Atlanta as a POE

[Oregonfiancee 0]

Hello, everyone!

I am going to fly through Atlanta, so it is going to be my POE. Since I am not that good with English I am trying to learn what I will need to do when I arrive there. Step-by-step. When do I get my luggage? (I have connection flight to Portland then and so should I get my luggage in Atlanta or only in Portland?) When they take a yellow package from me? Is it a special room for immigration?

I also read that people give officers a blue paper. I am not sure what it is? Is it something like declaration? And is it nesessary to fill it out if I have nothing to declare?

I feel pretty nervous about it as I heard not so nice things about Atlanta POE. So I am trying to learn.

I would appretiate any help!

Thanks!

[vartan 0]

Since I am not that good with English

Your typing skills don't make it look that way

[Danny&Adri 1]

I feel pretty nervous about it as I heard not so nice things about Atlanta POE.

You will probably find that the agents at any POE are a little "suspicious" acting. Why? Because they are trained to be suspicious. It is their way to stay alert to people not following the rules.

That being said, I think you will find Atlanta to not be a problem. It is big but well organized. Feel free to send me a message if you have any specific questions, it is the airport that I travel out of most often.

I have obviously never arrived as a POE, but I have arrived internationally with and without connecting flights. International flights arrive in concourse "E". When international passengers arrive, they get their luggage and go through the immigration lines. After going through you will re-check your luggage for your next flight. It is a fairly smooth process. The lines are usually a little long for the U.S., but nothing unusual. Perhaps 1 hour to get through all the immigration process.

Once you are through that process your departing flight to Oregon will be leaving from one of the other concourses. There is a very organized system to get you to that other concourse. Each concourse has approximately 40 gates. At the center of each concourse, around gates 17 and 18, there is an escalator that you take down to a subway where there is a train that runs between the concourses. There is no fee for these trains. The signs will state "To Concourse A", for example, but the escalators are no prominent. This is very quick and trains run every 2 or 3 minutes. There are no lines for this.

You will arrive in concourse "E". If you tell me the airline which you are flying to Oregon, I can tell you your departing concourse. (If it is Delta, or a Delta partner", it will probably be "A" or "B".) There is a web site which tells you more about the Atlanta airport <click here> and has a map.

Again, let me know if you have any questions. And best of luck. I personnally hope to be welcoming my fiancée into the same airport in late October.

[gobdogman 0]

when your on the train HOLD ON TIGHT! ! ! i seen a few people go for a tumble when it takes off..lol

it seems a bit overwelming at first but just follow the signs that are every place and you shouldnt have any troubles.

good luck and welcome to america

[Artegal 1]

Since I have been through the POE Atlanta many many times I can specifically tell you that you won't have much of a problem. The flight attendants and Airline staff will direct you with what forms you need to fill out etc. You have a visa so you will just fill out the Custom Declaration form which is blue. You will not need to fill out the Visa Waiver form which is a white paper. On the blue form list any items you will be bringing in to the USA. This would be gifts and normally new things you are bringing in to the country--not your normal clothing and toiletries etc.

Once you get out of the plane you will be directed to the US Immigration check point. You will just follow everyone as everyone goes to the same place--it will be either to the right or to the left from your arrival gate as the check point is in the middle of the terminal and downstairs. So then you will have two lines one for Visitors (arriving in the USA for the first time) and US citizens. You will go to the line for Visitors. You give the Immigration person whatever the Embassy gave you in the sealed envelope, the blue paper (declaration form), and Your passport. They will do some stuff with it and then direct you to a green door at the end of the US immigration checkpoint. This is a small room and there will be immigration people in there that process your visa entry. They will take your finger prints and give you some paper work about your visa and tell you that you must get married within 90 days, etc. If you need a translator you can ask for one--but I am not sure if they have a Russian translator, there is a significant Russian community in Atlanta so the answer might be yes. Anyway it won't hurt to ask. But since you seem to be able to read English--then you won't have a real problem because everything they tell you in the Green Room is written on a piece of paper they give you anyway. You have to sign the paper acknowledging you understand the conditions of your visa.

So then once you are out of that room--which the time frame it takes to clear immigration depends on how many flights and other newly arriving immigrants there are--so you might slide through pretty quick--under 15 minutes or it could take longer if there is a line. You have your passport and the blue paper (customs declaration) returned to you with additional papers from the immigration officer about your visa.

Then when you finally clear immigration you will go downstairs again to Baggage Claim. There will be carrousel with the flight number you were on and the destination you arrived from and you will have these free baggage caddies to use to load up all your luggage. So you will collect your bags and then you must clear US Customs and the Agricultural inspection. The checkpoint for Customs is there in the baggage claim room. You just follow the line and give them that Blue Paper (customs declaration). At this point the US Customs official will ask you one or more questions and look at the blue paper he/she will then send you on your way to the exit or to another checkpoint for agricultural baggage inspection. Do not be alarmed if you are sent to extra inspection as this seems to be a pretty random process so you might have your baggage looked at more thoroughly but its not a problem if you don't have anything to hide.

Okay so when you clear US Custom and Agricultural inspection you will then go to the TSA Check point. You will recheck your baggage back into the baggage system, and there will be airport people there that will ask you if you have a connecting flight and they will take your baggage from you and put it through the TSA x-ray machines and then back into the baggage system, where your baggage will be sent to your next flight to Portland. Then you yourself will go through TSA screening, remember you cannot have any liquid so either dump it, drink it, or put it into your checked baggage before you go through the TSA screening. You will go through the metal detectors and have your shoes x-rayed and handbags etc. Then when you pass through TSA you will see a walk way and a train station. You can take the train to the correct concourse you need to go to in order to catch your flight. They are lettered. E, D, C, B, A, T. The concourse corresponds to your gate assignment for you flight from Atlanta to Portland. For example A20 would be concourse A gate 20. The train station is located below and in the middle of the gates, of which there are about 50 or so gates per concourse. If the gate assignment is not written on your ticket and so you do not know your gate assignment you can check the various computer/Television monitors for Flight Departures. Look for you flight number and Airline carrier name, and destination city on the monitors, and you should see the Gate assignment. You can also ask airline people if you see someone who works for your airline carrier what the gate will be if it is not written on your ticket.

[caagirl 0]

Don't be nervous congratulations to you! you type very nicely too.... Just do your best and the luggage will probably be picked up in alanta you have to pass customs and they will have to look through your bag.. As they do with everyone so just keep your chin up and do your best...

Good LUCK TO YOU and Welcome to AMerica~

Sincerly a fiancee in waiting,

Christina

[Milka 0]

I wish you good luck on your POE in Atlanta. You will be fine.