Entering the US (LAX) with US Citizen - which line to use

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mjt57

mjt57

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My wife, a US citizen, and I are going to the US next week for a holiday and to visit family.

I understand that when entering the US that US citizens go through one line and foreign visitors go through another.

As I'm travelling with my wife am I able to clear customs and immigration with her or do I have to go through the other section?

Reason why I ask is that I hear that the lines in LAX can be quite long and our connecting flight departs for JFK two hours after our scheduled arrival in the US.

Thanks.
 
mjt57 said:
My wife, a US citizen, and I are going to the US next week for a holiday and to visit family.

I understand that when entering the US that US citizens go through one line and foreign visitors go through another.

As I'm travelling with my wife am I able to clear customs and immigration with her or do I have to go through the other section?

Reason why I ask is that I hear that the lines in LAX can be quite long and our connecting flight departs for JFK two hours after our scheduled arrival in the US.

Thanks.
Click to expand...

Im curious about this too, though not married...
 
I'm actually surprised at the lack of info on this subject, despite the huge numbers of people entering the US via LAX. Some of them would be of "mixed" marriage, you'd think.

Personally, I don't care which line that I go through if time wasn't an issue. When I entered the US last year it was from LHR and into JFK. There, some official said that I had to go to the visitors line whilst my wife went to the US citizens line and was processed within ten minutes. I was stuck in the queue for over two hours.

Thankfully we only had a local limo service to call to advise of the delay which wasn't an issue. Had we had a connecting flight in all likelihood we would've missed it.

And from what I've learned you do NOT argue with these people. All the websites that I've read, it can be down to the sole discretion of whatever officer that you deal with as to whether or not you enter the US or are put on the next flight out of the country.

When I did get to the counter the guy asked me if I was travelling alone. I said no, my wife is with me but she's through already. He asked to explain, so I told him. I pointed to "out there" towards the baggage claim, where she was and said that she's a US citizen and that a fellow "over there" said that I couldn't be processed with her. He sort of shrugged his shoulders then processed me.
 
Again, I'm surprised of the lack of info on this.

I would've thought that this board would have had SOME participants who've experienced what I'm enquiring about.

I'll find out for myself soon enough.
 
While I can't answer specifically about the US, my better half is from Belgium and anyone we've ever asked has said we can go through together in an appropriate line. So if we go to .EU I can go with her through their lines, and when we come back she can come through with me through the AU lines (or I with her in the visitor line if it's quicker :p).
 
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mjt57 said:
Again, I'm surprised of the lack of info on this.

I would've thought that this board would have had SOME participants who've experienced what I'm enquiring about.

I'll find out for myself soon enough.
Click to expand...

You and your wife are allowed to fill a single custom/immigration declaration form because (I presume) you live at the same address. IMO you should both proceed to the US citizen lane with that single declaration.
 
Just use the US citizen line. Smile, be friendly and patient and you will not have problems.
 
In HNL a couple of years ago mrsOpusman & I got told off for going through together because we weren't married. Actually we got told off for not being married and advised to do it asap. :confused:
 
I guess you need to ask the queue attendee, they are pretty good I've found.

I did get told once going through with my girfriend as we weren't 'family' ie married we had to approach the counter separately. Not a big deal.

Depends on who you get on the day.:D
 
BAM1748 said:
I guess you need to ask the queue attendee, they are pretty good I've found.

I did get told once going through with my girfriend as we weren't 'family' ie married we had to approach the counter separately. Not a big deal.

Depends on who you get on the day.:D
Click to expand...

But it's been okay other times?
 
Go in the US Citizen line with your wife.
I'm a US citizen have done this before, no issues at all.

Not with your wife though, so dont even go there!

Cheers
BF

mjt57 said:
My wife, a US citizen, and I are going to the US next week for a holiday and to visit family.

I understand that when entering the US that US citizens go through one line and foreign visitors go through another.

As I'm travelling with my wife am I able to clear customs and immigration with her or do I have to go through the other section?

Reason why I ask is that I hear that the lines in LAX can be quite long and our connecting flight departs for JFK two hours after our scheduled arrival in the US.

Thanks.
Click to expand...
 
I've been sent down the US line by staff trying to reduce the queues at LAX on a couple of occasions. So when I had a really tight connection at DTW recently, I went down the US line as it was shorter, explained the situation to the CBP officer & he let me through.
 
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