K1 Holder with 12 hour LAYOVER INSIDE U.S BEFORE REACHING POE

[Johnny_Bravo 0]

Hello to everyone out there. My regards to you all. My fiancee from (Philippines) has received her K1 Visa and her ticket has been bought. Her flight is from

(Philippines)-(Shanghai Pu Dong) & (Shanghai Pu Dong)-(Las Angeles).

Problem is, her flight doesn't stop there, her final destination (Point of Entry) is (Miami).

Now this is where my question comes. Her Layover in Las Angeles is 12hours, and i happen to have relatives there who can take her out, will she need a transit visa to leave the airport or what requirement will she need, or will she be stuck the whole 12hours at the airport?

THANK YOU

Sincerely Johnny_Bravo

[UK_Fan 192]

i wouldn't think so.. it's like if she was to fly to LA and then drive to Miami..

[Harpa Timsah 13,258]

Her POE will be LA. Simple as. They will check her visa there and admit her.

[GandK 168]

As someone above said, her POE will be LA. Her K-1 visa packet will be processed and admitted there.

And someone correct me if I am wrong, once you are through the customs and immigration control, you are already in the USA. She can leave the airport if she wishes, when she gets back in the airport to fly from LA to Miami, it is a domestic flight, no immigration control. So no, she doesn't need a transit visa but she will need the flight ticket from LA-Miami to get into the domestic departure hall.

[Enigma11561 336]

If you saying that she will be arriving at Los Angeles, California, then THAT will be her POE, not Miami. The POE is the first US airport she lands in. She will go thru immigration in LA. After that she can stay as long as she wants and will be free to travel within the US with just the I94 in her passport.

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

Hello to everyone out there. My regards to you all. My fiancee from (Philippines) has received her K1 Visa and her ticket has been bought. Her flight is from

(Philippines)-(Shanghai Pu Dong) & (Shanghai Pu Dong)-(Las Angeles).

Problem is, her flight doesn't stop there, her final destination (Point of Entry) is (Miami).

Now this is where my question comes. Her Layover in Las Angeles is 12hours, and i happen to have relatives there who can take her out, will she need a transit visa to leave the airport or what requirement will she need, or will she be stuck the whole 12hours at the airport?

THANK YOU

Sincerely Johnny_Bravo

No, she is free to move about the US anywhere. LAX will be her point of entry, the FIRST place she lands will be the POE

As someone above said, her POE will be LA. Her K-1 visa packet will be processed and admitted there.

And someone correct me if I am wrong, once you are through the customs and immigration control, you are already in the USA. She can leave the airport if she wishes, when she gets back in the airport to fly from LA to Miami, it is a domestic flight, no immigration control. So no, she doesn't need a transit visa but she will need the flight ticket from LA-Miami to get into the domestic departure hall.

[bigdog 376]

Why don't you meet her at LAX?

[LSnBigBear 61]

Great Advice from everyone. Yes LAX is one place that upon International arrival you are in a different terminal and will clear customs then re-check luggage or take with you depending on your arrival airline being partnered with the US domestic airline. Someone will be there to assist her as they have TSA right before yo exit International. I like LAX's Customs and Immigration. This airport is as user friendly as they get unless you're in a hurry for your domestic flight lol as it can be a walk to your domestic terminal. I have done what you are requesting during a long layover and had someone pick me up for my 10 hour layover. I went ahead and just dropped my bag right after immigration to the TSA area as my bag was tagged through to Chicago.

If she does re-check don't panic if her bag is not on the baggage belt in Miami. With that long of layover they sometimes will send your bag on an earlier flight. If this happens just go to the airline baggage office and your bag will most likely be sitting there.

Good luck!

Edited February 21, 2012 by LSnBigBear

[Johnny_Bravo 0]

Thanks All You Guys for the quick response, Shout outs to visajourney.com site for all the assistance you give us. Thanks Mrs. Brock, Harpa Timsah, GandK, Enigma, Gary&Alla and Big Dog. Your help is highly appreciated.

[Johnny_Bravo 0]

Thank you so much for specifying in detail LSn Big Bear. This site and all the members are great.

[gary9891 10]

Her POE will be LA. Simple as. They will check her visa there and admit her.

Agreed. She will go thru USCIS at LAX and this will be her POE (same as us). Her final destination inside the USA is irrelevant for immigration.

Remember, later on when filling out documents for your AOS and RoC, put Los Angeles CA (LAX) as your POE and not Miami FL. I have seen several couples get tripped up over this and were delayed for a RFE.

12 hour layover in LAX? I would consider a local hotel to recuperate. Many hotels will pick you up and bring you back right to your airline terminal.

Congrats!

[Johnny_Bravo 0]

Gary thank you so much, and thanks for the heads up . Im so excited, its been almost a year since ive last seen her. I will make sure my relatives will go and pick her up so she can recuperate all those long hours of flying.

[Leatherneck 693]

Gary thank you so much, and thanks for the heads up . Im so excited, its been almost a year since ive last seen her. I will make sure my relatives will go and pick her up so she can recuperate all those long hours of flying.

[lovebirds85 12]

Make sure she check her baggage to LAX - she needs to pick it up there. If her baggage is checked straight to Miami she won't be able to leave the airport (security measures). This has happened to me in the past !!!

[Xanax 349]

LA is POE.