Hi,

Just wondering if anyone has gone through Customs at the Seattle airport and what your experience was like. I'm thinking of flying in through there and am wondering how much time I need etc. to get through.

My other option is to drive through the border and then catch a flight out of Spokane. Just want to take the fastest route.

Thanks

BC,

Customs is pretty quick, especially if you have nothing to declare, unless a drug-sniffing dog starts piddling with excitement as it sniffs at your baggage.

Immigration, on the other hand, will probably take you longer to pass through than Customs.

Regards, JEff

LOL, Thx Jeff!! No worries there, nothing for those doggies to be sniffing in my bags!

I guess I did word that wrong, I meant immigration, I just think customs/immigration, same thing basicly.

I hear that Seattle/Tacoma airport can be a nightmare at the best of times, for the fact that it's huge and you have to run to different terminals, without adding Immigration to the process.

I've been reading the FAQ page, says that it's pretty easy going through the Immigration process when entering from Canada. I'm just nervous I guess :-)

don't count on it too hard! while i was there that cute little beadle managed to sniff out a banana skin that had been removed from a young girl's bag three days before. quite a sight to see!


in all fairness, on the one time i travelled through there, it was a breeze, and that was with extra foot and mouth checks outside the airplane and in customs and me travelling on visa waiver whilst k1 was being processed (and very nervous to boot). the immigration guy said that k1 visa paperwork is just done at the desk on the day, no going off into a little room or anything. it seemed to be something they were very comfortable with.

checking your luggage back onto a conveyor belt to reach the domestic terminal whilst you make your way on foot/subway is a little odd, but certainly convenient.

hope those nuggets help in their own little way :)

kate

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For my K-1 I was told to wait until everyone else had gone through immigration, which
is the standard type of counter with immigration person sat with computer.

When my turn came we both did the checking documents, stamping passport, etc., as
he'd not done a K-1 for months. This was done at the same counter, there was no going
into an office, but there wasn't anything in the least personal or confidential
talked about.

As for the size of the airport, well I'm used to Heathrow & Gatwick, so SeaTac is
just a tiny thing. Depending on which airline used you may have to get the shuttle
train to the main part, but that's fairly standard in most airports.

We've a friend coming from a rural part of England later in the week, I'll report
back what sort of investigation he and his baggage got.
--
paul 58-77 Sheffield 77-79 Coventry 79-88 Sheffield 88-97 Milton Keynes 97-99 London
99-00 Seattle 00-?? Fremont

BC,

Glad to see that you have a sense of humor. Check out this web page for experiences in Seattle. Though limited, it indicates that the typical Immigration processing time is under 15 minutes. After you've done it yourself, please go back to the site and add your own experience for the future benefit of others.

Have a safe trip, and good luck to you.

Regards, JEff

Jeff,

A sense of humor, yes, i try to keep it!! After all, if we let go of our sense of humor, we'd all be crazy going through this process. Well, maybe not all, but, I sure know I would be! It's only been 9 lonnnnng months since I've been apart from my fiance. :-(

Ok, now call me blind, but I don't see a web site listed on your last post for me to check out :-(

Thanks for the good luck wishes, I need them, I'm nervous, but oh, so excited!!

Misskate, I'll be making sure to keep those dead banana peels out of my bags!!! LOL

Take care all, and thanks so much for the help!

BC,

I must be going blind too. Let me try this again.

<http://www.k1poelist.com/>

Regards, JEff

Hi ya .. In regards to Sea Tac Customs... It isn't drug sniffing dogs ...it's little
tiny beagles sniffing for fruit & veg ..or meat products... very diligently I might
add. : ) But all humor aside, you step off the plane...get sniffed.. go to Passport
Control....then to baggage claim...Immigration....and catch a small traincar to the
main airport terminal. On a good day, 15- 20 min...on a bad day....an hour tops. Hope
this helps. LM

On Tue, 24 Apr 2001 17:09:57 GMT, bc_39 <[email protected]> wrote:

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~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

"If you care for someone, give them always a safe place to cry and never a reason
to need it."

well i live in Seattle, and fly out of Sea Tac a lot....custom and immigration
totally depends.... they can take as long or short as they like..... you mentioned
crossing the border and flying from Spokane...maybe I missed some other posting.. are
you flying out or in to the US....and Spokane is still in the US...unless you mean
crossing the border and flying out of Vancouver, BC, Canada.... im confused...:)

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[usenetquote2]> >Hi,[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> >[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> >Just wondering if anyone has gone through Customs at the Seattle airport and what[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> >your experience was like. I'm thinking of flying in through there and am wondering[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> >how much time I need etc. to get through.[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> >[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> >My other option is to drive through the border and then catch a flight out of[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> >Spokane. Just want to take the fastest route.[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> >[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> >Thanks[/usenetquote2]
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JK,

I've decided to have my Sister drive me to Spokane, from Canada and then fly out of Spokane to Montana, rather than fly from Canada into the US via Seattle.