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How long is the US Border Immigration process?
Hi all...
Well, I have booked my tickets to get us to the US in November... I have my visa and supporting docs, we're all set (we may be coming back to the UK 2 weeks later depending on certian things, but we've already been told that this is fine... I can come back to the UK on my stamped visa and still get back into the US providing I maintain a bona fide US domicile and go back within a year... it will actually be more like 3 months).. I was however wondering, how long does the whole immigration prcess take when we get there? We have direct flights to Seattle, but I need to book a connecting flight to our final destination (Pasco), but I'm not sure how long we will be in the interview or filling out paperwork... so booking it is impossible right now. How long did it take you guys? :confused: |
Re: How long is the US Border Immigration process?
Originally Posted by robnewman
(Post 6740121)
Hi all...
Well, I have booked my tickets to get us to the US in November... I have my visa and supporting docs, we're all set (we may be coming back to the UK 2 weeks later depending on certian things, but we've already been told that this is fine... I can come back to the UK on my stamped visa and still get back into the US providing I maintain a bona fide US domicile and go back within a year... it will actually be more like 3 months).. I was however wondering, how long does the whole immigration prcess take when we get there? We have direct flights to Seattle, but I need to book a connecting flight to our final destination (Pasco), but I'm not sure how long we will be in the interview or filling out paperwork... so booking it is impossible right now. How long did it take you guys? :confused: |
Re: How long is the US Border Immigration process?
All depends on how busy they are during the day. Some are through faster than if they'd just been through the non-residents queue. Others have said it took them ages.
If I get there I am going to allow 4 hours just in case I think. |
Re: How long is the US Border Immigration process?
4 hours... wow... Still, I guess it's worth it in the end!
Our flight arrives in Seattle at about 16:10 and the connnecting flights leave every hour till abotu 23:00... I should just book the last flight of the day... That should give us plenty of time. If we have any spare, we'll probably want some dinner by then anyway! |
Re: How long is the US Border Immigration process?
Well when your final destination is CVG, the internal flights are about 2 hours apart...so for us it's probably either 2 or 4 hours, so we will have to go for 4 hours most likely.
I doubt very much it would take you more than an hour or two unless it's busy. |
Re: How long is the US Border Immigration process?
Originally Posted by robnewman
(Post 6740121)
Hi all...
Well, I have booked my tickets to get us to the US in November... I have my visa and supporting docs, we're all set (we may be coming back to the UK 2 weeks later depending on certian things, but we've already been told that this is fine... I can come back to the UK on my stamped visa and still get back into the US providing I maintain a bona fide US domicile and go back within a year... it will actually be more like 3 months).. I was however wondering, how long does the whole immigration prcess take when we get there? We have direct flights to Seattle, but I need to book a connecting flight to our final destination (Pasco), but I'm not sure how long we will be in the interview or filling out paperwork... so booking it is impossible right now. How long did it take you guys? :confused: Or, book the last, but don't be afraid to ask them to board you on an earlier trip if you're ready to go. The actual Immigration checking-in process only takes about 15 minutes, it's just a matter of how long you wait for YOUR 15 minutes (of fame). edit: you can look here for average wait times! |
Re: How long is the US Border Immigration process?
Took me 2 hours. I have a USC gf though so that delayed me about 30 mins with questions
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Re: How long is the US Border Immigration process?
Originally Posted by robnewman
(Post 6740121)
Hi all...
Well, I have booked my tickets to get us to the US in November... I have my visa and supporting docs, we're all set (we may be coming back to the UK 2 weeks later depending on certian things, but we've already been told that this is fine... I can come back to the UK on my stamped visa and still get back into the US providing I maintain a bona fide US domicile and go back within a year... it will actually be more like 3 months).. I was however wondering, how long does the whole immigration prcess take when we get there? We have direct flights to Seattle, but I need to book a connecting flight to our final destination (Pasco), but I'm not sure how long we will be in the interview or filling out paperwork... so booking it is impossible right now. How long did it take you guys? :confused: You will be given an I-551 stamp in your passport and this is what you will be using to work, travel, live in the US. Leave at least 2 hours for clearing secondary. |
Re: How long is the US Border Immigration process?
Originally Posted by Rete
(Post 6741404)
Just to clarify, you will not have a stamped visa. Your visa is voided once you use it to enter the US and is of no further use.
You will be given an I-551 stamp in your passport and this is what you will be using to work, travel, live in the US. Leave at least 2 hours for clearing secondary. What Rete write about the "visa" part of the visa is true, but the visa is endorsed (NOT with an 'I-551 stamp'?) and therefore what robnewman writes is true TOO: traveling on his 'stamped visa' = acceptable proof of status (ie is equivilant to the Green Card). |
Re: How long is the US Border Immigration process?
Originally Posted by robnewman
(Post 6740271)
Our flight arrives in Seattle at about 16:10 and the connnecting flights leave every hour till abotu 23:00... I should just book the last flight of the day... That should give us plenty of time. If we have any spare, we'll probably want some dinner by then anyway! If it is Alaskan you were looking out they now only have I think 2 flights that late in the day. |
Re: How long is the US Border Immigration process?
Originally Posted by Rete
(Post 6741404)
Just to clarify, you will not have a stamped visa. Your visa is voided once you use it to enter the US and is of no further use.
. |
Re: How long is the US Border Immigration process?
Originally Posted by Big D
(Post 6741515)
Hi Rete - what do you mean about the Visa being voided and of no further use? Is this specific to the visa the poster is using?
Sort of. :) |
Re: How long is the US Border Immigration process?
Yeah that's a bit misleading from Rete.....my visa (and Rob's will be identical) has this specific wording printed on it:
"Upon endorsement serves as a temporary I-551 evidencing permanent residence for one year". Which appears to me to be exactly the opposite of:
Originally Posted by Rete
(Post 6741404)
Just to clarify, you will not have a stamped visa. Your visa is voided once you use it to enter the US and is of no further use.
You will be given an I-551 stamp in your passport and this is what you will be using to work, travel, live in the US. |
Re: How long is the US Border Immigration process?
Originally Posted by BritishGuy36
(Post 6741620)
Yeah that's a bit misleading from Rete.....my visa (and Rob's will be identical) has this specific wording printed on it:
"Upon endorsement serves as a temporary I-551 evidencing permanent residence for one year". Which appears to me to be exactly the opposite of: something like processed for I-551 temporary evidence of lawful admissision for permanent residence etc ..... |
Re: How long is the US Border Immigration process?
Thanks for all the repsonses chaps and chapesses...
I checked the Horizon timetable just last week for our arrival day... it's still quite flexible. I've flown this flight with Horizon so many times I've lost count... They've always been good about changing flights if we've been early or late... but that was when our BA flight arrived early or late and not in our control... Just didn't want to be told "well, you should have planned ahead"... I'm sure they'll be as good this time as they have always been... (Horizon are EASILY the best airline I've ever flown with). Taa very much guys! |
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