RuthinHolland

Hi

Please could someone give me a rough idea of how long we may have to wait for immigration at LAX? We'll be arriving on a Thursday afternoon in April, travelling from the UK under the visa waiver programme. We'll have our 3 year old daughter with us so I want to be prepared if it's going to be a long wait!

Thanks.

chartley

In our experience, it all depends if other international flights arrive at the same time. After a long walk to the arrivals hall, you may find your self in a big crowd waiting at a number of separate desks. Each desk has its own queue, although these may be difficult to identify, and people in uniforms will shout at you if you stand in the wrong line. Do not approach the immigration agent until called - wait behind the line.

You will each be given a landing card to complete, and a customs card for each family. THESE MUST BE FILLED IN CORRECTLY!

After the immigration officer has asked you a few questions, photographed you and fingerprinted you, you pass on to the queue for customs. This is not the formality that it is at other airports, and you may be asked questions about things you are bringing into the country. They are very strict about foodstuffs in particular.

If you allow an hour for all of this, you may be lucky and get through more quickly. However, it could take longer.

Do not be tempted to lighten the situation by making small talk or jokes. This will only make the situation worse. The arrivals staff have a difficult job, and take it seriously.

Expect the worst, and you may be pleasantly surprised. These will be the least friendly people you will meet in the USA.

flanneruk

It really IS unpredictable, since by Heathrow standards LAX gets few international flights, but they're practically all jumbos. So the peaks and troughs in people waiting are higher and lower than we're used to.

Personally, it's never taken me longer than 15 mins at LAX from getting off the plane to getting to baggage reclaim - but I've always been fortunate enough to be in Business there, and therefore get to an almost deserted Immigration very quickly. My experience isn't unique: I've actually been caught out meeting colleagues there who got through even faster - before I was there to meet them.

Equally I've met people who've claimed to have waited an hour and more for immigration. With a child, you really do need to be prepared for the worst.

Incidentally, I've never, ever been stopped at US Customs. Had little doggies sniffing me and my bags at baggage reclaim - but the moment the official monitoring the queue as you come into Customs sees the UK passport, they always wave me through.

Odin

I flew Upper Class on Virgin to LAX earlier this year on the way to Hawaii but the immigration hall was already very crowded from other flights. It took over 2 hours to get through immigration but the same journey last year took maybe half an hour to get through.

I don't remember completing a landing card, I think it was only the visa waiver and customs form but I'll try out the online ETA next year.

Gardyloo

Also it depends on which airline you're using. If your airline arrives at the Tom Bradley International Terminal, chances are greater that there will be a long wait. A few airlines (e.g. Air New Zealand) use terminals other than TBIT.

northie

we arrive from Australia under the visa waiver and usually 2 or 3 jumbos arrive at the same time. We find for non US line it varies from 45 mins to 1 hour. Make sure you complete both sides of your cards but usully ground staff check them as you proceed before you get to the desk.

Melnq8

<these will be the least friendly people you will meet in the USA>

You're not kidding - I do everything I can to avoid immigration at LAX and I'm an American.

LAX is a miserable introduction to the United States.

Odin

The US visa waiver can be done online, I believe it is compulsory from next January but can start using it now.

RuthinHolland

Thanks Everyone

We're flying BA into TBIT, so looks like we'll have a long wait. Flying business class though, so may get lucky. We've flown into the US many times before so are familiar with the immigration procedure, usually into Dulles where the queues are very long. I'm quite looking forward to filling in the forms online, at least we (and everyone else) will have done it correctly before reaching the front of the line.

Have to say that I've found the immigration agents in the US no less friendly than anywhere else, in fact they were downright welcoming compared to Canada! Maybe I've just been lucky!

flanneruk

"in fact they were downright welcoming compared to Canada!"

How true.

I've always found every single person behind a US immigration desk, or at a US land border, somewhere between professionally polite and absurdly, over the top, going out of their way to be unnecessarily friendly. In this they're on different planets from:

- the people who marshall the queues. Those at JFK Terminal 4 are manned by people too devoid of interpersonal skills to get into
the KGB.
- Immigration Canada, who seem incapable of comprehending you really do intend spending no more than 45 minutes in their country.

socaltraveler

We have flown home into the Tom Bradley International terminal twice this summer. On one of the flights we were in Business class on AA; the only difference this made was in getting off the large plane ahead of the crowd, but depending on how many planes are arriving at the same time, it probably is not a factor.

The real factor is, of course, how many flights arrive at once, a variable thing depending on too much to even think about. That said, I thought the worst part of the experience was the really long hike from the plane to the Immigration Hall, and frankly, it gave us a chance to stretch our legs after a long overseas flight.

The hall is huge, staffed by people I consider to be quite professional in their manner; I am not looking for casual or friendly here, just decent. And they are. The people who man the lines do a very good job of heading people to the appropriate place, all the while keeping track of where the backups are. I admit that the lines for non-US passports did look longer. As for the immigration officials, this is their job and they take it seriously. So folks, keep the cell phones off as requested, hand over your documents (yes, do fill them out ahead of time) and just answer the questions. If you need humor, there are many comedy clubs in Hollywood for your amusement later.

I would say that 45 minutes to an hour is a good estimate. What actually takes longer is the wait for the luggage and then the longish line to get through the customs line. If someone is meeting you outside the luggage area, keep that in mind.

Sarvowinner

I have seen them pull families with young children out of the queue and fast track them - not every time tho.