Getting through Customs For my girlfriend

[bennyb86 0]

My Venezuelan girlfriend and I have been together for one year and are pretty serious. Our plan is to meet each others familys and friends and experience our differing cultures before we take the next step. Last year we made a Tourist Visa appointment so that she could hopefully visit my family for Thanksgiving and Christmas. Just last month she had her appointment and by the grace of God was granted a Tourist Visa.

She got invited to some events in the USA and used those letters and contacts in the application form for the Visa. She never mentioned me or my family anywhere in the forms.

So we are wondering when she goes through customs in Charlotte, NC:

My gut instinct is for her to be 100% honest and tell them that she is visiting myself and my family for Thanksgiving and Christmas. (With documents supporting)

But I worry about the agents trying to mess her up since those plans were not mentioned in the forms before. She WILL for sure stay within the laws and return back to Venezuela when her Visa expires. We plan to get married one day and go through the K1, etc. stuff, herefore I want this Tourist Visa stay to go smoothly.

Any help or advise is welcomed!!

THANKS!

Edited August 9, 2011 by bennyb86

[A + M 29]

Be honest, don't lie! When they ask you "the question" tell them she is your girlfriend, visiting you during the holidays.

Edited August 10, 2011 by A + M

[Hazah 0]

While i heard that Customs in Charlotte is more strict than Atlanta, it's probably pretty similar. Customs won't even have access to those invitation letters supplied with your application. Customs just looks at the visa, asks you who you're staying with, and gives you an I-94 stating when you have to have to leave. Usually it's 6 months.

In our invitation letter we stated that my mil would only stay with us for 2 weeks. But they gave her a 5 yr multi entry visa. I called Customs at the ATL airport and they said they would allow her to stay for 6 months, so we booked the plane tickets for a 5 month stay. There was no problems at Customs. She didn't speak a word of English but they summoned an interpreter and were past Customs within minutes. She did take a letter in English stating who she was, where she'd be staying, and my contact info.

Call the airport, speak with Customs and see what they say. These people deal with international travelers every day and it's really not a big deal if they're legit. The airline even gave me a gate pass to go meet her at the non TSA restricted area.

[bennyb86 0]

Thanks for the help guys!

I just got off the phone with the Customs at Charlotte airport. They were quite rude as they kept saying I wanted differential treatment for my girlfriend, when I kept trying to tell the man I just wanted advise to make it easier for the Customs Officers to understand her stay and make sure they had proof she had a place to stay and would be sure to be returning. They wanted none of it and refused to talk to me saying she will just have to "see what happens".

[LIFE'SJOURNEY 970]

Do you'll every wonder how many calls CBP get per day, asking the same questions you are asking?

Millions of visitor get thru custom every year without problems, just stand in the correct line, fill out the correct form, and answer the questions truthly.

That's all you can prepare for.

[Harsh_77 718]

Thanks for the help guys!

I just got off the phone with the Customs at Charlotte airport. They were quite rude as they kept saying I wanted differential treatment for my girlfriend, when I kept trying to tell the man I just wanted advise to make it easier for the Customs Officers to understand her stay and make sure they had proof she had a place to stay and would be sure to be returning. They wanted none of it and refused to talk to me saying she will just have to "see what happens".

You cannot be calling customs and CBP and asking them not to give hard time to your GF.....lol.

It does not work that way your word that she is only visiting you and would not overstay has no weight unless you are some bigshot with connections...

Your gf will have to deal with customs and immigration on her own.

[bennyb86 0]

Thanks!

I don't expect her to get some sort of better treatment, but there is something called being prepared and making the lives of the Customs Agents a little easier...

[Anh map 2,098]

She should answer questions honestly and bring evidence of strong ties to home with her to show the CBP officers if asked.

Building up the CBP officers as the "bad guys" (trying to mess her up as you put it) in your girlfriend's eyes won't help either. That will lead to more stress and anxiety which is what the officers are trained to look for.

[Harsh_77 718]

Thanks!

