We have landed in the good ol' USA
Jul 23rd 2011, 1:15 pm
#16
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Joined: May 2008
Location: Houston
Posts: 439
Re: We have landed in the good ol' USA
But Charlotte airport itself is sooo nice though... rocking chairs looking out over the runways, free internet, really well planned, good duty free, good selection of shops and doesn't smell of greasy pizza! Immigration is way better than Miami for volume as well. 2hours is not unusual to wait there - done it too many times!
Jul 24th 2011, 1:07 am
#17
Forum Regular
Thread Starter
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 31
Re: We have landed in the good ol' USA
Jul 24th 2011, 2:36 am
#18
So I am where?
Joined: Oct 2009
Location: North Carolina
Posts: 485
Re: We have landed in the good ol' USA
Jul 24th 2011, 5:48 am
#19
Grumpy Know-it-all
Joined: Jul 2010
Location: Calgary, Alberta
Posts: 8,928
Re: We have landed in the good ol' USA
Is it fun anywhere?
Imx the two most common bonding experiences in Canada are about hockey and the common hatred of US Customs and Border Protection. I've lost count of the number of war stories I've swapped with people here.
It's like going to the dentists only worse, because you can't leave.
I could give you some tips I've learned myself over the years and also from others - as soon as they tell you to sit and wait, ask for a comment card and sit there and stare at them while you doodle on it. If they really get on your nerves then ask for the inspector's badge number or ask to talk to the supervisor. Comment a lot about the instructions for DHS-TRIP on the comment card, as this requires DHS to investigate what goes on at the POE.
And if all else fails, make a formal complaint through DHS-TRIP and CBP, this goes into your entry record and the next inspector will see it, this usually puts them on their toes.
If you've been to the US a lot and you get hassled a lot, another trick is to get a copy of your entry record under the Privacy Act, it always freaks them out if you can actually quote what they're seeing on their computer to them because they think it's all private.
(Also I've gotten plenty of crap from CBP at Hartsfield, don't quite get that comment.)
Imx the two most common bonding experiences in Canada are about hockey and the common hatred of US Customs and Border Protection. I've lost count of the number of war stories I've swapped with people here.
It's like going to the dentists only worse, because you can't leave.
I could give you some tips I've learned myself over the years and also from others - as soon as they tell you to sit and wait, ask for a comment card and sit there and stare at them while you doodle on it. If they really get on your nerves then ask for the inspector's badge number or ask to talk to the supervisor. Comment a lot about the instructions for DHS-TRIP on the comment card, as this requires DHS to investigate what goes on at the POE.
And if all else fails, make a formal complaint through DHS-TRIP and CBP, this goes into your entry record and the next inspector will see it, this usually puts them on their toes.
If you've been to the US a lot and you get hassled a lot, another trick is to get a copy of your entry record under the Privacy Act, it always freaks them out if you can actually quote what they're seeing on their computer to them because they think it's all private.
(Also I've gotten plenty of crap from CBP at Hartsfield, don't quite get that comment.)
Jul 25th 2011, 6:06 am
#20
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Joined: Sep 2010
Location: Maryland (via Belfast, Manchester, Toronto and London)
Posts: 4,802
Re: We have landed in the good ol' USA
Is it fun anywhere?
Imx the two most common bonding experiences in Canada are about hockey and the common hatred of US Customs and Border Protection. I've lost count of the number of war stories I've swapped with people here.
It's like going to the dentists only worse, because you can't leave.
Imx the two most common bonding experiences in Canada are about hockey and the common hatred of US Customs and Border Protection. I've lost count of the number of war stories I've swapped with people here.
It's like going to the dentists only worse, because you can't leave.
Jul 26th 2011, 5:39 pm
#21
Grumpy Know-it-all
Joined: Jul 2010
Location: Calgary, Alberta
Posts: 8,928
Re: We have landed in the good ol' USA
Occasionally they are but very rarely, usually it's some guy who's been on the job for years and years.
I find at Calgary airport pre-clearance they are more friendly than average, I think because those inspectors live in Calgary so they're aware that Canadians are not some evil group of jihadists trying to blow up the USA. At land borders and airports in the US I've come across some very rum types.
CBSA are usually okay except the woman who works at the NEXUS office at YYC, talk about a jobsworth.
I find at Calgary airport pre-clearance they are more friendly than average, I think because those inspectors live in Calgary so they're aware that Canadians are not some evil group of jihadists trying to blow up the USA. At land borders and airports in the US I've come across some very rum types.
CBSA are usually okay except the woman who works at the NEXUS office at YYC, talk about a jobsworth.
Jul 26th 2011, 6:33 pm
#22
Forum Regular
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 47
Re: We have landed in the good ol' USA
Hi,
So after 1 year, 1 month and 19 days since our EB5 application was submitted we are finally here!
Our flight left Gatwick 2 hours late on Tuesday 19 July. We arrived in Charlotte, NC at 3:30pm.
We then made our way to the passport control where we stood for an hour - exactly- our daughters were not so happy!
Our turn came up and we handed over our big envelopes to a not so happy immigration officer. He took our finger prints, we smiled for the camera and he gave us a number. We were told to collect our luggage and wait in the waiting room until we were called.
So off we went to get our luggage and headed to the waiting room, where we waited, and waited. Again daughters were now really not happy!
1 hour and 15 minutes later we were called to a counter. The officer could not find the EB5 visa on her system. Apparently the system had not been updated yet! She said it was just a clerical error and nothing for us to worry about.....phew!
We gave more finger prints, signed a form for our Green Cards and were then welcomed to America!
What a long day it was!
So after 1 year, 1 month and 19 days since our EB5 application was submitted we are finally here!
Our flight left Gatwick 2 hours late on Tuesday 19 July. We arrived in Charlotte, NC at 3:30pm.
We then made our way to the passport control where we stood for an hour - exactly- our daughters were not so happy!
Our turn came up and we handed over our big envelopes to a not so happy immigration officer. He took our finger prints, we smiled for the camera and he gave us a number. We were told to collect our luggage and wait in the waiting room until we were called.
So off we went to get our luggage and headed to the waiting room, where we waited, and waited. Again daughters were now really not happy!
1 hour and 15 minutes later we were called to a counter. The officer could not find the EB5 visa on her system. Apparently the system had not been updated yet! She said it was just a clerical error and nothing for us to worry about.....phew!
We gave more finger prints, signed a form for our Green Cards and were then welcomed to America!
What a long day it was!
