Is U.S. Customs and Border Protection just regular customs?

[meow85meow 3]

Hello all. So this is possibly a stupid question, but I was issued an IR-1 visa and am planning on trying to activate my green card (which is going to expire soon) by entering Guam in August. Looking through the process to activate the visa, it seems that I would need to interview with U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Is this just regular customs, or is there like a separate office? Will they be open 24/7 (I am arriving early, early morning on a Saturday around 3AM)? Thank you, and again, apologies for the potential stupidity of the question. 

Edited June 18, 2020 by meow85meow

[igoyougoduke 1,662]

2 minutes ago, meow85meow said:

Hello all. So this is possibly a stupid question, but I was issued an IR-1 visa and am planning on trying to activate my green card (which is going to expire soon) by entering Guam in August. Looking through the process to activate the visa, it seems that I would need to interview with U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Is this just regular customs, or is there like a separate office? Will they be open 24/7 (I am arriving early, early morning on a Saturday around 3AM)? Thank you, and again, apologies for the potential stupidity of the question. 

 

There is a immigration and Customs check for international arrival. Yes they are open when there is an international flight.

[NancyNguyen 1,657]

17 minutes ago, meow85meow said:

Hello all. So this is possibly a stupid question, but I was issued an IR-1 visa and am planning on trying to activate my green card (which is going to expire soon) by entering Guam in August. Looking through the process to activate the visa, it seems that I would need to interview with U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Is this just regular customs, or is there like a separate office? Will they be open 24/7 (I am arriving early, early morning on a Saturday around 3AM)? Thank you, and again, apologies for the potential stupidity of the question. 

All new immigrants will be reinspected in a secondary office. They will process your green card there.

[Sparkle Sparkle 914]

4 minutes ago, NancyNguyen said:

All new immigrants will be reinspected in a secondary office. They will process your green card there.

Student visas too

[Lil bear 4,251]

27 minutes ago, NancyNguyen said:

All new immigrants will be reinspected in a secondary office. They will process your green card there.

Not necessarily .. many are processed at the normal CBP booth on entry ... not sure how they work out who goes to secondary as who doesn’t 

[payxibka 10,045]

2 minutes ago, Lil bear said:

Not necessarily .. many are processed at the normal CBP booth on entry ... not sure how they work out who goes to secondary as who doesn’t 

I'm sure one factor is how busy is the POE 

[NancyNguyen 1,657]

3 minutes ago, Lil bear said:

Not necessarily .. many are processed at the normal CBP booth on entry ... not sure how they work out who goes to secondary as who doesn’t 

When was the last time you know someone came with an immigrant visa?

[Lil bear 4,251]

Just now, payxibka said:

I'm sure one factor is how busy is the POE 

Maybe. Don’t know. Just know we were processed at DFW at the normal booth.

[Lil bear 4,251]

Just now, NancyNguyen said:

When was the last time you know someone came with an immigrant visa?

Mine was 3 years ago but plenty of  recent anecdotal reports on the vj POE thread  indicating  that secondary is not “always”

[meow85meow 3]

7 hours ago, James120383 said:

 

There is a immigration and Customs check for international arrival. Yes they are open when there is an international flight.

Okay, awesome. So I don't have to worry about what time my flight is arriving in Guam? Also, is CBP/the US still processing/issuing green cards or has there been any hold or suspension on that? I heard a rumor that the current administration is trying to block people on student visas and H1-B's from being able to enter, so wanted to check...

[pushbrk 12,969]

Secondary is not always.  You are not activating a green card.  A green card is not expiring.  You are using your visa before your visa expires.  Entering the US and paying the new immigrant fee, will cause the production of an actual green card to be mailed to the US address you provided on your visa application.  Your visa and stamp next to it serve as a temporary green card for a year.

[payxibka 10,045]

46 minutes ago, meow85meow said:

Okay, awesome. So I don't have to worry about what time my flight is arriving in Guam? Also, is CBP/the US still processing/issuing green cards or has there been any hold or suspension on that? I heard a rumor that the current administration is trying to block people on student visas and H1-B's from being able to enter, so wanted to check...

 

 

CBP has nothing to do with issuing green cards.   If you have a valid immigrant visa you will be allowed to enter.  

[Just Paul 4,595]

If your file is electronic - meaning you don't have a "packet" - your chances of being processed faster is greater. 

[JacobP 185]

I think the confusion just comes from common vernacular. The guys you talk to when you come in over a land crossing or through an airport are Custom and Border Protection, but a lot of people just shorten it to "customs" or "immigration".

2 hours ago, meow85meow said:

Okay, awesome. So I don't have to worry about what time my flight is arriving in Guam? Also, is CBP/the US still processing/issuing green cards or has there been any hold or suspension on that? I heard a rumor that the current administration is trying to block people on student visas and H1-B's from being able to enter, so wanted to check...

USCIS are the people who issue your green card, CBP just approve your entry which allows the USCIS to get to work. The CR/IR-1 category is probably one of the safest category of visa right now, since practically every EO has given spouses some kind of exception, and they're even beginning to start interviewing for them again. Also, after you enter, your passport, along with your visa and the entry stamp they'll put in, will act as your green card for up to 1 year while your green card is processing, hence the text that's likely on your visa: "UPON ENDORSEMENT SERVES AS TEMPORARY I-551 EVIDENCING PERMANENT RESIDENCE FOR 1 YEAR" (i-551 is the document number for green cards).

Edited June 19, 2020 by JacobP

[JFH 12,190]

9 hours ago, payxibka said:

I'm sure one factor is how busy is the POE 

That’s the reason I was given when I arrived at Las Vegas airport with my IR-1 on December 19, 2016. Half the world was there in the arrivals hall so he told me he was sending me to secondary to keep the queue moving.