Originally Posted by
Steve_Hun
Not to discourage you, but I was at JFK T8 about a month ago and the only reason why the APC queue was faster, was because ppl either didn't know that they can use it, or they really didn't qualify for it (highly doubt that only so few of us have been to the States since '08).
It really is nothing like the automated boarder control in HEL. The kiosk asks a bunch of question from you, takes your fingerprints and takes a digital picture of you. THEN, you queue again, to get to a human immigration officer, who does the same procedure all over again. Go figure...
2 weeks ago at MIA used APC for the very first time and no human officer.
Some people got X marked to their APC print-out and had to queue for desk clerk. Don't know why we were allowed to pass. Been to States ~10 times after 2008.
At this point I was happy but after collecting luggage had to queue 1,5 hours to customs guy with crazy latinos cutting the line at every point...
Didn't even get a stamp to my Finnish passport, no interaction with any person except at the CBP guy to who you handle your customs form.