Wisconsinbly
Difficulty:  | Review Topic: Port of Entry Review
I went through Chicago Port of Entry on October, 15, 2016. My flight arrived at 2:10 PM. When I got to the customs, I went to the first time visitors and ESTA visitors line. There was a queue of about 100 people there, but it moved quickly. I think it only took me about 10-15 minutes to get my turn.
Once I got to the counter, I gave the officer my passport, the customs and border protection form I filled out on the plane, and the yellow "do not open" envelope.
Here are the questions I was asked:
"What are you here for?"
"Is your fiancée travelling with you? No? Is he out there?"
I corrected the officer and said my fiancée was a "she".
"Is she inside the airport or just out there?"
"So where did you guys meet?"
"And how many times have you seen each other in person?"
"Do you think so few times is enough to get married?"
Then he proceeded to tell a short personal story of him and his girlfriend, which I won't include here, and I told him getting married and moving forward in a relationship depends on the person and the connection you have with each other.
I think he asked me a few more questions about our relationship while he was flipping through our papers from the yellow envelope, but I can't remember now what they were. He even went through our chat conversations that were included in the package, but didn't ask anything about that. Then he went to another officer's desk asking for a K-1 visa packet/kit (I think it was instructions for officers on how to handle the fiancée visa). He asked me where I was going to live with my fiancée, and he told me where our office for further processing would be (very nice!) He also asked me what kind of food I was bringing with me because I noted on the customs and border protection form I had food items with me. Satisfied that I only had sweets and chocolate as presents, he proceeded to tell me all the info about getting married in 90 days (and how it's okay to not get married if things don't work out and go back home (within the 90 days)), about possible domestic abuse and where I can get help, and that if I decide to go home at any point prior to getting my green card, I won't be allowed back in without a new visa (he didn't say anything about a possibility of Advanced Parole, so it's a good thing I already knew).
And then he said that we have to get married AND adjust my status before the 90 days are up. And he wrote the date on my visa, and circled it. I told him that to my information we could adjust my status any time after getting married (the sooner the better, of course), but he insisted we HAVE to do it before the 90 days are up. I wasn't about to argue with a border protection officer, but I think we got his info wrong.
Then, if I'm not mistaken, he asked me to sign something, but I completely don't remember what it was. And I was free to go after that.
I would say the whole thing took about 10 minutes and it was relaxing for the most part.
TIP: if your fiancée/spouse's plane arrives on a Saturday afternoon, get there ahead of time, finding a parking spot is hell.
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Port of Entry Member Review #16229
Entry Date: 2016-10-15