Going through customs

[party]

To those who have taken there Girls back home, this might sound like a stupid question, but when going through customs in your home country( mine Australia) does your girl just come through the gate with you marked australian passport holders or do you both do seperate gates ?

[neil123]

Dont know about aus, but in the UK you go through the same gate, but theres 2 different passport control desks, one for UK passport holders and one for other foreign nationals, sometimes if its busy you can use either

[kd_traveller]

I presume that you are talking about immigration as there are no separate lines for customs.

 

In Australia you would normally have to go through separate lines although when one is not busy they will divert people to the other line, therefore if you want to stay together I would suggest that you go through the non-Australian queue with her and plead that you made a mistake if anyone says anything about you being in the wrong line!

[firewight]

Stay with her & if anyone asks just say its her first time & you'd like to stay together...

 

Not really something to worry about to be honest, they are not gonna be assholes just for the sake of being assholes IMO...

[Seedy]

When flying back into Thailand with my TGF we both go to the Thai passport control, never had a problem and no queue

[RCR]

I used to do this job. The scanners can handle all nationality passports so it is strictly not necessary. But... go through the Foreign passport queue and stick close to the girl at all times. Front up to the officer together. A lone Thai girl looks suspicious and will get hassled. If you are travelling together and split up at Immigration, that looks suspicious. Try to pick a MALE officer. Don't be overly affectionate to your girl. Act like a married couple.

 

The reason to go through the foreign queue is that new officers are often started on processing Australian passports until they get up to speed. New officers can be overly gung-ho due to inexperience or wanting to impress their supervisor.

 

Make sure your girl hasn't sneaked foodstuffs or wooden items into her bags. If she has, make sure they are DECLARED on the Incoming Passenger form. If your girl is sent for a Customs or Quarantine inspection, stay with her, even if you have been given a free run.

 

And, even though you didn't ask - here's more tips -

 

Do NOT present your passport in a plastic sleeve or cover.

 

Do NOT  have loose business cards, cash, paper clips, bookmarks, etc in your passport when you present it.

 

Do NOT try to talk to the officer about the weather or the footy.

 

Do NOT breathe your vile smelling, germ laden airplane breath over the officer.

 

Do NOT try to use your phone while in front of the officer.

 

Have your damn cards filled in.

 

If you travel frequently, carry your own supply of Australian and Thai Incoming and Outgoing Passenger cards. It's easier to complete them on the ground before flying.

[key visa thailand]

Good post and good info and to most common sense,

[party]

cheers for all the info

[Gone with the wind]

Definitely stay together and use whatever queue is the shortest...which is generally the Aus one, but I've used the foreign one too and never had an issue.

[wildcolin]

Im a Brit with an Aussie wife. I have been advised on a number of occasions by Immigration officers (at Perth) that if we are travelling together we should go through the same queue and it doesnt matter if it's the Aussie one or the Foreign one. Never had any issue with using the Aussie one in 10 years.

[key visa thailand]

Yes we advise all our clients to try and travel together especially on her first visit and go through together on the Aussie side,

[DarksideTours]

I came in thru Gold coast in January with Mrs Darkside on a tourist visa.  I was taken from the foreign queue and put in the aussie queue.

 

She took longer but as her paperwork was all in order, there was no hassle.

 

She was not allowed in my aisle and I was not allowed in her aisle.

 

may have just been the officer going thru the line, but she checked all passports and sorted passengers accordingly.

 

Dont panic, just follow the bouncing ball.  If you are on the straight and narrow you have nothing to worry about.

[the barman]

Coming through Perth it doesn't seem to matter which you use. You've got both aus and foreign passports, just pick the shorter queue. But do stay with her, it's never happened to me but if someone tried to separate us I'd just say no thanks, it's her first time.

[Scumbag]

We have always gone through the Australian Passport holders section and never had any problems. Never leave her by herself.

 

When entering Thailand we go through the Thai nationals section. Sometimes they have to go find a proper stamp but it is never a problem.

[dave01]

Use the small scanning machine for your PP (if available) , then stay with her in the foreigner line. U need a new type passport for this to work...

[Scumbag]

Use the small scanning machine for your PP (if available) , then stay with her in the foreigner line. U need a new type passport for this to work...

If you mean the autogates that is not possible. You would have to wait on the other side of immigration while she goes through the normal channel.

[dave01]

If you mean the autogates that is not possible. You would have to wait on the other side of immigration while she goes through the normal channel.

No

 

I just did it in Sydney

 

Scanned mine and stood with her while she was processed... no problem.. immi officer just gave mine a quick perusal... done.. so in reality, I guess was processed the same as her, but no problems at Sydney at all.. I guess my point is, that u too, can go thru the foreigner's gate if you wish

[sinbad5]

I used to do this job. The scanners can handle all nationality passports so it is strictly not necessary. But... go through the Foreign passport queue and stick close to the girl at all times. Front up to the officer together. A lone Thai girl looks suspicious and will get hassled. If you are travelling together and split up at Immigration, that looks suspicious. Try to pick a MALE officer. Don't be overly affectionate to your girl. Act like a married couple.

 

The reason to go through the foreign queue is that new officers are often started on processing Australian passports until they get up to speed. New officers can be overly gung-ho due to inexperience or wanting to impress their supervisor.

 

Make sure your girl hasn't sneaked foodstuffs or wooden items into her bags. If she has, make sure they are DECLARED on the Incoming Passenger form. If your girl is sent for a Customs or Quarantine inspection, stay with her, even if you have been given a free run.

 

And, even though you didn't ask - here's more tips -

 

Do NOT present your passport in a plastic sleeve or cover.

 

Do NOT  have loose business cards, cash, paper clips, bookmarks, etc in your passport when you present it.

 

Do NOT try to talk to the officer about the weather or the footy.

 

Do NOT breathe your vile smelling, germ laden airplane breath over the officer.

 

Do NOT try to use your phone while in front of the officer.

 

Have your damn cards filled in.

 

If you travel frequently, carry your own supply of Australian and Thai Incoming and Outgoing Passenger cards. It's easier to complete them on the ground before flying.

 

Great advice. You forgot to say "present your passport open at the picture page"!