Just Jenney

Hi everyone!!

Mark's arriving at Dulles in two days (!!!) but since we've (obviously) never done the immigration thing, I'm not sure where to pick him up inside the airport.

Is it downstairs, on the baggage claim level, over to the far right (as you're looking at the airport)?

Thanks in advance..... Gotta run now so I'm not late to work!

~ Jenney

kariml

All airports blend together now for me, but either you meet the person at baggage claim or wait outside of security at the international terminal (the furthest a non-ticket holder can go).

Kari

Just Jenney

At Dulles, no one but people with boarding passes can go beyond the Main Terminal. After my flight back from England in January, I took a shuttle to the Main Terminal, claimed my bags, went through Customs, then exited into the downstairs level (same level as domestic baggage claim) on the far right-hand side. However, since I didn't go through Immigration I don't know if this will hold true for Mark.

Anyone with specifics? I'd really appreciate it!!

~ Jenney

sal_whit

Hi Jenney

I came in through Dulles too!!!
Once he gets off the plane he will go straight to customs,Then he well have to go to a side office for immigration.
He will then pick up his baggage and meet you on the other side.
Hope this helps
Sal

MrsLondon

I'm confused! Surely everybody from an international flight has to go through immigration and show their passport? My hubby (also called Mark!) has to do so when he flies into Boston. There are 2 lanes, one for USC and Perm Residents, and one for others. Obviously USC only have to show their passports, but until you've done that how do immigration know you're American?
(Actually last time Mark took me through the USC lane with him, explaining that I was his wife. It was a much shorter line. I got told off though because I had missed filling in the bottom part of my visa waiver form. The officer said *deadpan voice* "next time you will fill in the bottom part!"--gulp! OK!. Are these guys robots?lol!)

robclews

Jenney

Dulles is easy, just wait outside the International Arrivals doors, he will have his bags by then and have gone through the secondary inspection so you won't miss him.

Look, if Sal and I can navigate Dulles then anyone can

Rob

sal_whit

Hey Rob,

Ummmmmm I still had to ask an officer which way I had to go!!! LOL.

But your right it is easy and Jenney & Mark have nothing to worry about.

Sal

Just Jenney

Thanks everyone for your replies!!

I suspected that's where I'd meet him but being that we've been waiting so long for this reunion to finally happen, I didn't want to make any mistakes!!

Only 31 hours more to go -- woooooohoooooooooooo!!!!!!

~ Jenney

robclews

Not that your counting or anything !!!!!!

Just Jenney

You obviously haven't clicked on the link in my BritishExpats signature which takes you to our Countdown Page!!

I've been counting a looooooong time, baby!!

~ Jenney

imkimmy

Jenney-

I bet you can't wait!!!

The international terminal is super easy to find. It's downstairs on main terminal at the very beginging of the building, exactly as you described. You can wait in the roped off area there.

My advice though is to prepay your parking in the terminal. As you are exiting there are machines you can pay cash or credit card, and your parking ticket gets returned to you. Then when you leave the parking lot, you pull up to the express lanes, put your parking ticket in the machine and off you go. It took me about 30 seconds to get through the gates a few weeks ago. Otherwise you have to get into the pay lines and that can take a little longer.

Kimberly

Just Jenney

I know -- isn't the prepay parking awesome?! My ex and I lived about 15 mins from Dulles for several years, and his job often had me dropping/picking him up at the airport. (Never at the international section, however LOL) To think of all the time I wasted just sitting in the exit lanes!! Too bad they didn't have that years ago...

I'm SO excited that Mark's coming back tomorrow. Strangely, I think it's only really hitting me now that he's actually going to be here -- and NOT leaving. No more goodbyes. Odd to think that we've been through so much together, but for almost all of it we've been apart. It has been an emotional rollercoaster, and now that it's finally almost over, my emotions are going bonkers even more than usual! For instance, I ring Mark every day about 1pm, a daily ritual we've had for nearly all of our relationship. Today we had our last phone call like that, and I actually cried!! That's when it really hit home that things were FINALLY moving forward.

Change can be traumatic and difficult at times, but this is a change I'm welcoming with open arms, literally.

~ Jenney

ps. Only 17 hours to go now, in case anyone besides me is counting! LOL