Visa Holders or Green Card Holders / Lawful Permanent Resident: Here is what to expect when you return to the U.S. after traveling internationally
The information made available by the Port of Seattle on this website does not take the place of legal advice. Travelers are advised to contact an immigration attorney to discuss their individual situation, immigration status, history, criminal record, and any other factors that may impact their ability to successfully return to the United States after foreign travel.
Are you a visa holder or green card holder / Lawful Permanent Resident traveling internationally? The Port of Seattle is committed to making our facilities a welcoming, safe, and inclusive place for all people. We want you to understand your rights and know what to expect before you return to the U.S. and go through Customs.
The Port does not have control over operations or entry requirements for arriving international passengers, nor does the Port have any authority over the detention or deportation of arriving international passengers who are deemed inadmissible.
The passenger inspection processes for arriving international travelers within the International Arrivals Facility (IAF) and at our cruise terminals are entirely and exclusively controlled by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP).
International flights that arrive at SEA Airport and do not obtain pre-clearance at a non-U.S. airport arrive into the IAF, where all connecting and non-connecting passengers must process through CBP before entering the United States.
This includes claiming all checked luggage, an inspection/interview by CBP Officers, and then either exiting to Seattle or transferring to connecting flights for passengers going to their final destination.
Visa Holder or Green Card Holder / Lawful Permanent Resident Traveling Internationally
Please review the below considerations before traveling internationally. This is not legal advice, and if you have questions about your specific situation, you may want to hire an immigration attorney.
Consider the following to prepare for passenger inspection when you return to the United States:
- Ensure that all of your travel documents are fully in order. View Traveler's Checklist via U.S. State Department.
- Identify family and/or friends who are not traveling with you and can serve as your emergency contacts. Let them know when you are about to go through customs and your flight information.
- There are informational apps that travelers may consider referencing, such as the “Know Your Rights 4 Immigrants” app which one can be download (in Apple or Google Play). The app can read your rights aloud to an officer in 19 languages, send a text to your contacts in an emergency, and has general information to help you know your rights and other resources.
- Provide your emergency contacts with contact information for your elected Member of Congress. If you are detained, your emergency contacts should immediately call your Members of Congress who can help coordinate with the federal government to find out additional information and ensure access to available support. Look up your members of Congress.
Waiting for Passengers Arriving from International Destinations
- If the person you are waiting for has not cleared Customs and it has been an extended period of time. Call your Members of Congress to help coordinate with the federal government to obtain additional information and ensure access to available support. Look up your federal delegation.
- Contact an immigration attorney
- You can find a lawyer through the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA), a nonpartisan, nonprofit, voluntary bar association. Search to find a lawyer
- Find legal service providers who can answer questions about immigration
Additional Resources
Inclusion or reference to any specific product, process, or service, or the use or reference to any organization, trade, firm, or corporation name is for the information and convenience of the public, and does not constitute endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by the Port of Seattle.
