Anyone been questioned in detail at your home country airport immigration after vacation?

[Ohyesuare]

I return to Canada monthly and don't even talk to immigration so these sorts of things don't come up. So can you unless you're a felon or other problem.

 

Ya with the Nexus pass right? Or whatever its called. I thought about doing that but I'm a lazy fucker.

[pubstud]

I was aske once by a" little I know it all bitch " with a red face and ginger hair at Heathrow ,who sets on her fat ass the whole day earning 20k per annum,crying out loud for a promotion in someone else account...........

Question 1: Where have you been?

answer 1: Thailand

 

Question 2: What did you do whilst in Thailand?

Answer 2: I had sex with women a lot of it

 

She looked at me,I tock my passport back off her and fucking walked off.I answered the 2 questions and I rest my case.

There is fuck- all they could do to me,they let all sorts of cunts in to my country shurly they could let me back in.After all I was born and bred in England.WTF

 

 

Good on ya. My mum is London born but she migrated to Australia many moons ago. She told me on a trip "back home" one time she arrives at Heathrow and this Immigration guy in a turban asks her how long she intends to stay - and my mum has a British passport. She said she lost it a bit and told him this is HER country and she'll stay for as long as she bleedin well likes...lol

[DILLON]

Good on ya. My mum is London born but she migrated to Australia many moons ago. She told me on a trip "back home" one time she arrives at Heathrow and this Immigration guy in a turban asks her how long she intends to stay - and my mum has a British passport. She said she lost it a bit and told him this is HER country and she'll stay for as long as she bleedin well likes...lol

 

Yes it's always the case,They don't stop,search and question the morons that are allowed to walking freely and commit all the crime one can think of and leave when they feel like

once they have claimed thousands of £££££ in benefits,hear a man works hard and goes on holiday for 2-3 weeks the cunt's got the balls to know what I did with my time.LOL

They try this shit on me again I will fucking kick off.

No wonder the majority of Brits are sick of this shit , your always treated like a second class citizen.

Ask me a sensible question I will give you a sensible answer with respect,I understand the immigration has a job to do,however when I look at the streets of London it doesn't look to me

that this is the case "I know it all" Assess are not fit for purposes.

I an due back in LOS in September fro 3 weeks I have already made up my mind,on my arrival at Heathrow if anyone talks blocks with me I will kickoff.

[cyan]

Seems guys from the US might have the most difficult time coming back through immigration. I have been to Thailand and other countries a number of times without incident, but my most recent return was not pleasant. I understand that immigration and customs has an important job to do, but my most recent experience felt like them enjoying a power trip more than anything else. It surely wasn't about making our country safe or protecting against illegal immigration. More than anything it felt like a way to harass the very citizens who pay for this apparatus to operate.

 

Re-entry started on a bad note as I needed to visit the bathroom while waiting in line to meet the immigration officer. All the lines were queued up and I didn't want to lose time so I thought about it and figured I could make it through to the other side and find a bathroom in time. This was after waiting 10+ minutes and noticing that my queue was emptying more slowly than the others, but by this time all the lines were quite deep so I held my place. I finally reach the first officer who asks all the standard questions but can not seem to believe that a single man would visit Chiang Mai alone for holiday. He re-asked a few of the standard questions in a different way and after I responded the same way. e.g. traveling alone, on holiday, no family living there, he proceeded to put me on the special invitation list. If you were female, an military vet, or traveling with spouse then you sailed through, but if were a single male you obviously are up to no good.

 

The special line went very slow, there was only one officer (sometimes two) to service it. They asked a bunch more questions and unpacked all your stuff out in front of everyone else standing in this special invitation line. Which was beside the fast lane where normal upstanding US citizens could enter without being first assumed to be a criminal. Everything was done out in the open, which I did not like. During the investigation, after being asked for the 5th or 6th time why I went to Thailand I had to bite my tongue not to be a smart-aleck. I had enough from these customs officers, if they want to inspect my luggage then have it, but inspecting my mind is off limits.

