Can anyone share their experience of Pre clearance at Abu Dhabi? I'm confused whether to book via Etihad or Qatar airways. Also I will be using my AP for this trip.


Thank you!!

Abu Dhabi has border control for US bound passengers. Basically, you'll be undergoing through border inspection and your entrance to your point of entry in the states will be treated like a "domestic" one.

Thanks! I booked Etihad as I would not want to worry about the lines at the customs in the United States

I travelled back to US from Abu Dhabi pre clearance in 2017 and it went pretty smooth. There are only couple of flight services are eligible to clear US customs at AUH, primarily Etihad flights. I had to wait only 5 minutes in secondary inspection to get my AP back and no questions were asked. This year, DFW was the port of entry and also went very well but had to wait around 20 mins in secondary but again no question was asked even by primary officer as he just took my bio metrics and sent to the other room for additional paperwork....

Do you only need AP or need EAD as well at POE? I have never applied/traveled for/with AP

What kind of question asked by the officer at OPE if gone to india with TPS advance parole while asylum case is pending ? Is there any hard time or it go through smooth ?

@Gmajor: Thank you for the insight! I have been through Pre clerance from Canada and it was pretty smooth! Just few minutes wait in the secondary inspection room. I just wanted to pass the customs from Abu Dhabi and not worry about waiting in line in the US airports.


@pyackman: Just AP and your passport! that is what i showed and the officer just asked me some basic questions. You can still carry you EAD and TPS approval notice

purpose of visit?

Mainly 2 part process (unless you want to use 48 hours free visa for sightseeing)
Part 1 (Pre-clearance)-- This is conducted by airlines and UAE officials, this is standard for any international flights coming into US. Sometime you could be the lucky one to be part of 'Random selection' but nothing to worry about. Don't get carried away and buy duty free stuffs that is outside allowable limit ( E.G 200 ML of cologne are priced better in Abu Dhabi duty free) they will throw it.

Part 2 (US Immigration)--This is of-course conducted by US officials where you will get entry stamp. Remember the color of your baggage, CBP officer will ask you to verify your luggage on a monitor. Most people have same king of luggage, I had little bit of struggle saying that was my luggage.

Process is very smooth and i have done it multiple times. I would suggest you to give 2 hours for the clearance process.

You mentioned about Qatar or Etihad . If you are fan of in-flight entertainment and services then Etihad is no match to Qatar or Emirates. Etihad airlines is struggling financially and they have scaled back on most of the in-flight services.

@pyackman to visit family member

@farwestern: I searched about free visa but didn't find anything about that. Instead i saw I can apply for tourist visa via Etihad Airways and they will send me an online visa. I do not want to sleep at the airport during long hour transit so I may just get out of the airport and go to a nearby hotel

You are correct, 48 hours free transit visa is sponsored by airlines, use this link https://uaevisas.etihad.com/echannels/web/client/etihad/index.html#/visa/request/518/step1?withException=false&administrativeRegionId=1

If you get a chance, go visit 'Grand Mosque', it is about 20 mins from the airport. Premier Inn is next to the airport, there is internal walkway to the Inn so you don;t even have to go outside the airport. I have used it couple of time and its cheap and best plus has breakfast and dinner for very reasonable price.
If you plan to go out into the city then make sure to have some cash, cabs are easily available and prefer cash, don;t worry they don;t cheat.

@far western: Thank you for the detailed information! Do i click on transit visa or tourist visa?
My layover is at night so i don't think I will get to do sightseeing but lets see

Transit visa. Grad Mosque closes at 10 but try to enter before 9, it's worth seeing.

@far western well my flight lands at Abu dhabi at 9pm lol by the time i exit the airport it would be probably 10

Well that's not going to work, you are flying out of JFK?