POE Atlanta, GA any recent K-1s?

[Jeanna 21]

Salaam and peace, ya'll. My fiance's K-1 visa was approved and we are just waiting to receive his passport. He will be flying into Atlanta, GA from Mo'bay, Jamaica. Most planes from Mo'bay arrive in Atlanta no earlier than 4:00 pm. If I want my fiance to catch a connecting flight to Knoxville it's gonna be tight.

In ya'lls experience, how long does it take to make it through immigration and customs in Atlanta? I know every case can be different, I'd just like to hear your experience to help us make an informed plan.

Thanks all!

[Cathi 5,630]

Anything less than 2 hours is cutting it close at any airport. Atlanta is one of the biggest and busiest airports in the world, don't take a chance by not giving him enough time. He will have to go through customs and immigration

[Sukie 1,444]

Jeanna,

I think that it is cutting it really close. My folks live in Birmingham, Alabama, and they have often just come to pick me up by car rather than chance my getting through immigration, customs, and trying to catch the last flight to Birmingham. It's 2 hours and 45 minutes for them to drive.

Google maps says that it's only 3 hours and 15 minutes from the Atlanta airport to Knoxville. Now, I have no idea how far you are from the Knoxville airport, but it might be better to meet him there and just drive home.

USCIS at the Atlanta airport can be touchy at times.

Best of luck, and congratulations.

Sukie

[Jeanna 21]

Thanks ya'll, that was what I was thinking. I've travelled through ATL before; it's a monster!!! I like to be very conservative on my times and give lots of leeway. My fiance's best friend lives here (he married MY best friend!) and he offered to drive down to pick him up. I'm right beside the Knoxville airport and my car would make it there but not to ATL. Good to know, we'll just go ahead with our original plan then. For once I don't have to do any of the traveling! lol

Thanks again.

Sukie, just read your timeline and congratulations on FINALLY getting the right to bring your spouse here. It's frustrating for anyone but I can't imagine being told I could NOT bring my spouse/partner/fiance here. Best of luck for ya'll!

[Pinkrlion 2,617]

Salaam and peace, ya'll. My fiance's K-1 visa was approved and we are just waiting to receive his passport. He will be flying into Atlanta, GA from Mo'bay, Jamaica. Most planes from Mo'bay arrive in Atlanta no earlier than 4:00 pm. If I want my fiance to catch a connecting flight to Knoxville it's gonna be tight.

In ya'lls experience, how long does it take to make it through immigration and customs in Atlanta? I know every case can be different, I'd just like to hear your experience to help us make an informed plan.

Thanks all!

Hey my Mother in law came in through ATL in October on AirTran. She stated that it was no problem, no real long lines. We did the same thing, made her flight 3 1/2 hours later than arrival, but she had to sit she said about 2 1/2 hours until her next flight.

It is a good suggestion to drive, but we are talking winter soon and freezing rain and ice, so I don't think so. Although, my Hubby flew into Chicago, and I drove to pick him up 4 hours, but it was 50 degrees.

[mansion 1]

My husband and I just went through the POE in Atlanta a week ago. Everything worked out in the end, but it wasn't a great experience. There wasn't a line when we arrived, but they took forever to process the Visa and the two male immigration officers weren't very friendly. It took us about an hour to get through immigration, and that was without a line. By the time we were finished, there was a line of people behind us. Go and check out the POE reviews for Atlanta, I submitted my review there as well. Also, tell your fiance to be prepared to answer any questions that were asked of him at his interview. I was very surprised with the questions that they asked my husband! I was only expecting that they'd ask him about where he was going to be living and what our address in the States was, but I was wrong.

[Jawaree 717]

Yep some CBP gets like that especially in Miami

like another interview & info should match whats in

their system & the package...usually not the norm though

[Jeanna 21]

Wow, that's good to know! I tried to look at the POE reviews but I didn't see an option once I clicked on the heading. I just saw options to check out Consulates and Local Offices, not POE. Is there a tab somewhere I am not seeing?

[Sukie 1,444]

Jeanna - on that top line where you see Reviews: Embassy/USCIS and POEs - click on the word "POE". I tried it yesterday though, and the only POE it would bring up is "Chicago". The link might be broken...not sure.

Sukie

[SparklePony 238]

Yes, you have to click on POE otherwise the link won't work. Then you select Atlanta and you get the reviews.

[Jeanna 21]

That's weird cause it's all in one block and looks like it should be one link. Thanks!

[swadesh2013 0]

Hi Jeanna,

I personally think Atlanta Immigration folks are much liberal than others. The airport is the biggest and busiest but the immigration officers are very sweet. So, your fiance may not be taking much time at the officer but may be just to bypass the long lines.

Good Luck!

[Kathryn41 3,205]

You will also need to consider how many international flights are arriving in at the same time. If there are several flights deplaning more or less at the same time there will be a longer wait than if his flight has customs and immigration to itself. I have picked up friends who have breezed through customs/immigration and others who have had to wait more than an hour to get through customs/immigration just due to the volume of arrivals waiting to be processed.

The new international terminal is certainly a lot easier to get around than the domestic terminal so if your friend is going to drive to pick your fiance up he should have a relatively straight forward experience. I don't blame you for not wanting to drive through Atlanta though - I don't enjoy it either. With a 4 pm arrival time you should be able to get to the airport prior to the big 'rush hour' traffic build up and by the time your fiance processes through immigration and you get on the road you will probably be alright for heading north without too much rush hour traffic, although you might want to have dinner before you leave to ensure the traffic has passed.

[Jeanna 21]

Thanks so much for all your well-wishes and advice! I'll definitely let our mutual friend pick him up. It's my fiance's best friend and they haven't seen each other in several years so they can catch up for 3.5 hours then he can deliver him to ME to keep!!! I'll be pretty selfish for a while.

I am afraid with a flight arrival of 4:00 pm there will be a lot of people getting through immigration. I also finally figured out how to see the POE reviews and it was a relief. We don't need warm and welcoming, just get him to me!!!