 

The officer first went through my shoulder bag, first asking me to remove any money I had inside (which I did). Inside he found my travel guidebook and thumbed through it and found a couple of uncirculated 20 Baht notes that I had forgotten about and he made me remove the notes (with a look of mild disdain like didn't I just tell you to remove all your money!?) He then proceeded with the inspection. Finding my camera he asked me about it and asked me to show all the photos... WTF? Can he really do that, is that not invasion of privacy? Anyway I just wanted to get this over with and started showing him the pictures. Mostly boring pictures of the city and mountains, then there was a picture of me and a girl, then picture of more people. I had to explain they were locals I meet and proceeded to take pictures with. After 150-200 pictures I was tired of pressing the button and handed him the camera and told him he could drive. He declined.

 

As I was repacking my shoulder bag, the officer started inspecting my suitcase luggage. Before opening it he asked is there anything inside I should know about? Are there any prescription drugs? After answering, he proceeded. Soon he was asking me again did I not have a GF in thailand. No was not an acceptable answer as he asked me yet again. I was not looking at him at the time as I was repacking the shoulder bag, but he had found a box of condoms. He asked well if I did not have a GF then why did I have condoms? That is when I had to really bite my tongue and not say something sarcastic or something very serious but patronizing about safe sex. I just politely explained that one should be prepared in case they meet a new or temporary girlfriend. He let it go and continued to inspect the rest of my luggage. I had brought back a couple bottles of hard liquor inside boxes and he did not focus on them.

He finally let me go, and I tried to politely ask him why had I been invited to special inspection? Was it because I went to Chiang Mai? He said it was just a random check, but I am sure it was not. There were only men in the special inspection line, no women or anyone who appeared to be traveling with a group. A couple of the guys in my inspection looked to be Thai/Laos/similar so I think they were looking for drug runners. One of the Thai/Laos guys had tobacco or some kind of food/plant in their bag which they confiscated, but I don't think they were going to press the screws on him. I was just glad to get out of there in barely enough time to make my connecting flight. But next time I return I want to understand my rights as US citizen and plan to be minimally cooperative as the law requires. I don't think anyone has the right to ask why you visit a certain place, there could be a multitude of reasons.

[cyan]

If anyone from US has found a pointer on what must be communicated to immigration upon re-entry, a link would be much appreciated. I am a believer in protecting the country's safety and enforcing laws, but it felt like the border inspection went beyond anything that could legally happen inside the borders.

[Perthie]

There's some fairly heavy stories about the arrivals process from different parts of the world in this thread.

 

Travelling back into Perth is usually quite a breeze.

 

I can let myself back into the Country without seeing an Immigration Officer - these days I just have to scan my own Passport and wait while the machine does a facial comparison to my passport photo, then the barriers open and I'm in.

 

Customs have a couple of people wandering around in the baggage claim. They pick out likely customers (like me) that they assume to be safe, ask a couple of questions to make sure you have nothing to declare, and green-stamp your Arrivals Card. After that you just get waved through the Green Channel.

 

I'll probably actually have more delays leaving the Country than getting back in for the upcoming trip. There's a big international Heads of Government meeting being held in Perth the day after I depart, I imagine security at the airport is going to be very severe.

 

I realise it can be a pain to be quizzed on arriving home, but it's always better to try to remain cool and polite. Deliberately annoying the Customs or Immigration folks is likely to get your records flagged, and then you'll get pinged every time you travel. Never piss off the boys with the power.

 

Cheers

 

Perthie

[kansuwan]

 

There are two issues involved here: the fact that you were stopped and the attitude of the immigration officer. On the latter, US immigration officials would win no international prizes for their manner - pre or post 9.11, US citizen traveller or non-US citizen.

 

On the former, any unaccompanied male who travels frequently to LOS, Cambodia, Philippines etc will fit proven profiles of paedophiles, child porn carriers and drug smugglers. Being stopped is the price you have to pay to get people like that placed in custody for a deserved long time.

 

Seems a fair price to me.

[thailearner]

I have had my bags searched on a bout half my trips to LOS they are trying to find extra fags and booze.

