Using 'US citizen line' at immigration control if wife is US citizen and I am not...

[shogan1977]

Anyone know if I - a non-US citizen entering the US under the visa waiver program - can join my US wife in the US citizen line on basis that we are family?

I know this is not only possible, but in many instances required in other countries, but I have no idea re US.

Clarification? :confused:

[Big Harvey]

Unless you become a US citizen, I would imagine you'd be expected to join the non-US citizen line.

In what countries would it be "not only possible, but in many instances required" for someone who is not a citizen of that country to join the line intended for citizens of that country? I've never heard of such a thing.

I'm British and my wife is Canadian. When we arrive together in Britain, other EU countries, or Canada, we usually find ourselves in different queues at immigration. I must admit that the idea of doing anything at immigration other than what the signs tell me to do had never even occurred to me. What's more, from my limited experience of US immigration officials, I certainly wouldn't want to p*ss them off in any way at all, so it's probably easier just to follow the appropriate signs, even if it means lining up seperately.

[strake]

Big Harvey

In what countries would it be "not only possible, but in many instances required" for someone who is not a citizen of that country to join the line intended for citizens of that country? I've never heard of such a thing.


Well, maybe I can help make life a little easier for you....

It's not a problem now because she is a UK citizen but 5 or so years ago, when my wife had a LTR visa for the UK, I queued with her for an hour in the non-UK line to keep her company (I know, wonderful husband...). On that occassion, we were told that in future, she should join me in the "UK queue". We subsequently did this on a number of occassions without any problem or comment.

To make life even easier, if your wife has an LTR or has entered regularly on a Visa before, she may also be able to register for IRIS - as can you. When the machines work, you'll be through in seconds.

UK Border Agency | Can I register for IRIS? (http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/managingborders/technology/iris/registeriris/caniregisteriris/)

You can apply to register for IRIS if you are in one of the following categories:

are over the age of 18;
are a permanent resident of the United Kingdom;
are exempt from immigration control (this means you have no restrictions on your ability to enter and leave the United Kingdom or how long you can stay here);
are a British citizen or you have the right to live and work (right of abode) in the United Kingdom or are a citizen of a country in the European Economic Area or Switzerland;
are a family member of a person who is a citizen of the European Economic Area or Switzerland and that person is living in the United Kingdom;
have permission to enter or stay in the United Kingdom (known as 'leave to enter or remain') for more than six months and that permission will continue to be valid for more than two months at the time of registration;
hold a current visa or permission to enter the United Kingdom (known as entry clearance) and it will continue to be valid for more than two months at the time of registration; or
are a short-term visitor to the United Kingdom and can show you have been given permission to enter the country as a visitor at least twice in the past six months, or four times in the past 12 months at the time of registration.
And, for the OP:
We have friends in the OP's situation, they always go through the US line at Dulles and have never had a problem. Now, whether that is officially allowed, I don't know. A quick Google produced this: using US citizen line? US citizen + B1/B2 spouse both reside overseas - FlyerTalk Forums (http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/travelbuzz/789081-using-us-citizen-line-us-citizen-b1-b2-spouse-both-reside-overseas.html) While it's not "official" confirmation, it seems to be practice at a number of airports.

[Gibon2]

I'd be surprised if it were not possible - as you say, it is standard in many other countries. In Australia, for example, the signs at immigration say "Australian and New Zealand citizens and their families". And while you and your wife are obviously capable of lining up separately, this would not necessarily be the case if it was your child who had a different nationality/passport.

If you can't find the official answer on the relevant US govt website, I'd say just give it a try - I'm sure many do, and even if it isn't officially permitted, as long as you're polite and apologetic the worst that's likely to happen is you'll be told "next time, you have to do xyz...".

[eastern wiseguy]

Good question...and I have learned something. All these years I have been standing in the non us citizens queue whilst my missus flies through . I think my record was 2 hours waiting in line at ORD. Mrs EW thought I was being fitted for an orange jumpsuit.

On the flip side ...when we return from the US into BFS the lines for NON UK/EEC citizens is always shorter....so she wins again.:eek:

This is why I love PPRUNE:ok::ok:

[shogan1977]

In what countries would it be "not only possible, but in many instances required" for someone who is not a citizen of that country to join the line intended for citizens of that country? I've never heard of such a thing.

