Hi all,
Many thanks for all the help that people have provided on this forum during the past eight months - my CR1 visa turned up yesterday afternoon, with flights booked for early next week. A very stressful journey has almost reached it's conclusion (touch wood)!
I had a few other questions regarding what I need to do upon first entry into the US (mainly practical questions, I suppose) if anyone had any input - I don't want to mess it up now...
1. The Mysterious White Envelope - the one which shouldn't be opened/tampered with/looked at etc. - says that it must "not be packed - it must be hand-carried". Presumably this means it mustn't be put in checked luggage (obviously) but putting it in your carry-on is fine. Surely it doesn't literally mean that, if the Border Official sees you taking it from your carry-on, he'll have you on the next flight back to the UK, does it? Seems a silly question, but if there's a choice between abiding by the letter of the instructions and the spirit, it seems safer to go by the former in all cases re: US visas..!
2. Various people seem to have had different experiences of which Immigration queue to use when arriving at the Port of Entry - it would seem quicker to use the US Citizens and Green Card holders queue, but is this acceptable or (as not yet technically processed as a Permanent Resident) will I be sent packing to the non-US line?
3. USCIS advise that the actual 'Green Card' will pop through the letterbox in around six months' time. I've seen anecdotes suggesting it is generally much quicker than this - should I start to get worried if I don't receive anything after two months or so?
Thanks for everyone's help on all this - with any luck I'll soon be in a position to assist others who are just starting out on the same adventure
Whitby
Many thanks for all the help that people have provided on this forum during the past eight months - my CR1 visa turned up yesterday afternoon, with flights booked for early next week. A very stressful journey has almost reached it's conclusion (touch wood)!
I had a few other questions regarding what I need to do upon first entry into the US (mainly practical questions, I suppose) if anyone had any input - I don't want to mess it up now...
1. The Mysterious White Envelope - the one which shouldn't be opened/tampered with/looked at etc. - says that it must "not be packed - it must be hand-carried". Presumably this means it mustn't be put in checked luggage (obviously) but putting it in your carry-on is fine. Surely it doesn't literally mean that, if the Border Official sees you taking it from your carry-on, he'll have you on the next flight back to the UK, does it? Seems a silly question, but if there's a choice between abiding by the letter of the instructions and the spirit, it seems safer to go by the former in all cases re: US visas..!
2. Various people seem to have had different experiences of which Immigration queue to use when arriving at the Port of Entry - it would seem quicker to use the US Citizens and Green Card holders queue, but is this acceptable or (as not yet technically processed as a Permanent Resident) will I be sent packing to the non-US line?
3. USCIS advise that the actual 'Green Card' will pop through the letterbox in around six months' time. I've seen anecdotes suggesting it is generally much quicker than this - should I start to get worried if I don't receive anything after two months or so?
Thanks for everyone's help on all this - with any luck I'll soon be in a position to assist others who are just starting out on the same adventure
Whitby