Jump to content
Norm and Missy

POE Procedures - Houston Intercontinental Airport

By Norm and Missy in Moving to the US and Your New Life In America

 Share

10 posts in this topic

Recommended Posts

Norm and Missy Contributor

Norm and Missy   0

Posted
Filed: K-1 Visa Country: Brazil
 Timeline
Posted

Hello all,

My fiancee is finally entering the US with her K1 visa around the end of December... She is flying from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil to Houston, TX.

Can anyone please clarify the following?

  • What is the basic procedure for going through the POE?
  • Are there any special things we need to know related to Houston Bush Intercontinental in specific?
  • Can she apply for a Social Security No. at the airport?
  • Can she ask for a temporary permission to work? (I noticed on the VisaJourney K1 timeline it states that you can ask for this at some of the POEs)
  • What documents should she have with her?
  • Anything else that I am not thinking about?

Thanks in advance... We want to make sure that things go as smoothly as possible.

Regards,

Norman

Dec. 28, 2009... NOA 1

Dec. 31, 2009... Touched

May 12, 2010... Nice guy at the USCIS mercifully sent a Service Request to the VSC to inquire about our petition

May 27, 2010... Received an e-mail stating that the VSC received the Service Request. Unfortunately, the e-mail also states that the processing time for service requests is 3 MONTHS!!

June 28, 2010... Heard from my senator that the USCIS is going to send me a RFE on July 1 asking for a certified copy of my birth certificate. Why do they have to wait until July 1 to ask for this??

July 13, 2010... Received an e-mail from the VSC explaining the delay in processing our petition. Apparently, the USCIS had put on hold all petitions from US citizens born with Puerto Rican birth certificates (like me). On July 1, USCIS headquarters finally gave clearance for these petitions to be processed.

July 26, 2010... Touch

July 27, 2010... Received text message and e-mail stating that our petition was approved on July 26!! We finally received our NOA 2!!

July 31, 2010... NVC received our approved petition

August 2, 2010... Received paper copy of our NOA2

August 4, 2010... Received letter from NVC confirming receipt of our approved petition

August 13, 2010... US embassy in Brazil received the approved petition

August 23, 2010... Missuzu received Packet 3/4

October 19, 2010... Interview... VISA APPROVED!!!

November 4, 2010... Missuzu received her passport with visa

December 27, 2010... POE... Houston, Texas

December 28, 2010... We got married!

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Inky Grand Master

Inky   1,110

Posted
Filed: Citizen (apr) Country: Canada
 Timeline
Posted

K-1 is NOT authorized to work untill AOS is applied for and you get your EAD or greencard.

SSN is not applied for at airports it is applied for at the SSN office.

-------------------------------------------- as1cE-a0g410010MjgybHN8MDA5Njk4c3xNYXJyaWVkIGZvcg.gif

Your I-129f was approved in 5 days from your NOA1 date.

Your interview took 67 days from your I-129F NOA1 date.

AOS was approved in 2 months and 8 days without interview.

ROC was approved in 3 months and 2 days without interview.

I am a Citizen of the United States of America. 04/16/13

Link to comment
Share on other sites
TBoneTX Grand Master

TBoneTX   43,290

Posted
Filed: Citizen (apr) Country: Ecuador
 Timeline
Posted

Inky's answers to the two questions are correct.

Look for messages by the member Nich-Nick in regard to POE at IAH. You can also click on my profile timeline and read my "POE review." (For the record, the IAH CBP officers know exactly what a K-1 visa is, and they deal with these all the time.) Your fiancee should bring the unopened "do not open" envelope in her carry-on bag, and of course her passport with the K-1 visa in it. Congratulations on her impending arrival, si man!

  • What is the basic procedure for going through the POE?
  • Are there any special things we need to know related to Houston Bush Intercontinental in specific?
  • Can she apply for a Social Security No. at the airport?
  • Can she ask for a temporary permission to work? (I noticed on the VisaJourney K1 timeline it states that you can ask for this at some of the POEs)
  • What documents should she have with her?
  • Anything else that I am not thinking about?

06-04-2007 = TSC stamps postal return-receipt for I-129f.

06-11-2007 = NOA1 date (unknown to me).

07-20-2007 = Phoned Immigration Officer; got WAC#; where's NOA1?

09-25-2007 = Touch (first-ever).

09-28-2007 = NOA1, 23 days after their 45-day promise to send it (grrrr).

10-20 & 11-14-2007 = Phoned ImmOffs; "still pending."

12-11-2007 = 180 days; file is "between workstations, may be early Jan."; touches 12/11 & 12/12.