 

I have never been questioned by customs about my holidays

[aussiekiwi]

I have probably visited Thailand 15 times in the last 2 years,and never been stopped or searched once,

until last month when i returned to Perth.

The customs officers even went through my camera and the pics in my phone.

luckily, none of the ladies were nude.

[altec123]

I have been questioned in detail a number of times and searched one time. One time at LAX the ICE agent asked me if I was traveling with the guy that he had just checked. I told him "no, I have never seen him before in my life" His response "Are you sure? He was in Thailand also and said you were traveling together" My response, "Never seen him before in my life". Him "Are you sure" Me "Absolutely" He let me go. On another trip I got the full treatment, a bunch of questions, emptied all of my bags (They do not help you re-pack either) and went thru about 300 of the 2500 pictures on my cameras. The only thing he said was "Looks like a beautiful place". On another trip I was grilled about why I go to Thailand so much. I responded by showing them the pictures of my new born son and they let me go. Biggest hassle is explaining every time why I only have a backpack and no other luggage and was gone for two months. My standard response "I have a second home in Thailand that has everything I need". What I want to say is "So you cannot dig thru all of my shit and also to drive you crazy as to why I do not have any luggage".

 

Painful as hell being treated like a criminal, but I am over 50 and ICE agents do profile.. Best to be cooperative with them as you have no rights when you are in immigration. Also, do not get cute with them as far as your computer is concerned. If they think you have anything encrypted and will not let them view it, the computer will be seized and you may or may not get it back in this lifetime. They will crack the encryption, even if they need to ship it off to the NSA.

[cyan]

....

On the former, any unaccompanied male who travels frequently to LOS, Cambodia, Philippines etc will fit proven profiles of paedophiles, child porn carriers and drug smugglers. Being stopped is the price you have to pay to get people like that placed in custody for a deserved long time.

...

You are probably right and I may be naive, but if I would expect the percentage of males who do this are very small. I would think that a pedophile needs to be caught in the act in order for any prosecution to take place. And I would think internet uploading and encryption would be the preferred method to transmit child porn.

 

I don't understand the opium trade well enough to understand if a sufficient quantity could be brought back in one's luggage to warrant the risk. But I would prefer that they use dogs or just inspect the luggage and not ask so many personal questions. I did not dare lie to the officer but after a short while I could understand the mindset of people who make false confessions or make up stories just to get them to stop. I walked out of immigration thinking I should have told them wild mind stories just to get them to stop, or as a gentle way to protest their questions.

 

...Painful as hell being treated like a criminal, but I am over 50 and ICE agents do profile.. Best to be cooperative with them as you have no rights when you are in immigration. Also, do not get cute with them as far as your computer is concerned. If they think you have anything encrypted and will not let them view it, the computer will be seized and you may or may not get it back in this lifetime. They will crack the encryption, even if they need to ship it off to the NSA.

..Rights in immigration is something I want to research more about. That our rights as citizens are suspended as we bring one foot across the border is what I found concerning. I felt they were asking questions and making inspections they could not do withing the borders. Given that there are laws against bring plants and certain materials into the country, I do not have a problem with spot inspections. But asking personal questions is over the line I think (my main contention).

 

Profiling males for reentry from SE Asia while not similarly profiling males for potential terrorist threats is a whole different thread.

[kansuwan]

Profiling males for reentry from SE Asia while not similarly profiling males for potential terrorist threats is a whole different thread.

 

Tried flying in from Islamabad or Lahore?

[Parttuls]

I get drilled every time I return to the US. I sometimes get drilled upon entering other countries. I have a nearly full passport with multiple entries from the Middle East and Central Africa. Now when I get to customs in any country I already have my passport open to an empty page or at least one with entries they should not question. If the customs person does not flip pages they do not ask questions, but if they take a look-see I get drilled. Guess this is not necessarily helpful information, but does demonstrate they have many reasons for being snoopy!!!!!