Big Harv - Thanks to Strake and Gibon2 I think both are lives will be easier in the future... :O

Thank you all

[parabellum]

Suggest you queue with your wife and give her your passport. Let her present both and say, indicating you, "He is my husband", I have seen that work without a hitch before.

[shogan1977]

Thanks Parabellum - will try that :ok:

[Union Jack]

When going through Newark with a US passport holding family member, have been given a hard time for not using the US queue - sorry, line!

Jack

[Cyrano]

When going through Newark with a US passport holding family member, have been given a hard time for not using the US queue - sorry, line!

Jack

Travelled to the US with Mrs C a year or two back - she went into the US citizens' line, I went into the very long "others" line, only to find her rapidly waving me over to join her at the insistence of "her" immigration officer. His advice was that when entering the US together we should always use the US citizens' line.

The other logical reason for doing so: as with all other arriving pax in the US, we fill in a customs declaration form, but (as per instructions) only one per family. The customs form gets stamped by the immigration officer, so either I (or my wife) show up at the immigration desk saying "I don't have the customs form, my spouse has it over there somewhere", or we stick together.

First point (the INS man told us) trumps the second, of course, but I like to combine following orders *and* logic... ;)

[greggx101]

Wow - Ive always used the "others" line while misses swans through US Citz line.

Its a bit of a wait, but shes waiting with the bags all collected and stacked on the trolley once im through...:):ok:

So what about flipping the coin ? on returning to the UK ? My wife has Indefinate Leave to Remain in UK - Can she get in my line at LHR/LGW ? or can i get in hers ? (non EU)

Strake - IRIS looks like the way forward...

[clareprop]

Thank you very much Strake!

Read this thread in Spain yesterday morning and came through LGW in the evening with the "foreign" Mrs Prop who has a permanent Leave to Remain. Into the UK line and straight through no problem and saved us thirty minutes. We've been going through seperate lines for years.
They also told us that my wife can set up her IRIS account next time we travel.
Great result.

[reynoldsno1]

In what countries would it be "not only possible, but in many instances required" for someone who is not a citizen of that country to join the line intended for citizens of that country? I've never heard of such a thing.

Thailand - have done both, and it's far more pleasant and efficient to join my wife in the Thais only line - and the previous visa hassles disappeared as well.:ok:

[barstow]

Though my experience was in the UK (me not the native), I think it's generally accepted customs protocol that if you are married, travelling together, you should both present to the native queue, passports handed over together.

BTW, I've never had problems at any US port's customs, in fact encountered several times at JFK extremely friendly & accommodating staff! :ok:

[Eboy]

About three years ago the man in front of me in a U.S. citizen line at JFK immigration was mildly scolded by the officer for NOT having his non-citizen wife with him instead of over in the non-citizen line. The officer had him wave her over to join him.

[Crepello]

Similar story here - last time through EWR, myself and Mrs C said our adieus while heading for separate lines. A TSA rep noticed and invited me to join her in the US citizen line. Which, for the first time ever, moved more slowly than the visitor line... :{

[minstermineman]

Well - my wife is Indonesian (me British) she has ILR (Indefinate Leave to Remain) - dont know about entering the USA, but when we come back to the UK we just get into whichever has the shortest queue :ok:

If it's the UK queue then we get no problems, if its the 'foreigners' queue, we only got asked once why we were in it and just said we wanted to stick together and were unsure which queue to use and they let us both through with an 'ok - thats fine' - no problems.

[fastrobert]

My wife has a US passport. On arrival as a family in Atlanta we take the US citizen line together, she holds all the passports (our children and I all have UK ones) with hers on top and hands them together to the immigration official. That seems to work without question.

When travelling alone I've tried my luck in the US citizen queue, presenting my non-immigrant visa. I was severely admonished by the official but he still let me through. :=

[WHBM]

Myself (UK) with Mrs WHBM :) , non-UK, we have had all combinations. I have had a bollocking from the Immigration Officer for us being together in the foreigners line, being told we should have both been in the UK line, and on another occasion a bollocking for us being in the UK line, being told we should be in the foreigners line.

It's one of the things you have to accept. The people who put the rules together never envisage such a combination.