Do you have to clear US immigration as a family? (2 US citizens, 1 GC)
Oct 7, 2018, 11:46 pm
#1
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Do you have to clear US immigration as a family? (2 US citizens, 1 GC)
I'm a US citizen (Global Entry!). The spouse is a green card holder who always consistently fails APC. Our very fussy infant is a US citizen (non GE).
I've heard that at SFO, permanent residents are asked to use the visitor line (I could be wrong, I don't pay attention because Global Entry) - which I've witnessed to be shockingly long.
I know I cannot take my child through GE.
1. Do the 3 of us need to clear in the visitor line? (yuck)
2. Could the 3 of us use the US line?
3. Can we do 2 US? 1 visitor?
I've heard that at SFO, permanent residents are asked to use the visitor line (I could be wrong, I don't pay attention because Global Entry) - which I've witnessed to be shockingly long.
I know I cannot take my child through GE.
1. Do the 3 of us need to clear in the visitor line? (yuck)
2. Could the 3 of us use the US line?
3. Can we do 2 US? 1 visitor?
Oct 8, 2018, 4:26 am
#3
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<redacted>.
1. When you travel with anyone without GE, you are not supposed to use GE (this is a rule from land crossing). So unless you totally separate yourself from your family (i.e. you cleared CBP all the way on your own), your GE is pretty much meaningless.
2. SFO utilizes Mobile Passport. It is faster than APC, and may be even faster than GE.
3. CBP does not really care what lines you use unless you are clearly in the wrong.
Long story short - forget your GE and go through regular lines (or Mobile Passport).
1. When you travel with anyone without GE, you are not supposed to use GE (this is a rule from land crossing). So unless you totally separate yourself from your family (i.e. you cleared CBP all the way on your own), your GE is pretty much meaningless.
2. SFO utilizes Mobile Passport. It is faster than APC, and may be even faster than GE.
3. CBP does not really care what lines you use unless you are clearly in the wrong.
Long story short - forget your GE and go through regular lines (or Mobile Passport).
Last edited by TWA884; Oct 8, 2018 at 9:53 am Reason: Unnecessary
Oct 8, 2018, 9:52 am
#5
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US citizens and LPR's use the same lines.
Also, take a look at this thread:
Also, take a look at this thread:
Oct 8, 2018, 10:43 am
#6
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1. Thanks for the heads up about the Mobile App not being available for LPR. I saw that Canadians could use it (my spouse), but I didn't read carefully that it is only for Canadian visitors.
2. An LPR I know went through SFO on Saturday and said that they were asking LPRs to go in the Visitors line, not US resident line - different than usual. Unclear if this is a one-off, or a long term change. That's what triggered this line of inquiry.
2. An LPR I know went through SFO on Saturday and said that they were asking LPRs to go in the Visitors line, not US resident line - different than usual. Unclear if this is a one-off, or a long term change. That's what triggered this line of inquiry.
Oct 8, 2018, 2:01 pm
#7
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You don’t have to clear as a family but you should declare as if a family, even when using separate lines to get to the baggage claim area — no less so if your belongings are co-mingled or may be considered to be co-mingled with that of the rest of the family members in the travel party.
I have seen 1, 2, and 3 work, but I have also witnessed CBP saying that it should be done differently next time.
At most airports of entry to/for the US and most of the times for some years now, yes. But sometimes it’s not been that way and gets changed from time to time at some airports of entry to/for the US.
I have seen 1, 2, and 3 work, but I have also witnessed CBP saying that it should be done differently next time.
At most airports of entry to/for the US and most of the times for some years now, yes. But sometimes it’s not been that way and gets changed from time to time at some airports of entry to/for the US.
Oct 8, 2018, 2:48 pm
#8
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I travelled into JFK T7 (the BA terminal) for the first time in a while yesterday and it seems that now GC holders there have to use the "All Other Passports" line along with visitors - glad I'm now a US citizen! There are also now APC kiosks at T7 but they were restricted to US passports only.
Oct 16, 2018, 4:06 am
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