what is it like for your chinese spouse who enter the US for the first

[seafood10]

when your spouse finally were granted visa to come to the usa...what was it like for them to go thru the airport and custom in the states? if they can't speak any english at all or read any english, how were they able to fill the custom forms and answer any questions of the custom officer (who is not chinese or doesn't speak chinese) at the airport? are there any translator? how long it took them to go thru the custom? did it took the same time as a foreigner visiting the usa for first time? any1 would like to share their spouse experience specifically going thru jfk airport custom for foreigner?

 

any tips or recommendations? thx in advance.

Edited May 24, 2012 by seafood10 (see edit history)

[dnoblett]

First the customs forms..

 

Look in the back of the inflight magazine on the international flight, the airline normally provides instructions as to how to fill out the forms in many languages.

 

If K-1 visa will fill out a White I-94 card, and a customs declaration form.

If CR-1 or IR-1 visa just the customs declaration form, no I-94 card needed.

 

As for going through the POE at the airport, a couple suggestions.

• If you are traveling with fiancee/spouse, you can go through same immigrations line as your fiancee/spouse and help answer questions.
  
• If not traveling, immigrant should follow the others through customs.
  
• The POE does have interpreters that they can call to their station if having communications problems.
  
• Officers standing in line do check documents and will direct to correct line at the POE, pretty straight forward with hand signals.
  
• Have your SO chat with others traveling on flight and find someone fluent in English and Chinese, going through immigrations and tag along.
  

JFK is very versed in this. Many POE split the line (Citizens/Residents) and (Visitors/Immigrants)

 

Lastly make sure the immigrations envelope is carried onto the plane, and is NOT in checked baggage.

[Scott@Hong]

The customs declaration form is in Chinese, one side English, one side Chinese.

[dnoblett]

Also note the customs declaration form and (I-94 card used by K-Visa) are handed out on the flight over.