Allison/Robert
Difficulty:  | Review Topic: Port of Entry Review
I had flown to London to attend Robert's interview with him, so we were able to fly back to the US together with his K1 Visa.
When we arrived at CLT, I accompanied Robert to the non-US-citizen side of Immigration. The man at the window we were directed to took both our passports, his packet, which he opened, asked us questions (very simple things to just verify we were who we said we were, nothing interrogation-style, just straight-forward and friendly). He then handed us a card with a number on it, directed us to collect our baggage from baggage claim, and told us to show the card to the person at the exit from baggage claim. From there we would be directed where to sit and wait while Robert's information was verified. He kept both our passports and said we'd get them back afterwards.
We collected our luggage, showed the number card to the woman at the baggage claim exit, and she instructed us to go into this area to the left and follow "lane B". I knew this area because it's where I was pulled aside once to have my luggage searched when returning to the US after my first trip to visit Robert in Europe... so I was suddenly a little nervous but I also knew everything would be OK. An Immigration Officer at a desk as soon as we entered instructed us to sit in some chairs further in the room and to wait while he verified Robert's information.
This is where things got a little weird, but luckily it didn't affect us. There were two women in line at this other desk we were sitting near, and the officer there was questioning them in a very demanding and accusatory way. They weren't Americans, but they were there visiting, so I do understand that they are treated as if there is the possibility they're trying to immigrate. His tone with them was very unfriendly, and I tried to act as if I had no idea it was going. Then two young, non-US-citizen guys came in and sat near Robert and I. Another man at the desk where the two women were being questioned asked us and the two newcomers if any of us had number cards. We all said yes, and he instructed us to go to another room, line our bags against a wall, and to take a seat in there. As we were standing up, the original officer who instructed us to sit while we waited for him to process our information called Robert out by his last name and told us to go nowhere, to stay where we were. I'm REALLY glad he was paying attention from where he was stationed because it could have ended up being a sticky situation. Well, probably not, but it may have looked as though we left or our luggage would have been searched pointlessly, etc. Anyway, we remained where we were, and those two young men followed the Immigration Officer's orders and went to the other room with their luggage.
After waiting for a total of about 10 minutes, the original officer brought our passports to us, said welcome, congratulations, and sent us on our way!
|
Port of Entry Member Review #16250
Entry Date: 2016-12-01