USA Immigration Questions

I am flying Virgin UC to Washington at the end of April, last time I went through IAD (In July) the queue for immigration was horrendous (Over 2 hours standing in line) it seemed as if there were only a few officers/booth available and to add to the misery the A/C was not working. Would be interested to know if things have improved so I can at least have a bottle of water with me this time if a long hot wait is my welcome back to DC.

[Decker]

If you're in the US more than a couple of times a year on business it might still be worth getting INSPASS. Even though they keep closing the booths I've been able to show them to Immigrations Officials who have said "well you bothered to get one go join that shorter "Nationals" queue".

Thanks for that Decker, but I am not in the US on Business that often, more often to visit friends and family and for holidays, IAD is so far the only place where the queue has been unacceptably long. I just wanted to know if this was the norm @ IAD?

[Nottingham Nick]

Decker - can you tell us more about your experience with the INSPASS - did you apply for it here or the US?

Jaydun - I think more US airports are moving to the system of one controlled queue, that is then marshalled to a particular booth. The old free for all where you chose which queue to stand in, and then watched the others move a lot faster[:(] seems to be being phased out.

Certainly BOS and EWR have this system now and it works a lot better.

Nick

[Nottingham Nick]

Good old Google

http://www.foreignborn.com/visas_imm/en ... aveler.htm

Nick

When we went through IAD at xmas it was fine they had staff directing you to a particular booth when you got to the head of the line.It was very busy and the system coped well.There was a separate line for US nationals.

[Decker]

Nick

Glad to see you found it

My experience on balance has been positive. The machines are frequently out of order but when they DO work there is almost never a queue so it's up to the machine, card in, receipt printed and out within less than 20 seconds. Course you then have to wait for your bags . First human interaction comes at Customs...

I applied in the US - as you exit customs at IAD the office for InsPass used to be on the right. You can call in, fill in the forms and be out of there with the working card in less than 30 minutes. American officialdom at its best.

Naturally when travelling with spouse it doesn't really help but on business it is very useful.

[Nottingham Nick]

Can it only be used when you are travelling on business?

Surely it is worth it for leisure travellers who go three or more times a year - or are leisure travellers barred from applying?

Nick

[Decker]

Jaydun

The only time we've had unacceptably long queues at any US airport was when we deplaned just after a 747 from what I assumed at the time to be somewhere in Africa. There seemed to be more than the normal number of immigration hassles so the line took forever to clear.

At least in the US they send you back to fill in your I-94/I-94-W if you haven't done it correctly. Coming into Antigua from St Maarten the immigration officials seemed to welcome the chance to kick back and allowed people to fill them in at the counter thus annoying the rest of the queue

[Decker]

Nick

You have to show that you go there three times or more on business. I believe it is then acceptable to use it when entering the US on business or pleasure. Although I have to admit that I have never checked the fine print. Having said that it doesn't matter why I go, I always end up contacting some clients .

[Nottingham Nick]

Thanks Decker:)

Blast! That INSPASS sounded cool!

I (pre-9/11) travelled to New York once/twice a year to visit friends and do some work at UNHQ.

I'm hoping to start that again following my trip to New York this September.

Don't suppose there's any equivelant leisure pass available? And there's no way to 'jip' the INSPASS system? (not that I'm suggesting anyone try! ).

[Decker]

TJ - hmm playing with the INS - as you say - not a smart move . They like business travellers because they WILL go home I think - leisure travellers may not!

Immigration is also a pain at Dulles as you have a ferw flights arriving at once.

UNITED, Virgin, SAS

At BOS they tend to let the immigration hall empty before letting you off the plane. The baggage claim area is also pretty small so this is another reason they keep you on the plane as long as they can.

TIP: If you travel economy then pre book your seat as far forward as you can. I always do this and overtake as many people as I can once off the plane to minimize my wait at immigration.

Worst immigration line so far for me was at LAX, best was at BOS. LAS is notoriously the strictest in the country.

Jonathan

[Decker]

Do you think they're worried about money laundering at LAS?

I have no idea. I figured it was just because Las Vegas is the most popular US city to migrate too so they are more suspicious of people who arnt citizens.

I was told it was the strictest one in the US by Virgin when the visa wavers were handed out.

Strange, I had my best US Immigration experience at LAS. The INS guy joked with us and even played a joke on the couple we were with, who were getting married (accused the bride of being in NYC the week before and of lying to her hubby to be, doesn't sound so funny now, but was very amusing atg the time).

The other great INS experience was on September 19th 2001 at EWR, a broad smile and a genuine "Welcome to America, we're still open for business". Brought a lump to my throat.

VSlf

[Bazz]

I have changed the title of this topic to:

"USA Immigration Questions"

because the posts have broadened out considerably from the IAD question originally asked.

[Bazz]

When we entered through LAS a couple of weeks back there was no hassle what so ever, certainly no stricter than any other US airport we've entered through, if anything it was a little quicker than being processed through LAX.

Has anyone else found immigration at BOS to be really rude? Every time I go I feel like I'm being interrogated. LAS, LAX, MCO and IAD all seem to be "normal", whilst twice at MIA I have been told by security to go to the "US Nationals desks before the US citizens arrive" and have got throught in about 2 minutes flat!

[RichardMannion]

Ahh - the immigration lines in the US. The amount of hours I have sometimes spent there - I had a discussion with a V50 about this as we both get stopped regularly due to the sheer number of stamps in our passports. IAD always takes the pleasure of going through my case too and checking my tickets.

INSPASS - depending on the national alert status, it looks good! Shame the list of airports is somewhat limited, I remember that Seattle got its equipment and then didn't implement due to the tragic 9/11.

This item was in Wired yesterday:
http://www.wired.com/news/privacy/0,184 ... ories_html

Thanks,
Richard

[Decker]

and every time I come in without using InsPass I get a different opinion on whether I should have an I-94 or an I-94W 'cos I've got an L1. So now I fill out both to be safe. Like the look of the Wired article though - no problems with background checks

I would like to give the crew's point of view on this subject as US immigration is a sore spot for me.

As crew, we have to have a visa to enter the States hence now why we have to have our fingerprints/photo taken every time we go in which takes FOREVER!!

The worst airport for immigration IMO is Newark. Every time I fly in, I get hauled into the office for secondary inspection. And when I go into the office all I get is abuse from them. What do immigration at EWR have against me!!![xx(]

For crew in general, the worst immigration is Orlando. The immigration officers tend to wait until the last passenger has been cleared before even processing crew. Though it can be quite funny watching them trying to look busy!!

In general, queues at immigration depend on how many aircraft have landed at once. I've seen MIA at its worst and then another day there was no one there waiting. I think its just luck on the day

Tinkerbelle

Even before I read Jonbuck's post I was going to make a comment about Boston immigration. They are really rude, interrogate you about every leg of your itinerary and then I got to customs (where I normally just put my white card in the tray and wander through) I got 20 questions again from the agent there. Granted it is their job to ensure my visit is above board but smiles cost nothing!