What happens when U get 2 USA w/immigrant visa...

[..]

I posted this as part of a story in family section, but since nobody reads that, I though it would be good to post this here to help others as well.

 

So we land in LAX. Wow, we are even 45 minutes early. This is good cuz I am uncomfortable with the 2.5 hour layover (thinking it is too short) and this extra time should make it OK. Uh-oh, LAX immigration hall is a total zoo. There is a rather unpleasant woman yelling at people to go to either the line for US Passport holders or non-holders. Since normally, green card holders go to the US Passport line and my nieces visa were immigrant visas, which meant that they were green card holders. So I ask. The response? I quote: "Do they have US passports? Then go to the non-US passport line! What is so hard about that?" Feck, welcome to America!

 

We wait in the incredibly long line, but it is moving fairly well. Then I notice a woman with small kids being led away to another line. I overhear that the immigration officer was going to take them to the immigrant visa line. I see that they have the large manila envelopes too, like us (you get those along with the immigrant visa in the passport). So I ask the officer. He says that we are in the wrong line and to follow him. The unpleasant woman neglected to tell us about that! Oh, goody. Maybe we'll get out of this faster. Afterall, how many immigrant visas could there be?

 

Don't ask! It looks like half of bloody Manila is emigrating to the States. There must be 100 Flips (no exaggeration) in front of us. And looking at what they are doing, it is taking a half an hour per person (or at least family). They are reviewing paperwork that comes from the embassy (why?), taking fingerprints again (why?), taking pix again (why?) then doing God knows what while you wait in some chairs.

 

So I go to the front and ask if there was any way in hell that we would make our flight in 3 hours. "No way" was the response. And what of our luggage (that one has to claim and declare before rechecking into your next flight)? "After you get through here, you can pick it up." Oooo, that sounds safe, I think; he wandered off before I could not ask if I and daughters could pass through immigration in this line. So I ask at the information desk if there are any procedures to deal with this (gotta be, right?). They told me that the three of us who were US passport holders had to go through the US Passport immigration lane, collect the luggage, change the flights and wait for the nieces (recall that they are 8 and 11 years old, a fact I told this person). "If I do that I cannot come back over to this side to be with the kids as they go through immigration, right?" "That's correct." "Stupid fuck! Would you do that to your kids?" is what I wanted to ask, but I did not and just went back into the immigrant visa line. Steam was beginning to come out of my ears, but I fought it and remained jai yen yen (kinda sorta).

 

Many overhead pages from airlines asking people to fetch their baggage. This made me worried about it again. By now, there was nobody in the US passport lanes, so I go see one of the officers there. He tells me that we should wait and that we can all pass immigration at the immigrant visa counter. Good. That made sense, but when dealing with gummint, one does not assume that the obvious and common sense answer is correct!

 

So two and a half hours pass before we get to the front of the line. There are furtive announcements asking passengers from Singapore Airlines flight SQ20 to pick up their baggage. I knew they were talking to us directly, but what could you do? At least the immigration officer was nice and pleasant. The girls had to sign some forms and get fingerprints (just the index finger, next to the signature). The pix we had must have been OK as we did not have to get more as some folks did.

 

That done, we finally get to the baggage carousel and find all of our bags sitting there along with three(!) Singapore Airlines staff. Only our bags were there, so it was clear that they were waiting for us alone, to make sure all is OK with us. When I mention that we are missing a connection, they immediately get on the radio to try to help. The message back from United was no, we were on last flight outta Dodge, and there would be a $100/person fee to change. SQ lady said to me that this was crazy as the delay was not our fault and she would see what she could do. Most impressive to moi was that she said that "I will be back to tell you what happened even if I cannot help you." Great service that other airlines can only dream about. About 30 minutes she returns and tell me to "see Ms. X at UA Int'l counter and she will rebook your flight, give you a hotel voucher and generally take care of you. If there is anything more I can do, here is my extension and I will be at the SQ office until after 0100 (another 2+ hours)." Wow!

