What Happens in US?

[bubbahotek]

We leave for LA in 30 days. When we land at LAX what should we expect? We're very excited and looking forward to the new adventure.

[dnoblett]

Study topics tagged POE http://candleforlove.com/forums/tags/forums/POE/

 

I take it you have traveled through the POE returning to the USA before?

 

On the flight over, the airline passes out a couple forms, (A declaration form, and they will offer a NON-Immigrant I-94 form) since your family are IMMIGRANTS, they do not need to fill out the I-94 card, just the customs declaration form. You normally have nothing to declare, everything you are transporting is for personal use, if transporting more than $10,000 you will need to declare the cash.

 

It is not much different, Many POE separate travelers into two or three groups (Immigrants/Visitors) (Citizens/Residents) If you are traveling with your family you can stick with them and go through whichever line the officials direct them to go through.

 

The POE officer will take their immigration packet, ask a couple questions, take a fingerprint, and then send them on to bagage claim to claim checked bagage to then go through Customs, after that the bagage gets collected from you to be placed on your domestic flight.

[newacct]

I believe that there will not be paper I-94 by that time anyway.

[Randy W]

Just to mention here for anyone on a K-visa or visitors' visa - K-visas DO require that an I-94 be filled out.

[Randy W]

I believe that there will not be paper I-94 by that time anyway.

 

I believe THIS is what you're talking about I-94

 

 

 

Notice: New Electronic I-94 Process - From April 30 through May 25, 2013, CBP will roll out a new electronic I-94 process at air and sea ports of entry. Under the new CBP process, a CBP officer will provide each admitted nonimmigrant traveler with an admission stamp on their passport. CBP will no longer issue a paper Form I-94 upon entry to U.S., with some exceptions. Learn more on the CBP website.

 

 

Still needed, definitely, but now kept in the fom of a stamp in your passport - much more difficult to lose. Nothing to fill out on the plane, and nothing to turn in on departure.

 

CBP is Customs and Border Pprotection (the Immigrations Officers).

 

Sounds like simply eliminating a little piece of paper - http://cbp.gov/linkhandler/cgov/newsroom/fact_sheets/travel/i94_factsheet.ctt/i94_factsheet.pdf

Edited June 1, 2013 by Randy W
added 'I-94' for search (see edit history)

[rjlec]

Will my wife and I fill out separate declarations forms (I'm a USC, she's Chinese)? Or should we? The CBP webpage says to complete one form for the entire family, and since we're married, she's family; but I just don't know whether because she's a foreign national she'll need to be considered separately for customs.

 

One reason I ask is that we'll likely be carrying more than $10,000 between us, and if we can split it up, we won't need to declare it. (I'm assuming there'd be a fee for that. Is there? If there's not, then I guess it wouldn't be a problem.)

 

You said we can go through the same inspection line. If we use the same declarations form, then will we go to the same CBP officer also? (Same window, together at the same time?)

 

Lastly, Immigrant Visa packet goes to the CBP officer in step one; then we get our luggage, step two; and declarations form goes to the customs officer in step three. Did I follow that right?

 

Of course, I'll be able to figure it out myself, but I like to have an idea of what it'll be like beforehand. We're flying into Chicago, O'Hare, if that makes any difference.

[ama537621]

ORD is pretty straight forward. Been thru there 7 times now for POE.

 

When you come to Customs ask the person directing which line you should go to. If you are lucky they will shove you to the resident/citizen line. If you are not lucky you get put in the visitor line. Either way you should be out of processing before the baggage arrives. The immigration person will mark your slip that you show to the custom's personal. You pick up your luggage then you wait in the usually long line for customs to look at your paper and either wave you thru or go to the more intense inspection.

 

Make sure your wife does not do the "secret squirrel" that Chinese woman do and stash fruit for eating later. If the cute lil beagle takes an interest in you will be in for a lengthy secondary inspection.

 

When you exit the customs area make sure you do not go out to the main to the general area of the terminal. To the right will be a united airlines baggage recheck area. There are 2 exits one is near the united recheck the other is the "other airlines recheck" sorry I usually fly united on return and never paid attention to the other side. Do not go thru the glass doors or you will have to shlep your bags all the way to the domestic terminal to be checked for your domestic flight.

 

I would just pay the bank fee and have the money sent electronically to the us. It will not be worth the trouble to get caught without declaring it. And if you declare it you will have to have proof of where it came from.

[dnoblett]

Make sure your wife does not do the "secret squirrel" that Chinese woman do and stash fruit for eating later. If the cute lil beagle takes an interest in you will be in for a lengthy secondary inspection.

Exactly! My wife tried that once coming back from a trip over to Canada, the POE officer asked if she had any fruits vegetables, she said no, they then searched her bag and drilled her over an apple she had in her bag.

[rjlec]

Thanks for the tips, ama. I'll probably have to do most of my wife's packing anyway, so no fruit should sneak in. The CBP website says a lot about "products made from plants material", though, and we may have some fans made from bamboo with us. Will that be a problem?

Also the money is simply our savings over the past year. How can I prove that? Couldn't I just say that to them--"it's our savings over the past (couple) years)"? It wouldn't be a lot over $10,000 (12-13,000 at most).

[dnoblett]

Bamboo fans will not be a problem, the CBP is looking for live materials.

[ama537621]

You could get the ATM balance receipt before you withdraw the money from your account. You can take the exchange receipt from the bank. We will also be taking cash back with us. the Chinese bank wants 300 dollars to transfer and the US bank wants 85 dollars. Luckily my pay is deposited in my US accounts and only my Per diem is applied to my Chinese account. We will be making 2 trips back to the states so we are able to split the money up between the 2 trips.