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I can't seem to figure out how long point of entry will take to get through...and where the POE should be. I live in Nashville there are no direct flights there, so our point of entry will be somewhere we are not going, how much time do I need inbetween? Or will my point of entry still be nashville? I won't be going through customs if I connect to another flight right?

Hey all, I've seen plenty of write-ups on here about the interview and immigration challenges, but I don't think anyone actually covered what goes on at the airport when your loved one comes to America for the first time. I was actually stressing a little about it because I thought she would have to go through another interview and could potentially be denied entry or something, I really had no idea. So, for any of you wondering, here is what happened for us (I accompanied her from China to the U.S.) We arrived at our POE, which was Los Angeles. I filled out the customs form for the two of us (since we are family by marriage). Now, I hope you kept your packet from Guangzhou in your carry-on luggage, because you need that (we had her x-rays too...More on that later). What you will see is a line for citizens, a line for residents, and a line for tourists. Most of the Chinese will go to the tourist line, a few will go to the resident and citizen lines. Again, I figured since we were family, we should go through a the line together, so I lined up with her in the "Residents" line. I was a little nervous because I wasn't sure if I was doing the right thing. When finally it was our turn, I walked up to the officer and presented both of our passports, taking the initiative to tell the officer that it was her first time to come to America. He looked at our passports, and asked if we had the packet. I took it out and showed him. He told us everything was fine, we just needed to walk down to gate 1 (we were at gate 18 or so) to have the packet examined, and he handed our passports back. He then asked my wife to take a photo at the mounted web-cam thing, and then took her fingerprints electronically on the pad right in front of us. After this, I asked if he wanted her x-rays. He kind of chuckled and said no, that wasn't needed. He seemed very friendly and nice. So far so good. My wife and I marched right down the aisle to gate 1, right in front of all the waiting lines and officers because that's what our officer told us to do. When we got to the end, we were at a desk staffed by an older man. I told him it was my wife's first time in the U.S. and she was an immigrant. He asked for the packet and her passport. He proceeded to tear the packet open and I was surprised to see it contained the I-130 I submitted in Beijing all those months ago as well as some other papers. He started thumbing through everything, not really seeming to look that closely at it. There were yellow tabs telling him where he needed to sign stuff. After a few minutes, he took us around back of the desk and put on latex gloves. I remember thinking "Oh no, here comes the body cavity search!" but all he did was proceeded to hold my wife's hand and direct her to make her fingerprints using real ink on a piece of paper. She then had to sign the paper. After that, he told us to leave our carry-on luggage there by the desk and go get our checked bags from the conveyer belt while he finished up the administrative stuff. We went and got our bags and came back, waiting behind the desk. After a few more minutes, he asked us to come around the front. I think my wife had to sign a few more papers, then he stamped her passport and signed the stamp. I asked if it was all over. He said yes, that was all. I asked about the x-rays and if he wanted to see them. He kind of scoffed and said no, he didn't need them and that I could keep them. So basically, we carried those rolled up x-ray tubes for nothing, but, as I learned in China, it's always better to be over-prepared than under-prepared. That was seriously it. No questions, no hassle, completely stress free. After the standard customs questions and stuff later, my wife and I finally walked out of the airport, hand in hand, into the warm Los Angeles sun. She was in America. Hope this helps anyone who is wondering about the process.

hello my wife just arrived last wednesday with ir1 status! what should we do next for her? greencard? s/s card? how?

My wife will be arriving from Beijing on July 10th. Beijing -Vancouver on Air Canada then Vancouver - Houston on Continental. Continetal threw me a little curve yesterday when they said my wife will pass USA customs in Vancouver, not Houston. Seems the point of entry will be Canada, I've never heard of this before. Continental told me that my wife's bags will be transferred from Air Canada to Continental automatically. When she leaves Beijing she wont see them again until she arrives in Houston. My question is, since the point of entry is now Vancover, how will customs check her bags? These bags apparently will not be in her possession. I want to make this as easy for her as I can with as little surprises to her as possible. Will USA customs process her after getting off the plane in Vancouver or before boarding the plane to Houston? Any RELIABLE thoughts or suggestions will be greatly appeciated! Steve

I am flying to LAX to meet my imigrant wife on August 12th. She emailed her arrival flight time to me and I booked air travel to LAX. Her email stated a 8:25am arrival time at LAX and I decided to check with Korean air to be sure. Well Korean air said her flight will land at 10:25am and I have booked air travel for us to depart LAX and fly home at 11:50am. Can anyone tell how long it takes to process through imigration and customs at LAX? Thanks, Ron & Jing

I do not think I have heard any thing about this... Can my Incoming Fiancee and her Son from China fly into any U.S. City/International Airport??? or do they need to fly in a certain Airport coming in with a K-1 Visa...???? I live in Tampa, Florida but of course always flew into Seattle Washington or New York coming in from China...before going to Atlanta and then Tampa... Thanks, Mark

