Immigration Procedure at the US Port of Entry

[Rushkani 1]

Can anyone please describe their experience entering US with CR-1 visa? What kind of documents they look for and such and how extensive is this process? Thanks in advance

[Cathi 5,609]

You need your passport and the big yellow envelope from the consulate with your documents. They will look at your passport and your visa, take the yellow envelope and ask you a few questions, take your fingerprints and your picture, then you will be good to go. Took my husband only a few minutes and everyone was nothing but kind to him. His POE was Boston

[mallafri76 1,012]

In the menu at the top of the visajouney website there's a link to POE, where you can read reviews about different POEs. It's very useful.

[Ketsuban 1,034]

I lined up in the visitors' line just because I'm too shy to ask someone where to go and it was empty anyway. If you're not awkward like me, ask a member of staff if you can enter the citizens/residents' line if the visitors' line is too long. When you get to the kiosk, tell them you've arrived on a spouse visa and hand them your passport and envelope.

In some airports, they might process you at the kiosk in the regular immigration hall everyone passes through, but most of the time they take you to secondary, so don't be alarmed if an armed guard comes to escort you.

Waiting times in the secondary area vary a lot. I was there about 10 or 15 minutes; some people have ended up waiting for hours. If you have a connection, make sure it is a long time after your arrival. Worst case scenario, you'll be very bored and agitated like I was waiting for my flight to Cleveland

You will sign and fingerprint two sides of a sheet that is sent with your big envelope to the Texas Service Center, where your Green Card will be processed. After all is said and done, they stamp your customs form and allow you out to luggage collection. From there onwards, proceed as normal.

[NikLR 13,220]

Depends on the POE but generally you hand over your passport, your IV package, (the do not open envelope), and then you sign a paper, give a fingerprint (twice) and yer done.