The K1 Visa US Port of Entry, an Essential step-by-step list.
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What you need to know about K1 Visa US Port of Entry? Customs declaration form I-94 Arrival-departure. What to expect with border patrol agents?
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K1 visa packet. Possible interview and how to prepare yourself with the right information.
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For many, this is a special time yet the stress can oftentimes ware you out.
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From airport security in one country to more airport security in the United States as your getting through all the checkpoints.
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Knowing how to be prepared can help you eliminate some of that stress.
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Page Jump Menu
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Pre departure planning before your international flight?
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I remember when my fiancee was preparing for her K1 Visa US port of entry.
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We didn’t really know at all what she was going to need and she had her carry-on plus a large purse plus two large check-in luggage of mostly her clothe and shoes.
It was in 2002 when all airports had started to make huge security changes after 9/11 and we really didn’t know what she could carry or not?
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But one thing for sure I told her to put everything that she could in her purse or carry-on that pertained to immigration and she did.
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In this day and age, not a whole lot has changed when it comes to what a K1 fiancee should store in her purse and carry-on?
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-BELOW ARE IMPORTANT ITEMS TO KEEP ON YOUR PERSON-
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- Your K1 Visa embassy packet
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- Your K1 Visa embassy packet
- At least one black ink pen for completing forms
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- At least one black ink pen for completing forms
- Your original passport with photocopies stored in a different location
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- Your original passport with photocopies stored in a different location
- Keep a photocopy of your K1 Visa also
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- Keep a photocopy of your K1 Visa also
- Two photocopies of the medical DS3025 Vaccination documentation worksheet
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- Two photocopies of the medical DS3025 Vaccination documentation worksheet
- Your cd x-ray from the medical exam
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- Your cd x-ray from the medical exam
- A couple of originals of your birth certificate
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- A couple of originals of your birth certificate
- Keep a pad with important phone numbers and addresses
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- Keep a pad with important phone numbers and addresses
- Your trip itinerary and boarding passes together
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- Your trip itinerary and boarding passes together
- Carry some US Dollars for food and payphone in case
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- Carry some US Dollars for food and payphone in case
- Not a bad idea to carry some of your government ids from your country
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- Not a bad idea to carry some of your government ids from your country
- Toothbrush, toothpaste, and deodorant will help you feel better
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Dealing with a hectic time schedule
You are urged by international airports to arrive no later than three (3) hours before your scheduled departure.
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Earlier than 3 hours is better to avoid more stress. The whole trip can be very stressful, especially in the beginning.
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Tips that can help you maintain better;
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- It is very important that you keep healthy or else you could be stopped from departing?
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- It is very important that you keep healthy or else you could be stopped from departing?
- Before the trip, a day ahead drink lots of water to keep hydrated.
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- Before the trip, a day ahead drink lots of water to keep hydrated.
- Make arrangements early in advance for your transportation.
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- Make arrangements early in advance for your transportation.
- Try to stay tuned for weather advisories in case your flight is delayed or canceled?
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- Try to stay tuned for weather advisories in case your flight is delayed or canceled?
- Be sure to check online what you can and can’t bring in your luggage?
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- Be sure to check online what you can and can’t bring in your luggage?
- [Don’t bring these..] TSA Non-prohibited items allowed
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- [Don’t bring these..] TSA Non-prohibited items allowed
- Don’t overload your check-in luggage or else the airline can delay you.
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- Don’t overload your check-in luggage or else the airline can delay you.
- Pack your bags and luggage at least 24 hours in advance.
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- Pack your bags and luggage at least 24 hours in advance.
- Be sure that your family has the phone numbers and address flight numbers also.
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- Be sure that your family has the phone numbers and address flight numbers also.
- If you use prescribed medicines be sure they are in their properly labeled container.
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- If you use prescribed medicines be sure they are in their properly labeled container.
- Keep all electronic devices fully charged so you have them in case of emergencies.
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Arriving at your international flight
Hopefully, you arrived 3 hours early or more Depending on the country you are exiting from there could be more requirements that apply to you such as if you exit from the Philippines there is an exit tax that you must pay before you can get your boarding pass.
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You and your luggage are going through security checkpoints before you can proceed to the check-in counter to pick up your boarding pass. all luggage will be weighed then checked in and tagged and you will present your passport and trip itinerary so you can get the boarding pass.
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Next is Immigration
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Depending on your countries immigration procedures you may have to grab a departure card?
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You would fill out something similar to this and then proceed to the Bureau of immigration counter. This is not used at the K1 Visa US port of entry.
Now once you have completed the departure card you will have to get in line and go through one of the Bureau of immigration officers for further processing.
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Here the officer will take your passport only to look at your biographic page and also the K1 Visa biographic page.
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They will also take the departure card from you and may ask you some questions about your trip like the purpose of your trip and where you will be staying?
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The immigration officers can ask anything they want and you have to answer them.
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If all goes well for you at the immigration checkpoint then you will proceed to another security checkpoint which is much more in-depth remove your shoes, go through a body x-ray machine, place all of your carry on items in an x-ray machine.
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After you have cleared the security checkpoint then you can begin to breathe again and relax a little.
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Depending on how much time you have before your flight boards you could use a restroom and get some food and drink then go to the gate and relax maybe contact family online?
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At your boarding gate catch your breath.
This is your last time for a while to be able to move around freely call someone, email someone, go online to chat with someone, and just walk around for a stretch.
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Once you board your flight things get tough sitting for many long hours in a cramped seat.
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You can review by doing an inventory of all of your K1 visa US port of entry items to make sure everything is in place and nothing is getting damaged?
