What immigration lane do I use as a group? [closed]
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If I am travelling to the US with a non-American friend/girlfriend/boyfriend/international school group (of which some need visas), which lanes do I use, especially if ATC is involved?
Do the same rules apply if I am travelling with a spouse?
I am mainly asking for entry into the US, but I would be interested to hear how this works in other countries, as well.
Moreover, this question is more intended as a reference point for the future in case this type of situation arises for me.
Best Answer
Probably the official answer is that each adult should use the lane appropriate to her circumstances.
That said, in practicality, in the US and elsewhere, a small group of two or three may stay together and use the fastest line. By a small group, I mean perhaps an adult citizen with his alien parent, someone travelling with a disabled person using a fast lane, or a married couple (where one spouse is not a citizen). I am not talking about friends or colleagues travelling together.
The immigration inspectors are not specialized for any purpose, an immigration inspector in the "Aliens" lane can process a citizen and an inspector in the "Citizens" lane can process a tourist, if they so choose, and they will understand that a family will want stay together.
But this is bounded by common sense. If someone has a complicated visa process that will take some minutes to arrange, then he should probably not be in the citizens' line holding everyone up. If one traveller entering the US has a valid Automatic Passport Control slip and the other needs to be fully processed, then they will be separated.
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Who can use UK eGates?
Use the eGates for quicker entrya British citizen. a national of an EU country, Australia, Canada, Iceland, Japan, Liechtenstein, New Zealand, Norway, Singapore, South Korea, Switzerland or the USA. a member of the Registered Traveller Service.Can you stay in Europe for more than 3 months after Brexit?
Now that the UK is outside the EU, British passport holders can stay for a maximum of 90 days per 180-day period. UK passport holders can cross an external EU border using just a valid passport and stay anywhere in the Schengen Area for up to 3 months.How does immigration know when I leave UK?
Contents. The coalition government committed in 2010 to reintroducing exit checks. From 8 April 2015, we will collect information on passengers leaving the UK as we do for those entering. Exit checks will provide us with vital information that confirms a person's exit from the UK.Can I travel to Europe with settled status?
The UK will stop accepting nationality identity cards for entry to the UK for EU citizens after 1st October 2021, with some exceptions. These exceptions include having settled or pre-settled status, in which case you can continue to use your national ID card to enter the UK until at least 31 December 2025.Open or closed: Is Germany a country of immigration? | To the point
More answers regarding what immigration lane do I use as a group? [closed]
Answer 2
My experiences entering the US suggests that a group can use any line as long as at least one member of the group qualifies for that line. These experiences include:
Being told by a CBP officer to take my European girlfriend with me to the US citizens line (15 years ago or so).
Entering the US through the "A and G visas" line when traveling with my wife who has such a visa, even though I am a US citizen. I also did this with her before we were married.
The basic principle seems to be that a group can use any line for which at least one member is qualified, and they don't seem terribly strict about the specific definition of group. I've never used automatic passport control, though, so I don't know how that affects this.
Answer 3
Regarding your side question: For the Schengen area, family members of EU/EEA citizens with the appropriate residence permit can use the EU lane. That's because the immigration officials will only check their identity, not the purpose of the visit or whatever.
A "mere" boyfriend/girlfriend won't have those papers.
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