I don't expect her to get some sort of better treatment, but there is something called being prepared and making the lives of the Customs Agents a little easier...

Nope you are mistaken and there is no such thing as making lives of customs Agents easy.

First why should a customs or CBP officer should listen to you? If they start listening to every single person tomm a drug smuggler would call and tell them pls be easy I have gf coming in too and dont search her, do you thing they would just go the words of someone calling them over the phone.

Then you rant about they being rude...... wake up to the reality.

[Boiler 45,651]

I think it is possible that they have noted the conservation and she will be getting special treatment.

[Harsh_77 718]

I think it is possible that they have noted the conservation and she will be getting special treatment.

lol.... yes it can happen

[bennyb86 0]

Thanks Anh map!

I guess I was not clear on my intentions Harsh_77 so chill. I do not know much about what goes on for people going through the Customs line that are not from the US. All I know is that I am a US citizen and everytime I come through from South America they give me a bunch of trouble. YES I KNOW THIS IS THEIR JOB. Therefore, wanting to be educated about that and to make sure my girlfriend has everything she will need and the officers require; papers, invitation letters, bank statements, etc. to make the process go smoother than if she only had her passport and visa in hand I called Customs. Not asking for differential treatment or for her not to be searched, that is absurd.

But from the advise I have been told,not from Mr. Harsh_77, basically, there is no harm being over prepared with documents and just be honest and make sure all the forms are filled out correctly.

THANKS GUYS

[john_and_marlene 162]

I would imagine any attempt to "smooth" someone's entry through border inspection would actually garner a more rigorous inspection and increase the risk for denied entry.

[Harsh_77 718]

Thanks Anh map!

I guess I was not clear on my intentions Harsh_77 so chill. I do not know much about what goes on for people going through the Customs line that are not from the US. All I know is that I am a US citizen and everytime I come through from South America they give me a bunch of trouble. YES I KNOW THIS IS THEIR JOB. Therefore, wanting to be educated about that and to make sure my girlfriend has everything she will need and the officers require; papers, invitation letters, bank statements, etc. to make the process go smoother than if she only had her passport and visa in hand I called Customs. Not asking for differential treatment or for her not to be searched, that is absurd.

But from the advise I have been told,not from Mr. Harsh_77, basically, there is no harm being over prepared with documents and just be honest and make sure all the forms are filled out correctly.

THANKS GUYS

First of all seems you are not aware there are 2 steps in entering country.

1.Immigration

2.Customs

US and non-US lines are only for immigration after that everyone goes thru Customes does not matter you are US citizen or not.

If you are saying you get hard time going thru customs means they are checking for any food / organic material you are bring from outside.

If you are saying you are getting hard time even when you are going thru Immigration (USC Line) then there is something got to be wrong on your case, I have never heard of USC being harrased thru immigration.

So Benny chill stop calling those guys.....

[CC90 90]

First of all seems you are not aware there are 2 steps in entering country.

1.Immigration

2.Customs

US and non-US lines are only for immigration after that everyone goes thru Customes does not matter you are US citizen or not.

If you are saying you get hard time going thru customs means they are checking for any food / organic material you are bring from outside.

If you are saying you are getting hard time even when you are going thru Immigration (USC Line) then there is something got to be wrong on your case, I have never heard of USC being harrased thru immigration.

So Benny chill stop calling those guys.....

First, there are very distinct differences with customs allowances if you are or are not a US citizen or LPR. So, it does matter. You can read this in the CBP "Know before you go" publication.

USC's get harassed during immigration all the time; I am one of them. I've been secondaried more a few times. It's not pleasant or welcoming.

With the creation of the Department of Homeland Security, Customs was taken from the Treasury and placed under DHS. Some of the INS roles were then combined with it and given to a new agency called Customs and Border Protection. CBP plays both hats at both lines, even though I agree it doesn't make breaucratic sense--but I can see where it would make practical sense. This is a different discussion, but, nevertheless CBP now does both and agents have to know and are tested on both systems.

Altough I agree that the OP is making a symantic error, we all know what he's talking about--no need to call symantics on this one.