Questions and Answers

Hi,

I am flying DEL – AUH – JFK (first segment in business and then in first class) with my wife. I am on H1B visa and she is on H4 visa. Can we use the pre-clearance facility in Abu Dhabi? I don’t know the fact of premium class matters in such case. The details on Etihad’s website is really vague.

Thanks!

All passengers use the pre-clearance in Abu Dhabi.. it’s not optional 🙂

At AUH, all US bound flights use the pre-clearance immigration to enter the US, so yes, you will be able to use it. It can get quite busy so make sure you give yourselves enough time!

I believe everyone is [I]required[/I] to use the pre-clearance facility. You will want to give yourselves plenty of time, but there is a small lounge in the cleared area for premium passengers.

[QUOTE=”Rahul Grewal, post: 30914″]Hi,

I am flying DEL – AUH – JFK (first segment in business and then in first class) with my wife. I am on H1B visa and she is on H4 visa. Can we use the pre-clearance facility in Abu Dhabi? I don’t know the fact of premium class matters in such case. The details on Etihad’s website is really vague.

Thanks![/QUOTE]
As said above, the use of the facility is mandatory for passengers of US-bound flights. I myself have used the facility, so I’ll give you a rundown.

After arriving from Delhi, you will go through the messy and crowded general transit security checkpoint, but the premium lane might make that a little bit better. Then you have a little bit of a walk to gates 58-61 which is pretty much where your JFK flight will leave from. After clearing the first security check, if you have time (2+ hours until next flight), then I would use the Etihad first class lounge in the main terminal. The premium lounge after the pre-clearance facility is alright, but I like the F class lounge much better, and since the last time I went, Etihad made a new first class lounge so that would be better. Once you go through the facility, you cannot go back into the main terminal, which is why you should enjoy the F class lounge first if you have the time.

So upon entering the facility, you will be given an immigration card to fill out, which you don’t have to fill out if you have a US passport. There will be a couple counters that will verify your passport and boarding pass, then will direct you to the lanes leading to another security checkpoint. This other security checkpoint you will go through will be far more intense. You will have to remove all electronic devices and power them on and pass them through the x-ray machine. However, I traveled through here before the electronic ban was made a law so I’m not sure how your laptops and tablets will be handled after. Each of your bags will be searched thoroughly. And they will inspect every inch of it. They took close to 5 whole minutes just to inspect a tube of crest toothpaste and a stick of deodorant. But after searching through the bags, then they scan you yourself and let you go through. Next is the immigration stuff. If you have a US passport, there are special electronic kiosks you can use and it will ask you several questions about what you are carrying, origin and destination, etc. Then it will take a photo of you and print a special receipt, which will be stamped by an immigration officer. If you don’t have a US passport, then you will have to fill out the immigration card given upon entering the facility. After all that, you are now in a quiet and separated section of the terminal where only US flights depart from. The premium lounge is to the right just after exiting the facility. Other than the premium lounge, there was a small snack shack that sells hot/cold foods and beverages. The whole process took about 45 minutes for me alone, so I’d keep an entire hour aside just in case.

That’s pretty much how your experience should go assuming nothing has drastically changed ever since I went through the facility recently, other than the electronics ban which was not yet in place when I went through the facility. Hope this helps and please do ask if you have any other questions.