[Gone with the wind]

I get drilled every time I return to the US. I sometimes get drilled upon entering other countries. I have a nearly full passport with multiple entries from the Middle East and Central Africa. Now when I get to customs in any country I already have my passport open to an empty page or at least one with entries they should not question. If the customs person does not flip pages they do not ask questions, but if they take a look-see I get drilled. Guess this is not necessarily helpful information, but does demonstrate they have many reasons for being snoopy!!!!!

 

Maybe time to get a new passport to get some temporary relief until you start building up your stamp collection again.

If its not nearing expiry, maybe some water damage or something to facilitate a replacement.

[furryman]

Maybe time to get a new passport to get some temporary relief until you start building up your stamp collection again.

If its not nearing expiry, maybe some water damage or something to facilitate a replacement.

 

Last I heard you don't need a reason to get a new one, you can renew it anytime.

[spinmeright]

Mostly i was stopped and asked if i cared any forbiden stuff but one event stood out.It was one of my first trip to thailand .

 

Was passing through custums in stockholms arlanda airport and cause i was red as a lobster after staying in beach all day i stood out quite a bit.

 

Was asked quite a few question and after 20 hour trip i was rather tired and just wanted go to sleep.

 

Customs guy: What was your purpose of your stay in thailand?

 

Me:Sex tourism (At this point i could see his eye and giving me death stare)

 

Customs guy: (I ticked off quite a bit with my previous awswer)What would your parrents say if they found out youre doing this?

 

Me:Why dont you ask them. (My mom was standing right behind me)

 

The guy got all red,looked all lost .At this point i barelly could cointain myself from laughter.

 

He just gave me my passport and said just go.

[DrDepravity]

Classic reply, pykota.

 

But I've got to ask, what was your mother doing there?

[spinmeright]

Classic reply, pykota.

 

But I've got to ask, what was your mother doing there?

 

 

She likes to party, what else i can say?

Edited October 5, 2011 by spinmeright

[dtroll]

you no if there giving you a hard time at customs coming back home you dont have to answer any of there questions. they can not refuse you entry back home.they will bring you out back ransack your stuff try to intimidate you.under the us constitution you have the right not to incriminate yourself so if there giving you a hard time and have time to kill tell them your not going to answer any more questions

 

Thats a good way to end up in secondary inspection and to have an awful lot of unwanted attention.

[partybear]

I absolutely hate my own customs. I just dont have the patience to answer the same question 10 times. Just despise the little retarded wanna be captian americas trying to save the planet from tourists. Average additional screening about every third trip. Have them double check my prostate since their back there anyway. My giggling always tends to throw them off.

[dtroll]

for reentry to the US passport & personal data are submitted prior to embarkation ( I believe its 24 or 48hrs prior) ICE scrubs pax manifests and flags pax for further attention at the desk....all your travel history is on the officer's screen as well as any notes that have been placed in your file....don't be a jackass & don't think you can outsmart them because you will lose...give simple truthful answers...ICE is looking for behaviors and patterns if you fit any of them you will receive extra scrutiny...also just to keep it interesting random travelers are selected for secondary....a any cameras & computers are subject to search and seizure, not a big fan of Wikipedia but http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Border_search_exception ....so move your good pictures onto a thumb drive or memory card and stick in your shoe before you try to reenter better yet move them to the "cloud" and retrieve them later....

 

makes you feel all warm & fuzzy don't it

Edited October 15, 2011 by dtroll

[Spear of Destiny]

I don't talk to any law enforcement officers, ever.

They can have my name and passport details and that's it.

 

I'DD prolly say, "I got a real job, why don't you try it sometime?".

one guy asked me where I get my money. I responded, "the bank, where do you get yours?" that got me sent right over to the search lane.

[Mr. Tomm]

i was checked one time at a different way at frankfurt airport ....

 

i was already outside of the building, waiting for a friend, than 2 guys from the custom comming and ask me some questions and check my baggage .... than i have to come inside with them ... check my two baggages and ask me some more questions about my asia tripp ...

 

was still friendly ... and at least they tell me, that one of his colleague is in thailand for help at the border at the moment ... than i know what will be happen ...