How Does It Work Going Though U.S. Immigration

jimmythegreek said:

In Miami or whatever, if you have one spouse a U.S. Citizen with one child also U.S. passport....

But the other spouse has a Dominican passport with U.S. Visa.

Does the one U.S. spouse with U.S. child go through the U.S. immigration line

And the other Non-Citizen Spouse goes through the Foreign immigration line

Or does the whole family go through one of the lines together?

Does anyone have any experience with this one? Thanks.

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On my past experience, we all go in the same line, don't really know if that has change.

Now they have machines in MIA that you can use. But I doubt she can. I would just go to the right where the booths are and both go there together.

Last time I went through as an 'alien' (love that expression.Tentacles and feelers and all) it seems that everyone including US citizens can use the foreigners line but only US citizens use the 'US citizens only' line.
There were US citizens escorting other non-citizens in front of me.

I don't know about the Visa alone but if she has a Green Card, she will be able to go though machine. But just to go though a bit faster with less headache, I would prepare paper works and stand on the line in visitor line because we had to go to visitors line back when machine was not scanning Green Cards.

I don't know about MIA but in JFK and EWR I really don't see it much faster or convenient in anyway. You still have to go though dreaded long lines to see the officers. I like the old system better because if I had walked fast enough, i had no line just go though the first counter that was opened, get stamped and walked out.

I am in the same position, myself and my kid have US passports but the child's mom has dominican passport. I was told at san juan airport to just go in american citizen's line with the dominican wife and go through the process. I think you can go into any line and get it done as both lines have finger print scanners and cameras to take pictures. I would prefer american citizen line because it is quicker. In foreign traveler's line the wait is longer because of the finger print process and taking picture of each individual.
If you are with a dominican passport holder (tourist visa) than you cannot just check in through the self check-in kiosk. You would have to fill out the custom form for the whole family.
AZB

last time through miami. we were told to go through the us citizen line, wife is not a citizen, son, and I are. they done her electronic I94 bio's there. this was in July 2015

Choose the shorter line and go through together.

If you want less aggravation try and get on a line with a Spanish man, preferably older. Do not go to a woman.

Use Mobile passport app and bypass the kiosk and you also get on an express line, it's free. http://mobilepassport.us/

If you use the machines you avoid the kiosk also. But when you leave with your luggage no matter how you went through you might or might not get a few questions.

Also with the machines there is no need to fill out any Custom form. The machine asks you a few questions {check NO to all} and done.

Follow Dolores's suggestion in post #8...

Derfish said:

I'd read them and check yes to those that the honest answer is yes, if it were me.

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10. Are you traveling on a business (work-related) trip?

11. Are you bringing with you:
fruits, plants, food, or insects?
meats, animals, or animal/wildlife products?
disease agents, cell cultures, or snails?
soil or have you visited a farm/ranch/pasture outside the United States?

12. Have you or any family members traveling with you been in close proximity of (such as touching or handling) livestock out side the United States?

13. Are you or any family members traveling with you bringing $10,000 or more in U.S. dollars or foreign equivalent in any
form into the United States?

14. Are you or any family members traveling with you bringing commercial merchandise into the United States?

Derfish said:

How would one go about choosing which officer one goes to? Last time I went into MIA with my Colombian wife was 4 years ago, and she was told to stay by my side. She had her residency though, not just tourist visa.

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Easy, you look at the person that is handling the line. Young custom agents are the absolute worst you can get. Looking to make a name for them self and think they are Dick Tracy.

There are several lines just lay back and look for a nice older Cuban man.

Several years ago when I escorted a young girl to the US for needed vascular surgery, we went through the lane for non-citizens. She spoke no English and would have been unable to understand questions, so I translated.

Just three weeks ago when entering Miami I was told to go through the Alien/Non-Citizen line with my wife. She has a visa and I am a US citizen.

If she has a resident visa (green card) you go through the citizen/resident line and get your receipts from the machines. you stick your U.S. passport or the green card in the machine to start the process then answer the questions. The machine won't accept a foreign passport. After you collect your bags you turn in the receipts as you go through customs on the way out of the terminal.
If you are all family but one (or more) is traveling on a nonresident visa (ie. a visitor) then the easiest way is to fill out the blue immigration form you get from the crew on the airplane. One form covers the whole family. Then you all go through the nonresident line as a group. Best to stay together because they don't like to have people hanging on the other side of the booths waiting for other people to come through.

CG said:

Follow Dolores's suggestion in post #8...

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Absolutely..


Only DR1 could make a meal of this......

Dolores said:

Choose the shorter line and go through together.

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I was told where to go. It was not a choice.

if you go through the american citizen line, they will not make a big fuss over it.
Now here is another revelation i came across my last trip alone to usa. I was at dominican immigration going to usa and I happen to be put in line where they process the minors leaving the country with parent's consent letter. There was a stack of the letter there with 2 pictures pasted on the minor. it was some sort of printed form with bar code in the bottom. I need to go to atlanta with my kid in december and just to imagine going to lawyer, plus immigration office to get stamps plus 2 thousand pesos for immigration fees and then who knows how much the lawyer would charge etc. seems complicated. So I asked if there is an easier way to leave with a dominican born minor. to my surprise the consent letter process doesn't apply to me. I was told my kid is US citizen and the DAD as well (me) so we will both be treated like foreigners. so I insisted the mom is dominican, we all live in DR and the kid is born in santiago. Again I was asked, what passport the kid has and I responded, USA. I was, again, told we are foreigners to them so the rule doesn't apply to us. but there is a catch, if it's the 1st time kid is leaving out of the country without both parents then i will need the consent letter from the mom, since the kid has traveled 3 times already with both parents then he doesn't need any permission to leave, now.
I will take them on this rule and see what happens. I have a feeling rules will change once I have bought the ticket and I am ready to leave with the kid. then I will be told to produce the letter or i can't leave and lose my airplane ticket. I bet I will be offered an alternative arrangement which will cost me dearly. since it will be less than the cost of ticket and all the headaches with the letter process and flight change and penalties etc etc , I guess, 8 thousand pesos will resolve the problem. Hahaha.
AZB