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Estimated time for Port of Entry process for Green Card Holdes

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softcode1222

Registered Users (C)
Hi All,

Could you please share your experience of processing time at Port of Entry when your first enter to US as Green Card Holder
 
20min-120min !!....it varies, highly unpredictable process.
More often than not its location/time specific. JFK,LAX, ORD very busy 'ports'.

On avg. I'd say about at least 45min-1hr., to get out for good or chk in bags to next flt.
Prepare for worst and hope for the best! Get a book or music to enjoy if delays occur. Don't panic, be patient. Have your act and docs in order.

Rule of thumb: don't buy a connecting flt under 2.5-3 hrs.!


Best!
 
NuvF said:
20min-120min !!....it varies, highly unpredictable process.
More often than not its location/time specific. JFK,LAX, ORD very busy 'ports'.

On avg. I'd say about at least 45min-1hr., to get out for good or chk in bags to next flt.
Prepare for worst and hope for the best! Get a book or music to enjoy if delays occur. Don't panic, be patient. Have your act and docs in order.

Rule of thumb: don't buy a connecting flt under 2.5-3 hrs.!


Best!
Click to expand...

Thank you dear for the nice information
 
How easy to book for connecting flight at POE. Or is it compulsory to book connecting flight before getting to POE. That is, book connecting flight from home country.
 
softcode1222 said:
Could you please share your experience of processing time at Port of Entry when your first enter to US as Green Card Holder
Click to expand...

I entered the US yesterday with my immigrant visa as a DV lottery winner. My POE was Dallas Fort Worth international airport.

Total duration: approximately 90 minutes:

* 70 minutes waiting in line in the "Visitors / Foreign nationals" queue. I asked which queue I should follow as a first-time entry of an immigrant, and they pointed me to the visitors queue.

* 5 minutes primary inspection, with digital fingerprinting and picture taken. Only question asked was "who sponsored your visa", to which I answered "nobody, I won the visa lottery".

* 10 minutes in the waiting room for secondary inspection.

* 5 minutes secondary inspection. No questions asked, just fingerprints of right index finger taken with ink, and I had to put my signature on a form, both for reproduction on my green card. The officer showed me the stamp endorsing my immigrant visa. And that was it.
 
Centrino said:
I entered the US yesterday with my immigrant visa as a DV lottery winner. My POE was Dallas Fort Worth international airport.

Total duration: approximately 90 minutes:

* 70 minutes waiting in line in the "Visitors / Foreign nationals" queue. I asked which queue I should follow as a first-time entry of an immigrant, and they pointed me to the visitors queue.

* 5 minutes primary inspection, with digital fingerprinting and picture taken. Only question asked was "who sponsored your visa", to which I answered "nobody, I won the visa lottery".

* 10 minutes in the waiting room for secondary inspection.

* 5 minutes secondary inspection. No questions asked, just fingerprints of right index finger taken with ink, and I had to put my signature on a form, both for reproduction on my green card. The officer showed me the stamp endorsing my immigrant visa. And that was it.
Click to expand...

That is cool! helpful as well as we just got current..
 
It took us 2 hrs to go through the process. POE Houston. One hour standing in visistor's line and one hour waiting in secondary inspection to get our documents processed and fingerprints taken.
 
At the airport you don't need to stay at the visitor line. You go to the "US residents" line and you do not need to complete the usual I94 form. Is this correct?
 
dis66 said:
At the airport you don't need to stay at the visitor line. You go to the "US residents" line and you do not need to complete the usual I94 form. Is this correct?
Click to expand...

We were told by airport personnel to go to visitors line. You don't need to fill out I-94 with immigrant visa, it is actually stated on the card itself.
 
softcode1222 said:
Hi All,

Could you please share your experience of processing time at Port of Entry when your first enter to US as Green Card Holder
Click to expand...


Just came in, it depend on the number of people in that category at that time(permanent Resident immigrant), in my own case it was btween 45min -1hr. but to be on a safer side , i will advice you don't buy a connecting ticket up front
 
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