3 generations at immigration question.

[andyhen]

As I've still plenty of time before my jollies next summer and queries i have tend to be asked or talked about on here and think i know just about all i need to...

except...

there are six of us going to orlando next year. me and my partner who were last both in the states in 2015. my daughter (last time in the US 2008 and her partner who has never been transatlantic before) and my two grandkids who also have never been in the us before.

Now i do all the planning and booking and want to face immigration together as a group of six but when we get asked who has been since 2008 that splits us in two groups of three. I appreciate my DD will just stay with her partner and two kids when three of them get black crossed but is it ok to assume my and my GF can join them at the desk when they get sent to see a desk officer or will we be ushered through without them?

[Mr Tom Morrow]

OP. The crux here is living in the same household. I assume you dont all live together?
In that case you have 2 distinct parties and thus will fill in 2 seperate US Customs & Immigration forms.
However the Guys who direct you to the Immigration officers desk are really good and if you tell them you are 1 big family but don't live together they may send you up as one group - be directed by them.

They wont allow you to come back to the I.O's desk once you have been cleared for entry.

Personally I would just forge ahead with your Partner, use the machines and let the other party catch you up. That way you can hopefully start collecting the luggage.

[andyhen]

cheers tom... wasn't aware of the different address side of it.

[ianc]

I second what Tom said (he has obviously read the words on the top of the customs declaration form). Going through as 2 groups also means you can use 2 kiosks in parallel or see 2 different officers at the same time, which is marginally quicker than all crowding round one. They have lots of staff telling people where to go and where to stand - just follow their instructions. Minors are processed as a group with the parents. The baggage claim is immediately behind the officers' booths - just a few feet away - you'll probably be able to see each other through the glass, if one gets through more quickly.

[Jeff456]

Glad to see that the groups should be split by household, that means we will be 3 different groups rather than one group of six which is a relief to me as it would have taken much longer as a 6!

[Thorpy]

In my experience they mix it up a bit. It's certainly most commonly by household, sometimes they will want cohabiting boyfriend and girlfriend up separately if not married etc.

As Ian says, they will tell you what they want, and if it's not what you're expecting, just go with the flow.

In the past I've seen people moaning that the officers weren't smiling, and weren't polite. Their job is to protect their country, not to welcome you. It's not your job at this point to tell the officer they are doing it wrong, or to let them know it's pathetic if they pedantically make you fill something in again, your job is to get a stamp and be on your way. The officer could be as discourteous as they want with me, I'll apologise and do as I'm told. If I get the stamp, I win.

That said, there's no reason for them not to give me a stamp, and I've never had a bad experience yet in 14 years, and 10 trips.

[Mazascouser]

Myself and daughter go through as at same address and mum has to go through by herself as at another addres. This has happened to us twice right pain as mum is a bit forgetful and has hearing problems last time the officer she had would not let me stand by her while she answered his questions. He eventually called be back to his desk and then asked me the same things. Not a nice experience.

[xcited]

Even the same household can get split, my mum who lives with us wasn't allowed to go through with us, she had to fill her own form, was a nightmare as she can hardly see, so I went to fill in her form for her and was told off. Then she had to go through to another bit to have her case searched, and we were ushered out of the airport, she came out about 45 minutes later. I was in a panic as she had no idea where we were staying, travel dates etc because I had organised everything. I found it quite stressful, but mum was fine, and the staff were very nice to her.

[Granbran]

I am taking my DGDs who obviously live at a different address but assume we will go through together. They are to young to go alone.