12-18-2007 = Call; file is with Division 9 ofcr. (bckgrnd check); e-prompt to shake it; touch.

12-19-2007 = NOA2 by e-mail & web, dated 12-18-07 (187 days; 201 per VJ); in mail 12/24/07.

01-09-2008 = File from USCIS to NVC, 1-4-08; NVC creates file, 1/15/08; to consulate 1/16/08.

01-23-2008 = Consulate gets file; outdated Packet 4 mailed to fiancee 1/27/08; rec'd 3/3/08.

04-29-2008 = Fiancee's 4-min. consular interview, 8:30 a.m.; much evidence brought but not allowed to be presented (consul: "More proof! Second interview! Bring your fiance!").

05-05-2008 = Infuriating $12 call to non-English-speaking consulate appointment-setter.

05-06-2008 = Better $12 call to English-speaker; "joint" interview date 6/30/08 (my selection).

06-30-2008 = Stokes Interrogations w/Ecuadorian (not USC); "wait 2 weeks; we'll mail her."

07-2008 = Daily calls to DOS: "currently processing"; 8/05 = Phoned consulate, got Section Chief; wrote him.

08-07-08 = E-mail from consulate, promising to issue visa "as soon as we get her passport" (on 8/12, per DHL).

08-27-08 = Phoned consulate (they "couldn't find" our file); visa DHL'd 8/28; in hand 9/1; through POE on 10/9 with NO hassles(!).

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Norm and Missy Contributor

Norm and Missy   0

Posted
Filed: K-1 Visa Country: Brazil
 Timeline
  • Author
Posted

I will be with my fiancee when she enters the US (I am in Brazil right now, and we will be traveling together when she enters the country with her K1 visa)...

When we arrive in Houston, what would be better:

1. We both go together through the "US Citizens" line at passport control...

2. We both go together through the "Visitors" line at passport control...

3. She goes through the "Visitors" line and I go through "US Citizens" line...

I think I have seen both 1 and 2 above when looking at the POE Reviews on VisaJourney

Please advise/clarify...

Thanks,

Norman

Dec. 28, 2009... NOA 1

Dec. 31, 2009... Touched

May 12, 2010... Nice guy at the USCIS mercifully sent a Service Request to the VSC to inquire about our petition

May 27, 2010... Received an e-mail stating that the VSC received the Service Request. Unfortunately, the e-mail also states that the processing time for service requests is 3 MONTHS!!

June 28, 2010... Heard from my senator that the USCIS is going to send me a RFE on July 1 asking for a certified copy of my birth certificate. Why do they have to wait until July 1 to ask for this??

July 13, 2010... Received an e-mail from the VSC explaining the delay in processing our petition. Apparently, the USCIS had put on hold all petitions from US citizens born with Puerto Rican birth certificates (like me). On July 1, USCIS headquarters finally gave clearance for these petitions to be processed.

July 26, 2010... Touch

July 27, 2010... Received text message and e-mail stating that our petition was approved on July 26!! We finally received our NOA 2!!

July 31, 2010... NVC received our approved petition

August 2, 2010... Received paper copy of our NOA2

August 4, 2010... Received letter from NVC confirming receipt of our approved petition

August 13, 2010... US embassy in Brazil received the approved petition

August 23, 2010... Missuzu received Packet 3/4

October 19, 2010... Interview... VISA APPROVED!!!

November 4, 2010... Missuzu received her passport with visa

December 27, 2010... POE... Houston, Texas

December 28, 2010... We got married!

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Jenny & Danny Contributor

Jenny & Danny   0

Posted
Filed: K-1 Visa Country: Colombia
 Timeline
Posted

I will be with my fiancee when she enters the US (I am in Brazil right now, and we will be traveling together when she enters the country with her K1 visa)...

When we arrive in Houston, what would be better:

1. We both go together through the "US Citizens" line at passport control...

2. We both go together through the "Visitors" line at passport control...

3. She goes through the "Visitors" line and I go through "US Citizens" line...

I think I have seen both 1 and 2 above when looking at the POE Reviews on VisaJourney

Please advise/clarify...

Thanks,

Norman

Service Center : California Service Center

Consulate : Bogota, Colombia

I-129F Sent : 2010-07-20

I-129F NOA1 : 2010-07-30

I-129F RFE(s) :

RFE Reply(s) :

I-129F NOA2 : 2010-12-20

NVC Received : 2010-12-28

NVC Left : 2010-12-30

Consulate Received : 2011-01-10

Packet 3 Received : 2011-01-21

Packet 3 Sent : 2011-01-10

Packet 4 Received : 2011-02-03

Interview Date : 2011-03-02

Interview Result : Approved

Visa Received : 2011-03-10

US Entry : 2011-03-26

Marriage :

Link to comment
Share on other sites
pushbrk Grand Master

pushbrk   12,158

Posted
Filed: Other Country: China
 Timeline
Posted

I will be with my fiancee when she enters the US (I am in Brazil right now, and we will be traveling together when she enters the country with her K1 visa)...

