V-Flyer

Has anyone gone through the U.S. Resident immigration section on a U.K. passport with a U.S. passport holder? The reason i ask is this allowed, do they have photo and finger printing available for the U.K. citizen! Our son is special needs with learning difficulties, he has said to us on several occasions on visiting his sister i have dual nationality why can't we go thought the U.S. We have always gone through the visitors one, with his U.S. passport and never had any issues.

My fiancée and I have done it at Newark. They have fingerprint readers and cameras there too even at the booths for citizens. However, I've never got a concrete answer and it might be YMMV as far as which airport and which officer you get.

Thanks for your reply, i know how strict immigration can be also who you get! Maybe i can ask the person who is lining you up for the booths.

I recall that all the desks have the cameras and readers as more often that not once the US residents have been processed they start to move the alien visitors to those desks.

There is usually a queue minder in the immigration hall so I'd just ask them. If they allow you in the US queue the CBP officer really can't object.

I would never ask a queue minder - they are not paid to think. Go to the U.S. desk and at worst you'll be told off

Officially you will most likely be told to go to the non-US desks if you actually ask. In practice, if you don't ask and just turn up at a US desk, YMMV as Syrome suggests.

slinky09 wrote:I would never ask a queue minder - they are not paid to think. Go to the U.S. desk and at worst you'll be told off

'Not paid to think?'; these people have, at best, one neuron, and it's inhibitory.

NV43 wrote:

slinky09 wrote:I would never ask a queue minder - they are not paid to think. Go to the U.S. desk and at worst you'll be told off

'Not paid to think?'; these people have, at best, one neuron, and it's inhibitory.

I am always amazed at the belittling of [US] immigration officers/TSA/customs as being dumb and unintelligent and then wondering why you are subjected to little conversation or no friendly smile.

Do you treat supermarket check out staff or fast food servers the same?

These people are DOING THEIR JOB following the rules and requirements of that job and the law of their country or their company procedures. And will likely lose that (generally minimum wage)job if they don't.

These people have families - parents/kids/siblings just like you or anyone else and deserve to be treat as a PERSON not as an object of ridicule!

PW

NV43 wrote:

slinky09 wrote:I would never ask a queue minder - they are not paid to think. Go to the U.S. desk and at worst you'll be told off

'Not paid to think?'; these people have, at best, one neuron, and it's inhibitory.

NO NO NO

We do not say things like this on this site.

PilotWolf and tontybear

Please read my previous posts on immigration control at LAX, SFO and MCO.

If you require to manage a queue, you apply queue theory, and research to the problem; you, also, train your staff.

'These people are DOING THEIR JOB following the rules and requirements of that job and the law of their country or their company procedures. And will likely lose that (generally minimum wage)job if they don't.

These people have families - parents/kids/siblings just like you or anyone else and deserve to be treat as a PERSON not as an object of ridicule!'

The individuals directing queues are not Immigration Officers, nor Customs Officers or, as far as I am aware, TSA.

You do not allow someone to randomly re-direct people that have just arrived in the immigration hall to shorter queues, whilst leaving those passenger groups that have been in the queue for longer to wait it out.

Rules and requirements are one part of the equation, training is another; applying rules, requirements and training to a dynamic situation requires cognitive processing; you cannot expect this from everybody that you hire, especially on low salaries.

I am not 'belittling of [US] immigration officers/TSA/custom (Officers)' as, the United States Immigration and Customs Officers, invariably, do an excellent job. Although, in my opinion, the TSA , is far too keen on making transit through departures as lengthy as possible.

Whilst they do detect concealed weapons and ammunition in hand-luggage, it is unlikely that these were intended for use in hijacking an aircraft.

The TSA is a business, like HomeLand Security, it makes billions of dollars and manages to do this with the complicity of politicians to maintain a climate of fear; make people fearful enough and they will accept anything that makes them 'safer', even if the threat is not quantified, or hidden, and the true cost of the entire exercise is obscured.

'Do you treat supermarket check out staff or fast food servers the same?'; absolutely not, nor hotel staff, drivers, my colleagues or anybody else; if you read my previous posts I think you will get an indication of my character.

I do, however, expect people to do the job that they are paid to do; if their failures inconveniences me then that makes me cross.

Failures by my work colleagues may have more significant outcomes.

NV

Oh to be so superior like you...

The people at the sharp end do NOT make the rules or policies. THEY ARE SIMPLY DOING THEIR JOB. Just like you and your 'critical life changing' occupation.

TREAT THEM WITH THE RESPECT THAT A FELLOW HUMAN DESERVES!

PW

I can see where this is heading. Perhaps we should get back on track. I think the OP's question was sufficiently answered.

Thanks for everyones feedback on this subject!

I stand by my words, the crew monitors (and I mean no disrespect to them individually) are among the most unorganised, bored, most likely to give a pat answer group of service people I have come across, almost certainly lowly paid, and never seeming to show any interest in improving customer service, just getting through the hours.

In response to the OP, it is my firm view that if you asked on of these people they would struggle to understand the question and more likely than not give you a pat answer which isn't the one you want.

That's my experience. It doesn't mean that you treat them with anything other than politeness.

However PilotWolf, if I think back at all the times I've arrived at US Immigration and said "good morning", "how are you", smiled etc. to get nothing in return but a gruff grunt (if that) - it does make me struggle the next time, and the time after.

Ask no-one, show no-one your passport, and ust go through. If anyone says anything (they never did for me dozens of times I went through before Global Entry) just wave a hand in the direction of anyone and say they "pointed this way". They are moody buggers at the best of times so how you tell if they are annoyed or not is almost impossible.

Being courteous and pleasant costs nothing....

As has been said above I've been directed to US resident desks before with no problem. I've also on the last few US trips had pleasant conversation with the officer at the desk and the same at security on exit