Arrival and customs in the US

[fungusho]

Hi all,

 

Outside of the I-94 entry form and declaration form, are there any others that I need to be aware of? I am unable to come back to the US with my fiance so I want to prepare her as much as possible. Thanks in advance for your help!

[dnoblett]

I traveled back from China with my Yu. Keep immigrations packet, and xray in carry on bag. When going through the line at immigrations, you the US Citizen can wait in the (Immigrants/Visitors) line with your fiancee.

[rogerinca]

Hi all,

 

Outside of the I-94 entry form and declaration form, are there any others that I need to be aware of? I am unable to come back to the US with my fiance so I want to prepare her as much as possible. Thanks in advance for your help!

 

 

Yes, she will need her I-94, which she should fill out on the plane. She will present that form along with her passport and the large sealed brown envelope which contains the doc¡¯s forwarded from GUZ, to the Customs/Immigrations Officer and then on to USCIS for later use at AOS time. (She will also have a Customs Declaration form (Chinese and English) which she will fill out on the plane and provide at the final customs portal, described below.)

 

The Customs/Immigration Officer will look at her K visa in her passport and stamp/date the page. He will also stamp/date the I-94. He will open the envelope and inspect the contents and stamp/date a page within. He will then most likely take a digital photo and collect some electronic fingerprints. He then will briefly advise her of her legal obligations and then welcome her to the US. She will then be directed to the close by baggage claim area to get her bags.

 

After collecting her bags (note: sometimes there is a wait depending on the POE and number of flights at same time) she will exit toward the street/passenger pickup area,; however, she will first have to clear one final Customs portal, where they may, but most likely will not, ask more questions, but will inspect and collect the aforementioned Customs form.

 

Depending on the configuration of the airport POE she arrives at, the walk from that last portal, to where you will be waiting, will not be very long.

 

For obvious security reasons, they do not let anyone past the passenger waiting area, and you will not be allowed to enter the immigration control area to be with her, absent you arriving with her on the same flight and accompanying her.

 

There have been many here who have not been able to travel with their love one for one reason or another. I cannot think of any recent issue or problem for the beneficiary(s) at any of the US POE¡¯s. If she has multiple bags, she may want to grab one of the luggage carts that are available at most baggage carousel areas.

 

Also, if she is confused as to which line to go to at the initial immigration portal, all she has to do is tell any of the uniformed Customs Officers that she is a K-1 visa holder, and they will direct her to the appropriate line.

 

Hope this is of benefit to you both.

[HelloWorld08]

Hi all,

 

Outside of the I-94 entry form and declaration form, are there any others that I need to be aware of? I am unable to come back to the US with my fiance so I want to prepare her as much as possible. Thanks in advance for your help!

 

 

Yes, she will need her I-94, which she should fill out on the plane. She will present that form along with her passport and the large sealed brown envelope which contains the doc¡¯s forwarded from GUZ, to the Customs/Immigrations Officer and then on to USCIS for later use at AOS time. (She will also have a Customs Declaration form (Chinese and English) which she will fill out on the plane and provide at the final customs portal, described below.)

 

The Customs/Immigration Officer will look at her K visa in her passport and stamp/date the page. He will also stamp/date the I-94. He will open the envelope and inspect the contents and stamp/date a page within. He will then most likely take a digital photo and collect some electronic fingerprints. He then will briefly advise her of her legal obligations and then welcome her to the US. She will then be directed to the close by baggage claim area to get her bags.

 

After collecting her bags (note: sometimes there is a wait depending on the POE and number of flights at same time) she will exit toward the street/passenger pickup area,; however, she will first have to clear one final Customs portal, where they may, but most likely will not, ask more questions, but will inspect and collect the aforementioned Customs form.

 

Depending on the configuration of the airport POE she arrives at, the walk from that last portal, to where you will be waiting, will not be very long.

 

For obvious security reasons, they do not let anyone past the passenger waiting area, and you will not be allowed to enter the immigration control area to be with her, absent you arriving with her on the same flight and accompanying her.

 

There have been many here who have not been able to travel with their love one for one reason or another. I cannot think of any recent issue or problem for the beneficiary(s) at any of the US POE¡¯s. If she has multiple bags, she may want to grab one of the luggage carts that are available at most baggage carousel areas.

 

Also, if she is confused as to which line to go to at the initial immigration portal, all she has to do is tell any of the uniformed Customs Officers that she is a K-1 visa holder, and they will direct her to the appropriate line.

 

Hope this is of benefit to you both.

 

 

wow, very nice description...

[yuehan123]

Yes, This is a good description, up until this bit of optimism:

...; however, she will first have to clear one final Customs portal, where they may, but most likely will not, ask more questions, ...

