Squirrel

If a couple travelling together consist of one US citizen and one UK citizen, coming to the USA on a holiday, should they both go to the US citizen line, both to the non-citizen line, or should they split up and the Brit go to the non-citizen line and the US citizen to the citizen line, and if so, should they ask the cabin crew on the flight for two customs declarations and fill out one each?

I'd love to know the official answer as we've had various different experiences. Sometimes we've been both allowed through the US citizen line, last time we both got sent to the non citizen line, and other times we've been made to go through seperately, and then the immigration officer wanted to know why I hadn't got a customs declaration and I had to say hubby had it because we thought it was one declaration per family.

Jerseygirl

There's loads of threads about this if you use the search engine you should be able to locate them. Of course you aren't going to get the 'official answer' from any of us...for that you'll have to contact the powers that be.

Squirrel

Thanks. Do you think the place to contact would be the US Embassy or someone else? is there any way of contacting USCIS to ask about this?

meauxna

I can't imagine what Jerseygirl is thinking of.. there really isn't anyone to ask this question of because the result varies depending on the airport and whatever they are doing that day.

When you enter the immigration hall, there is usually a roving officer and you can ask them where they prefer you to go. Many of us are told to split up.
Whoever gets through first can always wait for the other person, and you can still go through Customs together.

Your first post sounds like about normal .. you never know what answer you'll get.

Bob

Either line, chances are, it'll be a miserable experience going through Logan

sykes

I have a green card and I hate coming back into the US, no matter the airport. Hardly ever do I get a "welcome home" or the stereo typical "have a nice day."

ian-mstm

You must think that the CBP officers exist to make you feel good about yourself! I don't think it's in their job description.

Ian

Ash UK/US

It is a mixed bag, some are complete miserable t***s others are super nice, there never seems to be a happy medium.

wareagle

A little tale to hopefully humanise the USCIS people.

My wife moved back to the US last week and flew into Dullas. At immigration she was asked what the purpose of her journey to the UK had been. She explained she hadnt been on a journey but had been living there the last 2 and a half years and was moving back in advance of me coming over and us starting a new life.

With that the immigration officer rang a bell and announced over a microphone that my wife was returning to live in the US, followed by a loud cheer and applause from the other people in immigration.

Sure it's not the norm, but lets not tar everyone with the same brush

Ash UK/US

They questioned my daughter when we came back (she is 5) they were asking her name and showed her my passport picture and asked if that was mommy. The funny part about that~ she had only turned 5 four days earlier, on her birthday we were out shopping when I got chatting to an old school friend who is the manager of bakery, so she asked my daughters name (which she knew), when she asked if her name was Katie she said no! Then she asked if it was her birthday and she said no! The only way she could get her to answer was to bribe her with a cup cake.

While immgration were talking to her I had visions of her saying 'no thats not my mommy', I think immigration would frown upon me bribing her to answer correctly!

Bob

That's awesome...I'd be so screwed if that ever happened to me, my little one is always saying weird things in the grocery store

And speaking of weird experiences of coming back to the US, when he missus who's a USC, was moving back here from living in the UK, she got a right grilling from a snotty nosed oink asking why she was living out of the US and why was she coming back to the US etc...the one time I beat her through immigration that

Squirrel

Wow Ash, did they actually come out of their booth? (I can't imagine a 5 year old could see over the top of the counter).

Englishman43

LAX immigration - total bunch of tossers..everytime..people with that disposition should be living in caves not interacting with the Human race.

Anian

Story I heard from a guy: He told his kids not to jump off the bed, turns his back and hears a thud. His daughter is on the floor with a carpet burn on her face. Teacher asks her at school what happened, she says her dad hit her with a broom!

Jerseygirl

Something similar happened to one of our member's husband...he finished up in court.