Immigration lines at the airport - Which line to stand in?

Hi everyone!

I know this has been covered before with varying answers, but I am trying to find some definitive info.  I am a US citizen married to a UK citizen and I have an FLR(M) visa.  We will be traveling together to the US for the first time in a few weeks...  Can we both go through the US passport holders line at the airport - and vice versa when we come back to the UK: can we both go through the UK/EU passport line?  Are there any official rules/guidelines on this, or are we just at the mercy of whoever is working in immigration at the airport that day?

Thanks for any advice!

You should be able to go through the US line together, however in reality, it will depend on whoever is working the immigration line that day. We've gone through together at Newark quite a few times, but were told that my husband had to go to the non-citizens line when we got to the front of the US line at Logan. I don't think this was correct, as I saw a US/UK couple a few people ahead of go through with no problems (they just never got questioned while in line) but in the end, we didn't really want to argue with this guy. He did say that I could go through the other line with my husband, but I just went ahead so that I could get the bags.

We generally use IRIS when we enter the UK, so no separate queues.

I can tell you what happened to us coming back into the UK from outside the EU. DW (she the US citizen) went in the "other passports" line and I went in the EU line.
The IO said to her she needed to fill in a landing card, she said she was coming in on a spousal visa and he said she still needed to fill in the card but he asked where I was, when she said I was in the long EU line he told her to bring me into her line and we were through in no time. He explained that they do that in order to expidiate the queues, and I guess there's less questions if they see we are travelling together (coming from Turkey)

This was at Manchester.

So I guess we'll ask when we go to the US in November but I suspect you go in together as that would reduce the questioning your husband would face.

Whenever Dh & I travel to the States & back to the UK {I'm the US Citizen} {Dh is the UK Citizen} we both go through the same line we haven't had any problems they just usually ask him where he is headed an he says visiting my family then they scan him an send him on his way. when we are coming back to the UK we both go through the EU line we always have my landing card on the page that has my ILR Visa then they just send us through. this is at Heathrow & Chicago airports.

You definitely should go through the EU line if travelling together in Europe.  In most countries, if you would normally require a visa, you will not normally need one provided you have proof you are married.  Going into the EU spouse's home country, you will still need to obey by their rules regarding spouses of citizens, but you can still travel together using the same line.


ETA:  I believe those with permanent EEA residency can go through the EEA line when travelling alone.  I don't know if this is extended to ILR holders or not.

I normally ask the attendants directing people and both my husband and I go in whatever line they want us to.  As long as we go through immigration together, what line we go through is not worth fussing about, especially if the officials seem unhappy with us going through the EU line (that happened to us at Manchester Airport, so we both went through the non-EU queue.)

I normally ask the attendants directing people and both my husband and I go in whatever line they want us to.  As long as we go through immigration together, what line we go through is not worth fussing about, especially if the officials seem unhappy with us going through the EU line (that happened to us at Manchester Airport, so we both went through the non-EU queue.)

That is what we've done.

I've always just gone through to whichever line is shortest! Never had a problem!

You should be able to go through the US line together, however in reality, it will depend on whoever is working the immigration line that day. We've gone through together at Newark quite a few times, but were told that my husband had to go to the non-citizens line when we got to the front of the US line at Logan. I don't think this was correct, as I saw a US/UK couple a few people ahead of go through with no problems (they just never got questioned while in line) but in the end, we didn't really want to argue with this guy. He did say that I could go through the other line with my husband, but I just went ahead so that I could get the bags.

One question is your surname different from your husbands?  This could be the issue...

If you're travelling with the same name you're considered family, so you can go through the line together in either country...  Otherwise you may need to carry a certified copy of your marriage certificate / license as proof of marriage.     I've seen couples get split up in the US, but that was because they thought they could go through together because they were together, but weren't actually married.  Likewise, my in-laws went through immigration with my husband just before our wedding because they all have the same surname, however my SIL had to go through on her own because her surname is different.

My surname is different from my husband's and we go through the same line.  I've never carried a copy of my marriage certificate.  There is no law that says you need to change your name. 

The FLR says spouse of with the name of your spouse on it anyway.

The FLR says spouse of with the name of your spouse on it anyway.

Spouse visas issued overseas include the sponsor's name as I understand it, but FLR(M) issued in country doesn't (my visa doesn't have any indication of the actual category whatsoever, actually, let alone my husband's name!)

Thank you all for your replies!!  

The FLR says spouse of with the name of your spouse on it anyway.

Spouse visas issued overseas include the sponsor's name as I understand it, but FLR(M) issued in country doesn't (my visa doesn't have any indication of the actual category whatsoever, actually, let alone my husband's name!)

I have one of the new ID cards and although it doesn't say my husband's name, it does say "spouse/partner, leave to remain" - and my old visa in my passport does have his name on it.  I was planning on carrying my marriage certificate just in case anyway...

We're going to try to go through the same line together and see what happens!  I wish it didn't depend so much on who was working at the time, but like a lot of things I suppose that's just the way it goes!  

Thanks again!

sorry, I should have clarified that the old style FLR(M) visa stickers don't include the partner's name (or as I said, visa category.) And since I switched from a work visa I don't have an old visa with that info either! Glad the ID card is a bit more up to date, though

There is no law that says you need to change your name.  

I'm not saying there is, I'm just saying that sometimes just by the quick glance that some of the IOs have at your passport they determine by the different surnames (without paying attention to Visas) that you're not married and split people apart by that decision alone...  Was just using it as something to bear in mind cause some of them can be power tripping little Hitlers when they want to be.  

One question is your surname different from your husbands?  This could be the issue...

If you're travelling with the same name you're considered family, so you can go through the line together in either country...  Otherwise you may need to carry a certified copy of your marriage certificate / license as proof of marriage.    I've seen couples get split up in the US, but that was because they thought they could go through together because they were together, but weren't actually married.  Likewise, my in-laws went through immigration with my husband just before our wedding because they all have the same surname, however my SIL had to go through on her own because her surname is different.

Yes, my passport is in my maiden name, but that wasn't the issue here. The person at the front of the line at Logan (not even sure if they are immigration officials) never saw our passports. He just saw my husband's green I-94 form, and said that he had to go in the other line. I told him that we were married, and asked if we could go through together, but he insisted that while we could go through the non-citezens line together, we couldn't go through the US line. I don't know if this is actually policy at Logan (we have gone through together at Newark a few times) or if this guy just didn't know what he was talking about. Probably the latter, which is why I say that it's down to whoever is at the front of the queue, although it seems that people are generally able to go through the US line together with no problems.