In more than 12 trips to China and more than one POE, Customs has never failed to ask me more than one question.

 

True, she will be required to hand in her Customs Declaration Form at this time. And, she may be lucky and get waved through. However, she should be prepared for questions such as these:

 

1. Do you have any food?

2. Do you have any seeds?

3. Did you buy anything before coming here?

 

Furthermore, she should be ready to be told that her bags must inspected and/or be x-rayed.

 

Finally, back at Immigration she should be prepared to answer questions about who she will marry, when and where.

[rogerinca]

Yes, This is a good description, up until this bit of optimism:

...; however, she will first have to clear one final Customs portal, where they may, but most likely will not, ask more questions, ...

In more than 12 trips to China and more than one POE, Customs has never failed to ask me more than one question.

 

True, she will be required to hand in her Customs Declaration Form at this time. And, she may be lucky and get waved through. However, she should be prepared for questions such as these:

 

1. Do you have any food?

2. Do you have any seeds?

3. Did you buy anything before coming here?

 

Furthermore, she should be ready to be told that her bags must inspected and/or be x-rayed.

 

Finally, back at Immigration she should be prepared to answer questions about who she will marry, when and where.

 

 

I guess each of us have our own perspective, be it how we are handled/treated at a POE, or elsewhere?

 

I only have 10 trips to and from China; seven for my wife and three prior to that, so I guess maybe I am not quite as experienced; however, only on my first trip was I asked multiple questions at the final Customs portal. And that was my fault, because I didn't right away state that I went to China to see a woman; having spent a full month there, and answering negative to the....was it for business question.

 

I have never been asked about seeds, food, nor did I buy anything, because that question was always answered on the Customs form, which goes into great detail. The above was true on each of my individual trips and then again when I was with Lao Po and daughter on my most recent trip. In fact, my wife and/or daughter were not asked a single question at either the first or second portal, albeit I was with them. But even I was not asked anything other than the reason for the visit, at the first, primary portal.

 

Last, I have never had my bags checked, inspected, or x-rayed on any trip. On our most recent trip, we had a total of nine large bags plus our carry-on luggage, and there was not even a hint of inspection. I really do not recall anyone else here recently reporting that their K-1 or K-3 benficiary had his/her bags gone through at the final portal.

 

Again, this is my personal experience, and not uniformed 'optimism'. Although, I will admit, I am for the most part, a happy and optimistic person !!

Edited March 16, 2009 by rogerinca (see edit history)

[fungusho]

Hi all,

 

Outside of the I-94 entry form and declaration form, are there any others that I need to be aware of? I am unable to come back to the US with my fiance so I want to prepare her as much as possible. Thanks in advance for your help!

 

 

Yes, she will need her I-94, which she should fill out on the plane. She will present that form along with her passport and the large sealed brown envelope which contains the doc¡¯s forwarded from GUZ, to the Customs/Immigrations Officer and then on to USCIS for later use at AOS time. (She will also have a Customs Declaration form (Chinese and English) which she will fill out on the plane and provide at the final customs portal, described below.)

 

The Customs/Immigration Officer will look at her K visa in her passport and stamp/date the page. He will also stamp/date the I-94. He will open the envelope and inspect the contents and stamp/date a page within. He will then most likely take a digital photo and collect some electronic fingerprints. He then will briefly advise her of her legal obligations and then welcome her to the US. She will then be directed to the close by baggage claim area to get her bags.

 

After collecting her bags (note: sometimes there is a wait depending on the POE and number of flights at same time) she will exit toward the street/passenger pickup area,; however, she will first have to clear one final Customs portal, where they may, but most likely will not, ask more questions, but will inspect and collect the aforementioned Customs form.

 

Depending on the configuration of the airport POE she arrives at, the walk from that last portal, to where you will be waiting, will not be very long.

 

For obvious security reasons, they do not let anyone past the passenger waiting area, and you will not be allowed to enter the immigration control area to be with her, absent you arriving with her on the same flight and accompanying her.

 

There have been many here who have not been able to travel with their love one for one reason or another. I cannot think of any recent issue or problem for the beneficiary(s) at any of the US POE¡¯s. If she has multiple bags, she may want to grab one of the luggage carts that are available at most baggage carousel areas.

 

Also, if she is confused as to which line to go to at the initial immigration portal, all she has to do is tell any of the uniformed Customs Officers that she is a K-1 visa holder, and they will direct her to the appropriate line.

 

Hope this is of benefit to you both.

 

 

Given her english is lacking and me not personally experiencing this before, this helps tremendously! I am especially impressed with the thought you put behind the difficulty of your SO tranporting all the luaggage - your wife must appreciate that Thanks for quick and thoughtful response!