Going through immigration with partner
 

Hello

Just a quick query:

I am a UK citizen living in USA with my US citizen other half, we recently moved here from the UK. She has a US passport and I have a US visa in my UK passport.

When we enter into the USA can I go to the returning residents immigration line with her or not, and have to wait in the visitor line?

Been told different a couple of times so just wanting to see if anyone else can shed any light.

Thanks

Do you have just a visa or do you have applied for resident card?

At SEA they had citizen lines and visitors/green card lines last I went
through (used to have residents/citizens and visitor lines for years of
coming in that way in the past, don't know why it changed) so I think
it really depends on the airport as well as your resident status. Our
family went into the visitor lines because only 5 of us are citizens.
They had people checking those trying to use the citizen lines.

It really wouldn't matter what line if it were quick and pleasant to
use any line. All lines were long and unfriendly; they really have
a fantastic ability to discourage tourism.

Immigration doesnt really like an USA citizent to bring in a "family" member into USA.
That doesnt matter if they live abroad and just visit USA.

Before I got my resident card I was living in Sweden with my american husband.

I tried to get a visa and was denied. Reason was because I was married to a US citizent.

I was told to either immigrate or take a chance being allowed as a visitor inot the country.

And no we had to take different lanes.

Some times I had problems getting into the country just because my husband was american. Other times they understood. And sometimes they did not know what to do.

One thing is very clear IMMIGRATION doesnt like a US citizent with a foreign "partner" who has not legal resident card.

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.

That is a pretty good representation of the experiences I've had when traveling myself (or with others) with family members (mine or others') in tow. I certainly find that the "welcome" -- if any -- is better/more common when traveling with non-US family members who may not reside in the US than it is when traveling by myself.

For one year, an endorsed IR or CR visa can serve as proof of permanent residence or conditional residense in lieu of a green card as if the visa has an I-551 notation. (Used to be an "ADIT" stamp):

http://www.uscis.gov/uscis/images/na...igrantvisa.jpg

Look right above the MRZ.

Ok This is after I tried.
At the time I tried I was told that no one that was married or was going to be married to a US citizent could apply for a visa.
So how old is this rule?

http://travel.state.gov/visa/immigra...ypes_1315.html

There are many different types of visas. Perhaps you applied for the wrong one, or for the wrong reasons.

I was married to an american man. We lived in Sweden.
We did not at that point live in USA but to live there/here for some time. Like 6 months to see if I liked it.

I was told by that I would not get a visa because I wss married to a US citizent.

That if I wanted to be here for more than 3 months I had to immigrate.

How clear is not that.

Reading their rules it has changed over the years. And to the better. At least that part.