secondary inspection

On Tuesday I had the honor of taking a behind-the-scenes tour of the international terminal of the airport in Los Angeles.  While it was not quite as interesting as some of Los Angeles’ other attractions – Venice Beach or Zuma, anyone? – for an immigration lawyer, there was much to see and learn. What many people forget is that possession of a visa does not guarantee entry to the US.  It is the inspector at the port-of-entry to the US who decides – allow the person to enter or not.  For example, a dependent child who receives an immigrant visa and marries before entering the US is no longer considered a dependent and thus not eligible to enter as an immigrant on that visa.  A more typical example is when an individual possesses the wrong type of visa – a student in possession of a tourist visa or a tourist…