Chances of being able to fly back together?

[Tokenfreak 223]

My fiancee' is terrified of flying and does not want to fly to America all alone. So we are hoping she can fly back with me when I come there.  I am planning on being there for her interview and staying about 10-12 days total.  My plan is to try an show up one day before the interview.  Assuming we are approved she could have the visa in her hand within 5 days from what I am seeing on the forum.  Does anyone think with the few days we have left that we will be able to book her on the same flights as me?  I am not an experience flyer either so I don't know much about booking flights that soon and trying to get the same flights as me. I am also worried it is going to be very expensive.  I know once she has the visa it is good for 6 months, but I wouldn't be able to make it back there again in the next 6 months to fly back with her.  I just pray we get on the same flights and hope for the best.

[Hank_ 9,174]

10 minutes ago, Tokenfreak said:

My fiancee' is terrified of flying and does not want to fly to America all alone. So we are hoping she can fly back with me when I come there.  I am planning on being there for her interview and staying about 10-12 days total.  My plan is to try an show up one day before the interview.  Assuming we are approved she could have the visa in her hand within 5 days from what I am seeing on the forum.  Does anyone think with the few days we have left that we will be able to book her on the same flights as me?  I am not an experience flyer either so I don't know much about booking flights that soon and trying to get the same flights as me. I am also worried it is going to be very expensive.  I know once she has the visa it is good for 6 months, but I wouldn't be able to make it back there again in the next 6 months to fly back with her.  I just pray we get on the same flights and hope for the best.

Doubtful you would see the visa within 5 days after the interview.  5 days after ISSUED .. now that is possible.   Thing is ISSUED status can be a few days, few weeks or even longer.. no one can predict how this process will go for your fiancee.

 

As for booking on the same flight, the best way to do this would be contacting the airline directly.   But you don't want to do this until you have the visa in hand and CFO completed.

 

Visa is good for "up to" 6 months from the date of the medical.

 

 

One other thought is to schedule your trip over AFTER the interview, once you know the visa is in hand and CFO is completed .. then you can get both fares booked at the same time with ease .. again by calling the airline.

 

 

 

Edited August 20, 2018 by Hank_

[Tokenfreak 223]

9 minutes ago, Hank_ said:

Doubtful you would see the visa within 5 days after the interview.  5 days after ISSUED .. now that is possible.   Thing is ISSUED status can be a few days, few weeks or even longer.. no one can predict how this process will go for your fiancee.

 

As for booking on the same flight, the best way to do this would be contacting the airline directly.   But you don't want to do this until you have the visa in hand and CFO completed.

 

Visa is good for "up to" 6 months from the date of the medical.

 

 

 

Wow! I did not know it was 5 days after issued and that issued could take a few days or even longer.  I was thinking it was 5 days from the interview.  That isn't good for us.  It seems she may have no choice, but to fly here alone by herself.  I wish I could stay longer, but I can't because of work and the earliest I could go back again would be about a 9-12 months later and the visa would be expired by then   

Edited August 20, 2018 by Tokenfreak

[Hank_ 9,174]

2 minutes ago, Tokenfreak said:

Wow! I did not know it was 5 days after issued and that issued could take a few days or even longer.  I was thinking it was 5 days from the interview.  That isn't good for us.  It seems she may have no choice, but to fly here alone by herself.  I wish I could stay longer, but I can't because of work and the earliest I could go back again would be about a 9-12 months later and the visa would be expired by then   

 

Make sure the layover at POE is adequate for this process before continuing travel.    3 hours + is usually fairly safe depending on the airport for POE.

[Tokenfreak 223]

Just now, Hank_ said:

 

Make sure the layover at POE is adequate for this process before continuing travel.    3 hours + is usually fairly safe depending on the airport for POE.

Ok, so if the POE is at JFK just make sure the layover from JFK to her next flight is at least 3 hours?  Is this because it takes a while to get through immigration?

[Hank_ 9,174]

11 minutes ago, Tokenfreak said:

Ok, so if the POE is at JFK just make sure the layover from JFK to her next flight is at least 3 hours?  Is this because it takes a while to get through immigration?

yes, immigration and customs can take a few hours, plus big airports means a jaunt to the next gate.    You may want to look at reviews for JFK to get an idea just how quick they are for clearing people through.

Edited August 20, 2018 by Hank_

[Tokenfreak 223]

7 minutes ago, Hank_ said:

yes, immigration and customs can take a few hours, plus big airports means a jaunt to the next gate.    You may want to look at reviews for JFK to get an idea just who quick they are for clearing people through.

Ok thanks I'll make sure to have a few hour layover to be safe for her.  I'll look up reviews as well. 

