Alie&Steve

I know this topic has probably already been covered, but have a few more questions.

I am preparing for my visit to see my fiance in the US in a few days and was just wondering how much time i should allow myself to go through customs at the airport, assuming that I may be questioned in depth? (I am bringing with me letter of employment, letter from landlord, apt. lease agreement, bank statement and some bills to show evidence that i plan to return).

Is it possible to check-in for my flight earlier than the recommended 2 hours prior to departure time?? I will be going through customs in my home city, so can be at the airport as early as i want, just wondered if it was worth my time to be there any earlier than 2 hrs before my flight leaves, if they won't let me check in earlier.

Has anyone been through Canada/US customs with an I-129F pending lately? Would love to hear your experiences.

Thanks,
Alie

Zed

Nice to see another Canadian going through TSC. I'll watch your posts to see if I can't help at all.

I recently got back from a visit to my Texan Fiancée. We had already received NOA1 before I entered the US for the visit.

However, I wasn't thinking it mattered at all, so when I drove across the border and the customs official asked what I was doing, I just said "visiting my girlfriend". He asked if I knew about visas & stuff to marry her if I wanted to, and I said "Yeah, we've been looking into that." (Again, I didn't realize that it was relevant that we'd already started a K-1! I was lucky.)

Since he didn't know that I had filed for a K-1 at this point, his questioning about my return was pretty simple. Do you have a job? Do you have a house? That's about it - he waved me through pretty quickly.

I'm about to go visit her again, and this time I will be sure to tell them that I'm visiting my K-1 fiancée. I too am bringing a letter from my employer stating that I'm expected back in 2 weeks, in addition to flight info and some bills. My brother will be driving me across the border (I fly out of the US), so the fact that he's using my car with my insurance might help too.

Curious to hear others' experiences on this one.

blenky16

Alie,

I never flew to the US from Canada during that period, so I don't have much experience there. After having been through many interesting days/nights at the Detroit POE and Port Huron POE (via driving across), I would recommend getting there with PLENTY of time, likely more than the 2 hours (as that is the typical time required to be there before the flight). I have, in the past spent 2+ hours waiting and discussing my evidence of return to Canada in the POE, so it could be the same for you. Although, it could be super quick, breeze right through. But for your sake, leave lots of time, take a book and if you breeze through, then just use the time to relax

Cheers,
Sean

Alie&Steve

Hi Zed,

Where about in Canada are you? Do you find it cheaper to fly out of the US? I've considered that option, as i only live 2 hrs from the US/Canada border, but have found that it isn't all that cost effective, at least not for me.

Anyway, leaving to see my sweetie tomorrow, crossing my fingers that i just breeze right on through the POE.

Alie

Zed

Alie,

I live in NB, and find it easier to go to Maine & fly out of Bangor. I can always get great rates (between $200-$300 US) to Texas that way.

I'm only 1 hour from the border, and then it's a 2.5 hour trip to Bangor. Not so bad to save a few hundred bucks.

Zed

Alie&Steve

I live in MB and the nearest US airport is in Fargo, which is only a 3.5hr drive, but i've found its still cheaper to fly from here than there, must be because Fargo is such a small airport.

Alie

Zed

Yeah you have to weigh it out. There seems to be no rhyme or reason in the flight prices sometimes, so just try & try different airports. If the drive is worth it (like it is for me), then it's all good.

Funny story on that. I'm flying to Dallas, but a flight from Bangor to Dallas is about $560 US. However, a flight from Bangor to Waco (smaller airport, 1.5 hours away from Dallas) costs only $203.

What's even funnier is that the flight to Waco stops in Dallas on the way, so I can just hop off & back on there instead of making my Fiancée drive to Waco. Crazy, eh?

cindyabs

You can hop off in DFW on a flight to Waco BUT you can't hop on at DFW if the flight originates in Waco. You will be shown as "no show" for the return flight AND the rest of your flight cancelled................. The airlines aren't stupid.

cindyabs

Have you thought about doing an open jaw ticket? One where the flight goes to Waco and comes back from DFW-the fare would be the average of the two destinations-certainly more than the Waco roundtrip but less than the DFW one. Also check Pan Am and Southwest, you might be able to do a combo of that, BGR (although they fly from St Johns and Halifax in Canada) to BWI and then Southwest from BWI to DAL (Dallas Love Field). Just a thought.