Our journey from China to the USA on November 29th was fairly uneventful. Shenzhen : We wake at 6:30am. Van from a local hotel. I always use a bus from HK airport to the China border at Shenzhen when I arrive to China. However, I pay the extra money for a van to take the return trip since it is faster and I do not have leave the van at HK customs at the Chinese border. Chinese Customs at Shenzhen Border : Kelly has paper tickets for her airline flight. No problems at the immigrations booth. Hong Kong Customs at Shenzhen Border : Drive through booth (like turnpike booth in USA) Again, no problems. Hong Kong Airport : The airline employee at the luggage check-in counter check Kelly's passport, looks at the Visa, notices the immigrant visa (CR1) and asks to see her sealed brown envelope. He checks the visa information on the attached stapled page on the envelope with the information on the actual visa. We did not realize the airlines were cognizant of the process. He tells her she must carry this on the airplane with her. So there is no way someone can mess-up here. He also tells her an airline employee will again ask to see the sealed package at the gate before we enter the plane. HK Customs at the Airport : Again, no problem. Gate at HK Airport : The airline employee checks Kellys visa information on her passport with the sealed package. Hey, we knew this was going to occur !!! Immigrations at Newark Airport : I ask an immigrations officer (IO) directing the passengers to the proper lines, either US Citizen/LPR to the right set of lines or l others to the left set of lines, if I can accompany my wife to the left set of lines. She says no problem. At the immigrations booth, the IO checks Kelly's passport, notices this is her first entry into the USA and asks for the brown sealed envelope. Kelly also gives him the completed I-94 form, but he says this is not required, what ??? He does nothing at his booth, and then takes us to the adjoining set of rooms for Immigrations. The IO delivers her passport and envelope, tells us to take a seat (there are about 30 seats for people to wait), and then returns to his booth. Along with the rooms and seats, there are restrooms (thank you !!!). The is an open area at the front of the room where IOs talk to foreigners about there visas. As I find out shortly, this is for non-immigrant visa people (tourist, student, business). We beginning to get nervous, many other people entering after us, are getting called up and questioned by the IOs. We do not see her stuff in any of the stacks at the front desk. Finally, after 30 minutes an IO comes from one of the back offices and calls Kelly up to an adjoining desk. The process takes less than two minutes; he takes hard copy fingerprints (black ink) and she signs two documents. No questions asked. Then the IO tell her the visa is a temporary green card, she can work, obtain a SSN, etc. and should receive her actual green card shortly. The IO is very positive and enthusiastic when talking to Kelly and congratulating her. Again, I ask the IO about the I-94. He states this is not required. I am thinking maybe for a CR1 this is not applicable, but I did not ask him. A pleasant experience after the long wait. The non-immigrant visa people were questioned much more extensively than Kelly, not sure why ??? Remainder of stay at Newark Airport : No problems, all-right !!!! One exception, a 2.5 hour delay on our connecting flight due to the storms on the east coast that day, this was difficult for both of us. Overall, the entire journey was easier than I expected, with the exception of the 30 minute wait, with no indication what would occur next. However, I do have four questions : I-94 : With all the talk on CFL about making sure you must have the I-94 stamped at immigrations upon first entry into the USA, what is scoop on this ??? Is CR1/IR1 different than K1/K3 ??? I asked two different IOs this question two times each, and they both emphatically said this is not required. A-number : Much talk on CFL about this. On the attached stapled info sheet to the sealed brown envelope, the A-number is identified, an 8-digit number ending in with a 9. On the actual visa this corresponding 8-digit number is identified as the Registration Number, a black 8-digit number, the same as found on the attached information page to the sealed envelope. There is a red 8-digit number, on the lower right of the visa, but is not the same 8-digit number identified as the A-number on the attached information page to the sealed envelope. I think I have this correct, any CR1/IR1 out there agree with this ??? One other puzzling item, other CFL members have stated that the A-number can be found on the NOA2 (I-797C I think) from USCIS. I cannot find this on Kelly's NOA2, is this because of CR1/IR1 versus K1/K3 ??? Green Card : How long until she actually received the green card ??? SSN : Even though we checked the boxes on the DS-230 Part II for the SSN, what should we actually do to obtain a SSN quickly ??? I need this to add Kelly to my health insurance at work. Thanks for the help. Kelly & Mark

A buddy of mine was in Guangzhou when his fiancee got her visa. They handed her the passport with the visa and it was all right but the mysterious brown envelope WAS NOT SEALED. It is horrifying to think what could have happened if they had got to the POE like this. Luckily he was there and they went back inside the embassy and he raised enough uproar until they called a consular officer who came out of the office and took care of the situation. He told me to post this story so everyone can make very sure that everything is right before leaving the embassy. Make sure the names are spelled right in the visa. And make sure the brown envelope is sealed.