US Government Shutdown 2019 - Experiences

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Arrived at SFO on Wednesday on CX flight from HKG. We were 1st to land but at least 2 other International flights arrived just after us. Customs cards weren't handed out on or flight, and after I ducked out of the line to get one and fill it in, I has gone from about 30th to 200th. There were 4 agents processing non US arrivals with another 2 doing wheelchairs. After the wheelchairs were finished one too over on the normal line while the other closed his station. A lot of those we saw had Police jackets rather than TSA. As most of the passengers were Chinese, it appeared to hold up the processing time per passenger, with some taking 10 minutes or more. At one point, one of the officers came up to the line and asked if there was anyone who could speak Korean and translate for him

It took me over 2 hours to get through immigration, so I was glad I had a 3 hour buffer to get to my domestic flight. I pity the poor buggers on the later flights, as when I got through the line was nearly 3 times as long as when I had joined it.
 
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Arrived at SFO on Wednesday on CX flight from HKG. We were 1st to land but at least 2 other International flights arrived just after us. Customs cards weren't handed out on or flight, and after I ducked out of the line to get one and fill it in, I has gone from about 30th to 200th. There were 4 agents processing non US arrivals with another 2 doing wheelchairs. After the wheelchairs were finished one too over on the normal line while the other closed his station. A lot of those we saw had Police jackets rather than TSA. As most of the passengers were Chinese, it appeared to hold up the processing time per passenger, with some taking 10 minutes or more. At one point, one of the officers came up to the line and asked if there was anyone who could speak Korean and translate for him

It took me over 2 hours to get through immigration, so I was glad I had a 3 hour buffer to get to my domestic flight. I pity the poor buggers on the later flights, as when I got through the line was nearly 3 times as long as when I had joined it.

Why are you filling in a customs form?
 
You need to fill out a customs form if you aren't able to use the APC kiosks.

Thanks, i have not come across that yet. Will keep that in mine as i can see if that holds you up, (and how quickly that hall fills up), can put you back an hour.
 
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