When we arrive in Houston, what would be better:

1. We both go together through the "US Citizens" line at passport control...

2. We both go together through the "Visitors" line at passport control...

3. She goes through the "Visitors" line and I go through "US Citizens" line...

I think I have seen both 1 and 2 above when looking at the POE Reviews on VisaJourney

Please advise/clarify...

Thanks,

Norman

Since you'll be traveling together, I would stay together. To be polite, I would stay with her in the visitors line where everybody is expecting to take a little more time.

Next time she comes in, she'll be a permanent resident so will go through the same line as the US Citizens, with or without you.

Facts are cheap...knowing how to use them is precious...
Understanding the big picture is priceless. Anonymous

Google Who is Pushbrk?

A Warning to Green Card Holders About Voting

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/606646-a-warning-to-green-card-holders-about-voting/

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Jenny & Danny Contributor

Jenny & Danny   0

Posted
Filed: K-1 Visa Country: Colombia
 Timeline
Posted

I went through Houston a couple weeks ago. I asked the officer direct if it was ok for me and my fiance to enter in the same line when she eventually comes through with me. He told me that many of the officers dont care, but others may. I dont think they have a set policy for families traveling together with different passports. I am planning on entering together with my fiance in the same line. If the officer doesnt like it then we will just move to the correct line.

Service Center : California Service Center

Consulate : Bogota, Colombia

I-129F Sent : 2010-07-20

I-129F NOA1 : 2010-07-30

I-129F RFE(s) :

RFE Reply(s) :

I-129F NOA2 : 2010-12-20

NVC Received : 2010-12-28

NVC Left : 2010-12-30

Consulate Received : 2011-01-10

Packet 3 Received : 2011-01-21

Packet 3 Sent : 2011-01-10

Packet 4 Received : 2011-02-03

Interview Date : 2011-03-02

Interview Result : Approved

Visa Received : 2011-03-10

US Entry : 2011-03-26

Marriage :

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Nich-Nick Grand Master

Nich-Nick   3,353

Posted
Filed: Citizen (apr) Country: United Kingdom
 Timeline
Posted

Here's a link to a reply I made to somebody asking about Houston POE. It's pretty descriptive. http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/275968-opinions-about-p-o-e-which-airport-is-the-best/page__p__4206822#entry4206822

and another http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/236469-george-bush-intercontinental-airport-at-houston-poe/page__p__3623564#entry3623564

I think your other questions were already answered,but if you have any more just ask.

England.gifENGLAND ---

K-1 Timeline 4 months, 19 days 03-10-08 VSC to 7-29-08 Interview London

10-05-08 Married

AOS Timeline 5 months, 14 days 10-9-08 to 3-23-09 No interview

Removing Conditions Timeline 5 months, 20 days12-27-10 to 06-10-11 No interview

Citizenship Timeline 3 months, 26 days 12-31-11 Dallas to 4-26-12 Interview Houston

05-16-12 Oath ceremony

The journey from Fiancé to US citizenship:

4 years, 2 months, 6 days

243 pages of forms/documents submitted

No RFEs

Link to comment
Share on other sites
 
Didn't find the answer you were looking for? Ask our VJ Immigration Lawyers.

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share
Go to topic listing
- Back to Top -

Important Disclaimer: Please read carefully the Visajourney.com Terms of Service. If you do not agree to the Terms of Service you should not access or view any page (including this page) on VisaJourney.com. Answers and comments provided on Visajourney.com Forums are general information, and are not intended to substitute for informed professional medical, psychiatric, psychological, tax, legal, investment, accounting, or other professional advice. Visajourney.com does not endorse, and expressly disclaims liability for any product, manufacturer, distributor, service or service provider mentioned or any opinion expressed in answers or comments. VisaJourney.com does not condone immigration fraud in any way, shape or manner. VisaJourney.com recommends that if any member or user knows directly of someone involved in fraudulent or illegal activity, that they report such activity directly to the Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement. You can contact ICE via email at Immigration.Reply@dhs.gov or you can telephone ICE at 1-866-347-2423. All reported threads/posts containing reference to immigration fraud or illegal activities will be removed from this board. If you feel that you have found inappropriate content, please let us know by contacting us here with a url link to that content. Thank you.
×
×
  • Create New...