone got experience with this and what should I expect?

3 hours for U.S. at SFO in 2018. Non citizen lines are the worst. No secondary at least. That would have added 3 more hours.

[Micam 32]

Sorry if this is hijacking of the thread - are these timelines given considering the amount of time waiting in line? Or the possibility of getting held up speaking to a border patrol agent? I will be moving over soon with a CR1 visa and I am aiming to book flights sooner rather than later. I usually fly through Dublin when I visit using my ESTA and I was planning on giving the same amount of time as usual (2 hours to allow for delays/lines). Is there a chance there will be other hold ups regarding the border/the visa?

[Chancy 6,241]

8 hours ago, Micam said:

are these timelines given considering the amount of time waiting in line? Or the possibility of getting held up speaking to a border patrol agent?

 

Includes time waiting in line and possibly at secondary inspection.  The actual POE admission procedure for a CR1 (or K1) visa holder when it's their turn with the CBP officer, doesn't take long -- typically around 15 minutes.

 

[TBoneTX 45,156]

Typical advice here is to allow 3 hours minimum, 4 optimal.  If your departing flight is unduly delayed and you arranged for only a short connection layover, you'd spend your entire first flight worrying.

[Micam 32]

15 hours ago, Chancy said:

 

Includes time waiting in line and possibly at secondary inspection.  The actual POE admission procedure for a CR1 (or K1) visa holder when it's their turn with the CBP officer, doesn't take long -- typically around 15 minutes.

 

Ah gotcha, thanks for confirming how long the process takes! 

 

10 hours ago, TBoneTX said:

Typical advice here is to allow 3 hours minimum, 4 optimal.  If your departing flight is unduly delayed and you arranged for only a short connection layover, you'd spend your entire first flight worrying.

I never knew this! Definitely had once or twice where I have felt the time pinch.. thanks for the info! 

[M+K IL 102]

Not K1, but I've experienced being sent to secondary inspections several times. The latest was in SFO when I first came in on an H1B visa - I got delayed by probably around 2-3 hours, and most of it was just waiting for the secondary interviews. Once I got called up it took only another 10 mins or so.

The wait was not fun though, I spent some time holding my pee then decided I would risk a quick bathroom break.

[DaveAndAnastasia 2,090]

Given the unpredictability of processing times, I'd suggest that if it's at all practical to either depart from a pre-clearance airport (only ones in the Eurozone are in Ireland) or have your POE be your final destination in the US, I'd probably try and do that.

Though that depends a lot on where you're coming from and going to.

 

In our case, back before Covid and Vlad's invasion of Ukraine, Moscow to LA was a daily flight so even though that was a two-hour or more drive to my place instead of the 30 minutes to San Diego airport, it was a lot simpler to do that. And given that Anastasia didn't get to me until about two hours after her plane landed (and there was no free WiFi in the line she was in), I'm very glad she didn't have to navigate a connection.