[Greenbaum 12,259]

I'm on board with all that Hank advised you to do. the exception is that JFK can be a zoo. I wouldn't let her there without a 4 hour layover. My wife went through LAX, similar traffic, and she needed every bit of 4 hours that I scheduled for her. When you are planning like this it's better error on the side of caution then to try and cut corners or hurry time when it's not necessary.

[Tokenfreak 223]

4 minutes ago, Greenbaum said:

I'm on board with all that Hank advised you to do. the exception is that JFK can be a zoo. I wouldn't let her there without a 4 hour layover. My wife went through LAX, similar traffic, and she needed every bit of 4 hours that I scheduled for her. When you are planning like this it's better error on the side of caution then to try and cut corners or hurry time when it's not necessary.

Ok, I'll try to schedule a layover with at least 4 hours then.  Thanks.

[2018JNJ 141]

17 minutes ago, Tokenfreak said:

Ok, I'll try to schedule a layover with at least 4 hours then.  Thanks.

Why not POE at Atlanta and pick her up there?  By the time she does layover, etc..you could drive there and pick her up at the airport.

There are many flights from Seoul, Hong Kong, etc. that fly directly to Atlanta.  So no need to change bags or go through customs before final US destination.

 

jj

[Hank_ 9,174]

15 minutes ago, 2018JNJ said:

Why not POE at Atlanta and pick her up there?  By the time she does layover, etc..you could drive there and pick her up at the airport.

There are many flights from Seoul, Hong Kong, etc. that fly directly to Atlanta.  So no need to change bags or go through customs before final US destination.

 

jj

Ya I had the same thought being he is in SC.   

 

I have done POE Atlanta numerous times, it is busy but they move ya through fairly quick now with those KIOSK 

[John & Rose 7,239]

Just make sure you have VOH before booking flights.  There have been MANY people who have lost money because they booked flights and even weddings before they had VOH.  AP is a variable.  It can take a few days to a few months.  There is no way that I know of to try to figure that out.

[Tokenfreak 223]

2 hours ago, 2018JNJ said:

Why not POE at Atlanta and pick her up there?  By the time she does layover, etc..you could drive there and pick her up at the airport.

There are many flights from Seoul, Hong Kong, etc. that fly directly to Atlanta.  So no need to change bags or go through customs before final US destination.

 

jj

Google maps says I am a 5 hour drive or 300 miles from the Atlanta airport.  I can look into this as well if the flight is cheaper too, but 10 hours and 600 miles on the road is a lot for me and I'm not sure she would want to ride for 5 hours after getting off the plane.

 

2 hours ago, Hank_ said:

Ya I had the same thought being he is in SC.   

 

I have done POE Atlanta numerous times, it is busy but they move ya through fairly quick now with those KIOSK 

Do you think ATL POE would be better then JFK POE?  I am 5 hours and 300 miles away from that airport here in SC.  Just trying to figure out my best options.

 

1 hour ago, John & Rose said:

Just make sure you have VOH before booking flights.  There have been MANY people who have lost money because they booked flights and even weddings before they had VOH.  AP is a variable.  It can take a few days to a few months.  There is no way that I know of to try to figure that out.

Yes, we will make sure we have the VOH in before booking any flights.  Just trying to plan for the best way to get her here if we indeed can't fly back together.

[John & Rose 7,239]

1 minute ago, Tokenfreak said:

 

Yes, we will make sure we have the VOH in before booking any flights.  Just trying to plan for the best way to get her here if we indeed can't fly back together.

One option that I was looking at that may help you is meeting her at the transfer point.  Flights from Manila have a stopover somewhere before the long flight (Hong Kong, Tokyo, Incheon, Taipei, Kuala Lumper, etc....).  Maybe you can meet her there so the long leg can be spent together.  You can meet her at POE but that won't really help her through the tough parts of the long journey.  If you meet her at the stopover it will allow you a little more time to make arrangements.  Just a thought...

[Tokenfreak 223]

19 minutes ago, John & Rose said:

One option that I was looking at that may help you is meeting her at the transfer point.  Flights from Manila have a stopover somewhere before the long flight (Hong Kong, Tokyo, Incheon, Taipei, Kuala Lumper, etc....).  Maybe you can meet her there so the long leg can be spent together.  You can meet her at POE but that won't really help her through the tough parts of the long journey.  If you meet her at the stopover it will allow you a little more time to make arrangements.  Just a thought...

Yeah I see what you are saying, but the problem is I have to notify my job every time I leave the country so its not an easy process for me.  Also, I don't have lots of money and it would cost me to fly that far again.  I am really praying hard that if we can the interview on like a Monday and I can stay for 2 weeks that we can have it before I leave.  If not I guess we will figure out our next move from there.