Hi All,

My wife will be coming to Charlotte NC around June 2nd on a CR1 visa.

I've been looking at flights/tickets, and have found a direct flight from Frankfurt to Charlotte (her final destination), which means my wife's POE will be Charlotte. My wife will not need an EAD or anything like that so coming into Charlotte would make the most sense.

I wanted to ask if anyone else has gone through Charlotte as a POE and what their expereince was like. I've heard that since Charlotte is not a busy "international" airport, that the Immigration/Customs officers have a lot of time on thier hands, and as such my wife may be scrutinized a lot more than at a NYC/CHICAGO/ATLANTA POE.

Any thought's, advice, or suggestions would be greatly appriciated.

As always, thanks a buch in advance for your advise

Yes, it is true, is a small customs area. I had a bad experience when I entered there with my B1/B2 tourist visa. They went on and on before allowing me to pass. I had gone to visit my boyfriend (now husband) and they just asked me many questions like why you have a boyfriend here, is he a US citizen, blah, blah. I just felt uncomfortable with that experience. They seem to have time to ask more and more questions than in other bigger airport US custom areas. I had choosen to flight to Charlotte because is a shorter flight from Mexico City than making conections in Dallas or Houston. But after this I prefer to make the conection in any of those cities than having to go through that rough US customs area in Charlotte.

After my green card was granted I flew to Frankfurt to visit my family. I only had my stamp (I-551) in my passport, the real card arrived while I was staying in Germany. I was already warned that it might take questioning at the POE when I come back - our interviewer told us so.
Anyway, when I arrived in Charlotte I handed the officer my passport and pointed the stamp out. He took my passport away as well as other stuff I provided (my marriage certificate since my passport is in my maiden name, the AOS-NOAs). He handed me a plastic card with a number. I went to pick up my baggage and at the customs stand the people asked me to "park" my luggage in the middle of nowhere and leave it there (accessible to everyone, not SAVE), ordered me to turn off my cell and searched my purse, putting it aside and sent me in a room with other "suspects". I was not allowed to ask a question, such as can I tell my husband please who is waiting outside??? Also I wanted to say call hubbie, he has the green card with him!!!! But no way, he said NO QUEstions and be quiet. In the room I learned that some people were there for more than 24 hours, in that room. One of them was a Russian woman married to an American citizen with a perfectly fine AP, but she was put there too.
After a little more than 60 minutes the officer showed up, suddenly friendly and apologizing that I am good to go. He said they checked if the stamp was a fake. I said hubs is outside with my card and he said wow say that earlier, as if, I was not allowed to talk!!!! The Russian girl was let go too.
The annoying part is that they can look up in their computer system really quickly if a petition is approved. My stamp said my A number, and as you all know we can check online with USCIS within seconds our status, so they can of course do that way quicker.
Sum: I actually encountered the most scrutinizing officers ever in Charlotte. JFK and SFO were nothing compared to Charlotte. Sure, they are doing their job, but be prepared. I don't know how they react to CR visas though.
I wish you all the best! I hope she'll have a better experience....

Charlotte was my first ever POE and it wasn't bad, theres alot more international flights going through there now. But she should be fine.

Also, just cause the airport is bigger doesn't mean they give you any less hassle, , I've been hassled at atalnta and philadelphia airports in the past.

Tangential variation on this statement: Canada's hell-portal Pearson (Toronto aka Pigtown) airport is the largest and busiest Canadian airport in all ways--but I have definitely been hassled more there on the only occasion I ever used it for a trip from US to Calgary, than @ Calgary (Toronto's officers have a habit of picking on Western Canadians, and visible minorities--so visible minority going to Western Canada is the obvious easy target).

IMO, the idea of going directly to Charlotte is best. Yes, the beneficiary may face high scrutiny--but USCIS officers at airports are known to use some algorithm to choose whom they pick on, so even at larger/busier airport the entrant could face much hassle. The fact of it being the final destination makes such a risk worthwhile--as at least, such hassle WILL NOT cause missed connexions!

Basically what I was trying to say. The busy airports can make you face alot of hassle as can smaller airports.