Different port of entry than your address in your forms

[sdl77]

Hey all,

I and my husband received our visa and it is valid till end of March 2009. Yesterday I booked our ticket to Los Angeles and I will stay in Irvine in the address I gave to embassy to send our green cards. The problem is that the stupid online travel agency (eDreams.com) didn't provide the correct information for our flights and after booking they sent us the tickets (emailed them) and then I realized that we have not direct flight to Los Angeles but we should change the airplane in Philadelphia! even worst: not only changing the airplane but also we will have to receive our suitcases and then get in another plane.
Now my questions are:

1- Does it mean that our port of entry is Philadelphia and not Los Angeles anymore??
2- If it is so, can I ask them to let the green card packages be handled in Los Angeles airport because we have only two hours to get our suitcases and change the flight and I wonder if we can catch or flight on time.
3- Does anyone have experience in Philadelphia port of entry and how long does it take to receive the green card? (I heard in California is 2-3 weeks)
4- Out of this topic question: we can not stay in USA till we receive our green cards if it is more than 3 weeks. Can we return and then the person who receives our green cards send them to us??

Thank you in advance for helping me.

 

[Tazmania]

It doesn"t matter what your POE is and what address you have in DS-230.

1. Philadelphia is your POE
2. Not possible, you have to go thru immigration there. 2 hours could be short.
3. 2-3 weeks, maybe longer.
4. Yes, no problem.

 

[kamye1]

The POE has nothing to do with where you are receiving your green card or where is it treated, it is just where your immigrant visa is activated to receive the plastic green card. They will stamp your passport as proof of residency until you receive the actual green card at the address you provided on form DS230.
I also live in Los Angeles but i had a connection in Houston so it was my port of entry, 2 weeks ago.If you want my opinion, LAX immigration is the longest i ever had to experience and i took a connection at Houston on purpose to avoid LAX. I also had 1h30 between flight and was a bit worried but the whole process took 20 min, just the time to go to the back room, sign the paper and give fingerprint and i was done. They ask you when is your other flight to try to make it on time, they were very nice. He told me i will receive SSC within 3 weeks and green card between 6 weeks and 6 month but stamp in passport can be used as it for a year.
That's all, you shouldn't worry at all, POE has nothing to do with where you intend to live permanently.

Good luck and have a safe trip, hope that helps.

 

[sdl77]

Tazmania, Kamye1
Thank you so much for your reply. I am more relax now..although it didn't go as we planned but maybe it turned out for good for us..kamye1, I hope ours will be as fast as yours and we can catch our second flight on time. Another reason I wanted to enter to LAX was that I heard the waiting time for receiving GC in California is shorter than many other states, I don't know how true it is though and if it has anything to do with POE or it is the matter of where you will live.
By the way where did you guys show your medical examination?? at the interview time the woman in the embassy told me that they don't need to see the medical examination and X-ray results but we have to take them with us to US. I have no idea where I will need them? POE? or...?

 

[Russian boys]

just want ask when they check your medical result, at embassy ir usa at POE?

 

[LucyMO]

they don't check your medicals at POE or in the US, if you are doing consular processing. The consular officer checks it.

 

[sdl77]

As I said they didn't check mine at interview time in embassy. It was not because they forgot also because the woman who collected my documents told me they don't need to see my medical examination but instead I should take them with me to USA..I was so confused and stressed that day that I forgot to ask where in USA I will need them..

 

[kongis]

I had a different experience. My medicals results delayed my visa issuance. I went fot the interview hoping IMS service has posted my medi´cal results but it was not there. Though i had other missing documents, i posted them two days later but a week later, i called the Consular office in request of my visa and was told it can not be issued because they still don't have my medical results. They issued my visa after receipt of my medical results

Again when the visa package was returned to me, i was adviced to carry my xray chat in my hand luggage when travelling to the US bcos they'll demand it.

 

[sdl77]

Very strange! The woman in the embassy even told me that I don't need to carry my x-ray and medical examination in my hand luggage, but I will..just in case. If they won't ask us in POE then where else..?