Originally Posted by
FlyingHoustonian
I've brought in spouses and family on visas from overseas scores of times and never had delays or problems. Frankly they have been the easier trips especially pre Global Entry. Yes I have heard or read of the problems of others and I don't put any form of fecklessly inane actions past CBP.
I have had a spouse and family member get a visa pre-green card with no problems also. OFten that can depend on the consulate/embassy staff but that is for another thread.
At most airports you can use either line if you are family travelling with different statuses. I've only seen them tell someone no once, and that was an airport goon, the CBP guy said it was fine later.
As for just being "partners", it might be easier to have US citizen go with you through the visitor line. I've seen them send engaged friends through seperately, and seen them once take them together. Sadly YMMV.
I dont think that a visa and a conditional resident card is the same. I had no problem to get a resident card once we decided that we wanted to live in USA.
In my case we tried to go through the visitors line. It did not work at all for us. He was being corrected as an american they wanted him in ther other lane. And even that caused some times problems. Since they asked him if he travelled alone he said no but with his wife. He was a lot of times asked to point me out.
So it all depends a lot of things. No trip is like another.