 

After about another 40 minutes, we were called to the counter. The officer gave us a welcome paper, explained that green cards & social security cards would be forthcoming and that the stamp he put into the passport was good for one year and the same as a green card (i.e., one can work and travel with no restrictions). Cool, no dramas here (but for the air travel).

 

We went over to the UA counter and found Ms. X. Ms. X was very nice, efficient, and took care of us as advertised. The only bummer was that we had to drag all of our bags (10 big 'uns plus 4 carryons) to the hotel and check them in the morning. But she assured us that it would be no trouble. And it was not. The UA staff in the morning were equally as friendly and helpful. Kudos to them.

 

Within 10 days, the nieces had their proper green cards, good for 10 years. A few days later, we received three(!) copies for each kid of the welcome to America letter -- they must really like us. Still waiting on the social security cards.

 

Cheers,

SD

[check_bin_krap]

Oh, tough checks! My wife went to Norway alone before we married, on her Schengen visa. No delays - a bit of looking at passport in Denmark a few minutes, that was Schengen entry point for her. That was all. Normal lines after getting out of a flight.

 

I was kinda worried about her travelling alone, no problem though.

 

Cheers!

[check_bin_krap]

I have to tell you about the passport control in Norway before 9/11. Its was hold up your red passport, say "jeg er Norsk" (I am Norwegian). Mind you - no need to open it up at all or hand it over, and you were through. Many think thats the case today also, and get angry when they need to give their passport to customs

 

Cheers!

[Guest lazyphil]

My Mrs found US Embassy staff very courteous in London, AA staff efficient and polite (be them a bit old!) and Chicago immigration officials friendly enough, alot of talk (generally speaking) about awkward/nazi US officialdom, not so IOE

[BelgianBoy]

suadum said:

I posted this as part of a story in family section, but since nobody reads that, I though it would be good to post this here to help others as well.

 

We do ! we do !

 

BB

[HSTEACH]

Thanks. Good information. I'll be bringing my wife to the states next month for the first time but thank God will not be coming through LAX. I just hope DTW can process her in less than two hours as we have a tight connection. Thanks again for the info.

 

HSTEACH

[Guest]

If you miss your flight because of Immigration/Customs, Immigration/Customs gets charged for rebooking, hotel, meal vouchers. There seems to be a love/hate relationship between United nd Immigration/Customs. I suppose Immigration/Customs chews out their asses for rebooking and United chews out their asses for screwing with their customers.

 

Next time get the meal vouchers. I always do.

[..]

Nope. I paid for the hotel and meals -- UA or SQ would not. Did give me a discount: $56 for the Marriott LAX Airport, which was pretty good rate.

 

Regards,

SD

[Guest]

MightyMouse said:

If you miss your flight because of Immigration/Customs, Immigration/Customs gets charged for rebooking, hotel, meal vouchers. There seems to be a love/hate relationship between United nd Immigration/Customs. I suppose Immigration/Customs chews out their asses for rebooking and United chews out their asses for screwing with their customers.

 

Next time get the meal vouchers. I always do.

 

Sometimes I truly wonder how you dream up these thoughts.

 

Customs or immigration paying *anyone* for *anything* because you were delayed.......... not on this planet. And NOBODY chews their asses out, especially about such insignificant issues as customers.

[Grabii]

HST,

 

I've been through DTW only once in my life, just over a year ago returning from Thailand. It was hell, and took I don't know how long to get through both immigration and customs but it was more than an hour. Don't know how much time might have been added for inspections of the 'brown envelope' had a wife or fiancee on a K visa been with me.

 

On the other hand, I have read reports from people who went through in 30 minutes or so.

 

I think that at any airport time to clear immigration and customs is going to depend on the volume of traffic at that particular time and the number of people on those flights. It can be highly variable.

 

Good luck to you.

 

Grabii

 

 

HSTEACH said:

Thanks. Good information. I'll be bringing my wife to the states next month for the first time but thank God will not be coming through LAX. I just hope DTW can process her in less than two hours as we have a tight connection. Thanks again for the info.

 

HSTEACH