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For so many, this is a major life change. You may be feeling anxiety or a bit stressed out.
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Sometimes the best thing you can do is just talk with someone sitting beside you or on the phone?
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Eating always helped me to relax and some deep breathes before boarding your flight.
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It is a long flight and crossing the international dateline can mess up your body clock.
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Inflight preparations
You’re in the cabin situated in your seat and your carry-on is stowed away in the overhead while your money and important immigration documents are close by where you can visually see them.
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You might be able to get one last message out to your fiance that you’re on board.
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Ok now after several hours in the air and you have just learned that your only a couple of hours from your US port of entry then the flight attendants will pass out US Customs declaration forms which every passenger must fill out.
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By law entering US territory, all international passengers must declare all items they are carrying in their carry-on, purse, and items that are in your luggage which is in the belly of the plane.
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You also have to declare how much cash you are carrying.
See the example of a US Customs and declaration form;
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Customs and declaration form
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This customs and declaration form will be collected later on after you have collected your check-in luggage.
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If an officer sees anything in your luggage while they x-ray it they can ask you some questions about any items and most likely they would even open the luggage up for a further look of what’s inside?
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Your US port of entry
Now that your plane has touched down on US soil it is time for you to get all of those important items ready and what my wife did when she came into her US port of entry is she just followed everyone else as her way of finding where she had to go next?
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You’re going to be looking for a large area where there are many lanes for US citizens to line up in and then lanes for non-US citizens to line up in. K1 Visa holders use the non-US citizen lane.
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Navigating the US International airport
If you have an ongoing connecting flight, for example, your new home is in Florida but your K1 Visa US port of entry was in Chicago Illinois then you may need to try and find a faster lane to get through your border patrol checkpoint?
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Many US International airports can hold you up for 4 hours just trying to get through the immigration checkpoint.
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Eventually, you will get there and when you do it will be your turn to answer questions and give your US Embassy visa packet for the K1.
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Customs and Border Patrol checkpoint
The US Customs Border Patrols have more power than US Embassy interviewers and USCIS combined. a single border patrol officer can deny you entry without a reason.
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Their job is to be vigilant and on the lookout for fake documents and jokers.
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These people are specially trained in spotting fake or manipulated altered documents.
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They also do not tolerate jokers which means that you must not joke with them do not become arrogant with them, answer all of their questions honestly and show them anything they ask for?
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K1 alien fiancee’s must follow the instructions of the border patrol officer due to their very hectic job of moving so many people.
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They do not always have the luxury of asking a lot of questions and often time only ask you to give them your US Embassy visa packet.
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But if an officer thinks that you might have something that’s not right about you like say you’re nervous and it really shows or maybe your perspiring too much or breathing heavy these all are possible indications that you may be hiding something?
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The officer could have you detained for further questioning in a secured room where you could be asked more questions and they will also check your answers out like making phone calls to verify that you are here to see so and so?
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I have known some K1 alien fiancee’s who have been pulled off to the side for further questioning.
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You should treat this like an interview and be able to answer the questions correctly.
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It’s alright if you have a note pad with phone numbers and address nobody is going to make a big deal bout that.
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US Port of Entry Possible Questions?
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The below questions may or may not be asked? It’s usually at the discretion of the officer, they are nice some days, not so nice on other days, basically, they are humane.
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Question: What kind of visa do you hold?
Answer: K1 Fiancee Visa
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Question: What does the K1 Fiancee Visa allow you to do?
Answer: It allows me a one-time entry only and to marry the sponsor within 90 days.
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Question: What must you do if you and the sponsor do not marry within 90 days?
Answer: I must return back to the Philippines
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Question: What is the complete address where you will be living at?
Answer: You need to tell them the sponsor full address
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Question: What phone number can you be contacted on?
Answer: You need to provide the sponsor’s phone number
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Question: Tell me at least three points of interest about the state you’re going to live in?
Answer: You must learn at least 3 important things about the state you’re going to.
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Tell them you have 90 days to get married or leave the USA.
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Tips & Warnings
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- Processing your first entry on a K-1 visa may take some time. Allow plenty of time — at least three to four hours — between your entry into the United States and any connecting flights or ongoing travel plans.
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- Processing your first entry on a K-1 visa may take some time. Allow plenty of time — at least three to four hours — between your entry into the United States and any connecting flights or ongoing travel plans.
- When you enter the United States on a K-1 visa, this is with the condition that you marry your fiancé(e) within 90 days.
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- When you enter the United States on a K-1 visa, this is with the condition that you marry your fiancé(e) within 90 days.
- Do not joke with immigration officials. They are not obligated to allow you into the United States just because you have a visa.
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- Do not joke with immigration officials. They are not obligated to allow you into the United States just because you have a visa.
- Request help with translation if you do not understand the questions you are asked
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- Request help with translation if you do not understand the questions you are asked
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Gathering your check-in luggage proceed to customs
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This will be the last security checkpoint to get through and then you will be released to either go to the outside of the international passenger terminal to get to your connecting flight or to leave the airport and meet up with your fiance.
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Cleared from the US port of entry hustle and bustle
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Welcome to America!
At the beginning of this post, we went over numerous steps that an alien fiancee goes through from her country to the USA?
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It’s very stressful and often times overwhelming and causes a lot of confusion?
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My job here was to try and help the alien fiancee better understand what the process would be like?
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Not all airports are alike and not all airlines are the same but this step by step will give you some of the important basics so that you can be better prepared?
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I hope this information was able to remove some of the stress and make your trip a bit more pleasant?