₦airaland Forum

Hello everyone,
My POE story goes thus:
I flew BA via Phoenix to Elpaso TX. Both Flights were supper full and since I asked for wheel chair services I was seated on the row of seats where bassinets are placed. The leg room was great and I wore compression socks which helped I guess, with swelling on my feet. I also took periodic walks in the plane throughout the flight. I was the only black person and preggy one at that on the flight
Got to phoenix was wheeled to the CBP and passed over my passports,
CPB: Hello ma’am, what brings you to USA today? (Typing furiously)
Me: Childbirth (smiling)
CBP: Say again?
Me: Repeated the answer
CBP: How many times have you been here?
Me: 4 times
CBP: What do you do?
Me: Told him.
CBP: How long have you worked there?
Me: Told him
CBP: Do you have funds to cover your expenses and how much?
Me: Yes… $15k
CBP: Please place four fingers on the scanner…bla bla bla (He then stamps me in for 6 months).
(In my head I said wow! Easy peasy!!......oh was I wrong)
CBP: Come with me to Secondary Inspection
Me: Ok
Got to secondary, the CBP left me to speak to speak with his colleagues, passed my passports and landing card to them and left. There was a couple I met there and some other people came in and joined us. If I count correctly, at least 20 more people came in, were interviewed and let go.
Eventually I was the only one left. For 2hrs I sat there and no one said a word to me. My tough guy persona I had employed started to crack…I began to worry and question my level of preparedness.
I told myself that I was well prepared and that this is probably what they wanted me to do….to worry! It’s either this or they simply didn’t just notice I was sitting there in plain view. And I was determined not to say a word until I was spoken to.
I was already exhausted, I told myself feigning sleep was going to be easy. It was too easy. A lady woke me up (I’m sure when I started snoring) and told me to follow her to Agriculture. Got there and I had to wait my turn….this took another hour. Finally they called me…opened my bags and did a peripheral check….saw my food and my plenty chicken indomie and left it (was so sure they would trash it). Asked me where I worked, where my hubby worked, how much we both earned, how much cash I had, asked for and counted the cash, demanded to know why I carried cash? Why didn’t I just leave it in my card? Asked me for Doc’s correspondence….i was taken aback….in my head I was like…. here? ..... In Agric you ask all these questions?? I brought out my envelope containing my documents and tried to bring out the letter. Before I could even open the envelope, the lady took the entire thing from me. And told me not to worry that she’d help herself. She even smiled.
I just sat there while they went through and logged down everything in the envelope. I spent another hour for all this. In the end I was the only Passenger left having spent a total of 4hrs…they apologized for keeping me and gave me my envelope (they kept making mistakes and retyping) and told me I could go. All this while they were all very courteous. I knew there was no way I would make my flight. By the time I was wheeled out, my fears where confirmed. I think I was the only passenger left in that airport. Time was almost 2am phoenix time. Got to AA stand and they confirmed I was delayed by customs and arranged for another flight for me for the next morning and then put me in hotel for the night.
In hindsight, the CBP officers that grilled me in Agric weren’t rude or anything….in fact they were very courteous to me but they did end up keeping me for 4hrs which was very unnecessary as far as i'm concerned...but hey! they probably were just doing their jobs.

Seriously guys, can't we stop fighting?? For the last three pages it's been harsh words amongst us. Yes we are hormonal but Mehn! This is to much now....@Supermom is right...we are killing this thread. There's nothing interesting about reading one harsh reply to another harsh quote. Pls now?

Phema:
Hello my e-family!! How una dey? Thank God for the success stories so far and the many more

Welcome home @phema....I must say this is the first time I have heard anyone spend just 7 weeks when in the US for birthing. It is as though you asked them to make sure everything was ready even before leaving Naija. Well done and I Thank God for you.

MerryMom:
Hello All,

I had my baby girl on Tuesday at Del Sol Medical Centre, El Paso.

Thanks be to God. Excellent service too.

For now, I'm recovering and trying to help baby breast feed. Will update later.


God bless us all.

@Merrymom

Hi Merrymom, congratulations on the arrival of your bundle of joy. Thank God for safe delivery and God bless mom and baby!

belfy:
Congrats Phema and Akelvin, kiss baby welcome.pls a quick question.can u pls list the documents in ur burden of proof for POE.also the consent letter you mentioned who did ur hubby address it to? And would appreciate if you post the format.thank you

@belfy Thank goodness you asked

@phema Congrats on the birth of your LO.......I'm still kinda new here and pls I'm so very interested in your answer.....Thanks.

Larondoo22:
hi @cecebee I will be using Doctoresparati.have gotten intouch with them and they have reply me,I will register with them in January.goggle for Doctoresparati on your system,it will take u to their site,there you will be able to contact them and everything you need to know about them including the bill and the accomodation.

G
@ Larondoo22 thanks so much I finally got thru...sent a mail and they replied. Been looking @ the diff accommodations on offer and comparing.

Larondoo22:
yes oo,I intend to stay in intown suite because I got intouch with someone on this forum too that told me that it's close to all the major shopping malls.i intend using Atlanta as my Poe cos of the straight journey from lag.

Hi Larondoo22, Well truth be told im kinda scared of atlanta PoE. All the stories here about atlanta though successful are mostly near misses. Atlanta seems to be as harsh as Houston. Just my opinion right now but lets see how it goes...i really dont want to be a statistic! mean while you using doctoresparati? have you gotten their letter? been trying to contact them and cant get thru. dont know what im doing wrong.

@tvegas the Guru

Thanks for replying. I think. Didn't see any comment though. But if u say I'm on the right path then I most probably am

@yefa

Thanks a lot...have to admit I'm still trying to figure out how the thread works with replies and such.

@ Larondoo22 and @fruitfull1

It's nice to meet you both... i feel a lot better knowing I am not the only April mum here. Pls have you both gotten your appointment letters? Since you are going to elpaso, I assume you using doctores parati right? Do you plan to stay @ intown suites? I've been thinking washington DC as my POE as I have been there twice and barely had any problems. I need all the advise I can get especially as I have just now started the process and I'm overwhelmed. glad I won't be alone while in elpaso...I thank God for that.

Tots? Thanks a bunch.

Hello everyone, I have decided on El Paso. Pls moms and dads correct me if I'm wrong, what to do first is; 1. Get a Dr 2. Get correspondence from him on price. Send a letter to the US embassy to notify them of my intentions (had my visa before I found out was pregnant) 3. Pay a certain amount (if necessary) to the hospital to demonstrate to PoE that I have every intention of paying.
I read almost the entire thread in 3 days. My head is reeling. I get the general idea of the do's and don'ts but I would really appreciate some guidance.....well actually, some one to just holla back at least for now I'm an April mom who'd love to join this family, find other April moms going to El Paso and also become part of the success stories I have read here.

Ps
Still learning how to use NL, so sorry if post is kinda long

Hi, I'm new here and it's nice to meet all you wonderful mom's and dad's. I'm an April mom who is planning a march trip. Still so very undecided on the POE to use....have read some really amazing and scary POE stories. Concentrating on finding a doctor first. And from what I've been reading on this thread, oak bend and el paso seem to be really worth checking out. I'll appreciate any and all help I can get.