ladyofthelake

Well, the two index fingers anyway, at Orlando Airport yesterday. Said it was a new thing as from New Years Day, all visa holders to be finger printed and photo taken. The POE officer took some time to get the scanner to work properly, so the people in the queue behind us where not too happy!

NC Penguin

Huh?

What kind of visa do you have? Are you a permanent resident?

Personally, I think it's really dumb to take a permanent resident's fingerprints 'cos they're taken at the POE when you first arrive in the US to validate your visa. i.e. Immigration already have them on record...




NC Penguin

DaveC

I knew that they were going to start fingerprinting and photographing all international visitors entering the US under the US-VISIT program but I didn't think it applied to permanent residents. Permanent residents can go through immigration in the US Citizens' line at certain airports. Did they have a scanner at each cubicle?

Jan Alaska

I came back from England on 17th Dec and was told I could NOT stand in the US citizens line. So it doesnt suprise me that they fingerprinted Lady ... the guy at the desk asked me at least a half a dozen times how long I'd been out of the country (9 days) he also asked how long my kids were staying (2 weeks) and questioned me on that too. I told him that as they didnt come over as K2's one my original petition and seeing as I've now been here 18months it was my understanding that I have to naturalise before I can even think of applying for them to stay ... he gave me one of those forced smiles and let me go on my way

Welcome back Lady !!!

Jan

Ray

LOTL is an H-4 I believe

NC Penguin

Wow! Sounds like you were given a hard time. When I returned to Raleigh-Durham (RDU), my husband specifically asked airport staff where permanent residents should queue. He was told that PRs should stand in the US citizens line. So, he and I stood in line together.

Just goes to show the treatment of passengers varies widely around the US.




NC Penguin

sibsie

My understanding, and I could well be wrong is that you can only do that if you're travelling with your USC spouse.

ladyofthelake

Yes, ray is right I'm an H4 visa, so not a permanent resident and therefore no rights whatsoever. When I got my visa in November 2001 they weren't doing interviews or fingerprints either, so this is the first time they have mine on file.

Davec, yes they had a small scanner and webcam at each cubicle.

Britfrombristol

I arrived in the US on December 14th via Atlanta with my US wife.
Having entered as a permenant resident I was able to join the US residents line.

I was then fingerprinted by a very grumpy INS official. This was however the first time that my prints had been taken in the entire visa process.

bondipom

People travelling on the visa waiver scheme do not get finger printed. Brazil has started finger printing all US citizens because of the US measures.

The US is also checking criminal records of everyone on the visa waiver scheme and people are getting pulled over for minor infringements 10 years ago.

RoB1833

Nope!! The only time most K visa holders will have been through fingerprinting before AOS is for EAD......

NC Penguin

I don't know about that. I also visited the UK in March last year alone. On my return to RDU (Raleigh-Durham), I stood in the US Citizens line and was processed without question by US Immigration.




NC Penguin

sibsie

I was hoping someone would correct me. I've been on a flight with a K1 on AP but they made him go to the non USC line. Sounds like they've changed it now which'll be great for when I use it.

MrsLondon

My husband is a USC and a PR in the UK. When we fly to the US I use VW. The last couple of times we flew together, hubby politely asked the immigration officer on the US line if his British passport holder wife could come through with him. They said yes.
So my advice is, be polite and ask, they can only say no but they can't get the hump and give you a hard time!

weiser

http://msnbc.msn.com/Default.aspx?id=3875747&p1=0