Strangest border crossing experience?
Jul 2nd 2015, 6:34 pm
#31
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Re: Strangest border crossing experience?
I am pretty certain your CBP officer would have been an American Citizen...
My guess is that his comment about telling the next guy is a reference to your travel pattern, i.e. that if it made him suspicious, another officer is also likely to to question you.
How often and how long do you visit for? That fact he even bothered to question you makes it seem like your pattern is raising a red flag.
My guess is that his comment about telling the next guy is a reference to your travel pattern, i.e. that if it made him suspicious, another officer is also likely to to question you.
How often and how long do you visit for? That fact he even bothered to question you makes it seem like your pattern is raising a red flag.
Jul 7th 2015, 1:53 pm
#32
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Jul 7th 2015, 2:15 pm
#33
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Re: Strangest border crossing experience?
Years ago now, but when my Mum came to visit us soon after our daughter was born. It was my Mum's first visit to the US, and she was quite taken aback when the CBP officer started to gave her quite a grilling over when was the baby born, boy or girl, was it the first grandchild, etc... And then proceeded to take out a photo of her own newly born grandkid to show to my mum...
Jul 21st 2015, 12:51 pm
#34
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Re: Strangest border crossing experience?
Hey! just a quick question how long were you staying in the US for?
Jul 21st 2015, 6:27 pm
#36
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Re: Strangest border crossing experience?
I can still picture the face on the Italian who searched my bag, crossing from Austria. He thought he had hit the big time, unfortunately for him, he had not got a half pound of heroin, just my powdered milk in a zip lock bag.
Jul 21st 2015, 6:44 pm
#37
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Re: Strangest border crossing experience?
It was his first time out of India, and his Mum had packed his bags for him. She wasn't sure what things he would need, and had heard that English food was rather bland - so packed him a stash of salt in little ziplock bags so he could add it to his food if he needed to.
He was very lucky that he didn't get stopped - as little packets of white powder in your luggage could have taken quite some explaining .
Aug 6th 2015, 6:14 pm
#38
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Re: Strangest border crossing experience?
I remember coming back into Atlanta once a few years ago. The immigration official must have been someone who had never processed a foreign national. He didn't have a clue what to do with my visa - it had actually expired but by i-94 was still valid so was coming back in using Automatic Visa Revalidation. I told him that he just needed to stamp my passport and that I didn't need a new I-94. He did something in the system handed me my passport back and his parting words were, 'Hope I didn't screw it up too much'...
Aug 7th 2015, 11:29 pm
#39
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Re: Strangest border crossing experience?
Hahaha. Might do that just to yank THEIR chains in return for the collective karma...
Aug 8th 2015, 5:40 am
#40
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Re: Strangest border crossing experience?
I stayed in the USA past the date on my first H1B visa. Of course, this is fine, I had already had the paperwork for the extension and just had to get a new physical visa from the Belfast consulate when i left the USA.
However, when I returned to the USA with my new visa the immigration officer had a meltdown about me staying the USA with an 'expired' visa. He told me a was about to be sent home because i was in the US illegally. I said that the University of California told me it was fine but he was adamant. At this stage I thought that the UC system must have got it wrong and I was a little perturbed.
I was sent to secondary inspection, and after waiting quite a while the secondary officer looked at my passport and visa, just rolled his eyes and said go get your bags. I missed my connection.
However, when I returned to the USA with my new visa the immigration officer had a meltdown about me staying the USA with an 'expired' visa. He told me a was about to be sent home because i was in the US illegally. I said that the University of California told me it was fine but he was adamant. At this stage I thought that the UC system must have got it wrong and I was a little perturbed.
I was sent to secondary inspection, and after waiting quite a while the secondary officer looked at my passport and visa, just rolled his eyes and said go get your bags. I missed my connection.
Aug 9th 2015, 8:42 pm
#41
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Re: Strangest border crossing experience?
This. It works, I know, I used that technique myself in a prior role. Keep asking questions, maintain eye contact, and hint that you will find out if they don’t "come clean". It is amazing what people will confess to, and it used to intrigue my colleagues what information I could glean from a simple interview. 
Ask an open ended question then stay silent when they answer. People tend to feel compeled to fill the gap with more answers.
Aug 9th 2015, 9:44 pm
#42
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Re: Strangest border crossing experience?
[QUOTE=tintin24;11685697]So I get to JFK go to the border line as usual and get directed to the officer, he asks purpose of visit, and first strange thing is he's German or something? I tell him I've come to see my girlfriend, and straight away he's asking how we met, how long we've know each other and could he have her phone number to call her and would she verify all this, I said certainly but my phone was dead after the flight so could I charge it to get her number as I haven't memorised it.
Hey, So I was just curious if you have experienced any other problems when visiting your girlfriend? I'm going out there again to visit my partner. Its gonna be my third relatively short visits in the last four months. Struggles of transatlantic relationships eh?!
Hey, So I was just curious if you have experienced any other problems when visiting your girlfriend? I'm going out there again to visit my partner. Its gonna be my third relatively short visits in the last four months. Struggles of transatlantic relationships eh?!
Aug 25th 2015, 2:29 am
#43
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Re: Strangest border crossing experience?
Interesting thread. I have had pretty uneventful experiences but a few to note.
As to the OP, were you traveling on the VWP? I'd guess that anyone traveling on that program visiting a GF or BF would always be looked at a little more esp those in the younger generation. I'd hazard a guess that the IO was making you realize that they are taking a look at what you're doing and lie at your peril. He stamped you in by choice just wanted to get your thoughts going a little bit so you didn't abuse the system. By the look at your post on here he succeeded.
Before I had a visa to work in the US I used to travel quite a bit on holiday and to visit my cousins in LA. Once upon arriving to MIA I got a bit of a grilling. First of he was my best mate and we were talking about politics and laughing. He kept questioning me on what I do and where I worked (I had been to the US about 4 or 5 times in the 18 months beforehand). He was quite busy on his computer much more than usual. He stamped me in and kept looking at me in the eye.
Other than that just the odd question when on VWP. What are you doing in the US? How long are you here or? I do know quite a few friends, most are now married and living as permanent residents in the US that when visiting GFs and BFs have gone to secondary and one that has been denied entry before.
I do remember after getting my L1-B my first entry into PHL, I was in a bit of a state to be honest, 26, said goodbye to my parents at LHR, 2 suitcases, entering a city I had never been in my life with about 3 grand in my bank. Bloke says "where the hell are you going".... I didn't really know what to say "downtown" I think was my response. Had not signed my customs form correctly, he said "got a pen" nervously I said "no". He then said "well you made it, just remember a pen next time". Always stuck with me, coz I had made it. It's since been the best few years of my life and career, won't ever forget seeing that first 3 year stamp on my passport.
As to the OP, were you traveling on the VWP? I'd guess that anyone traveling on that program visiting a GF or BF would always be looked at a little more esp those in the younger generation. I'd hazard a guess that the IO was making you realize that they are taking a look at what you're doing and lie at your peril. He stamped you in by choice just wanted to get your thoughts going a little bit so you didn't abuse the system. By the look at your post on here he succeeded.
Before I had a visa to work in the US I used to travel quite a bit on holiday and to visit my cousins in LA. Once upon arriving to MIA I got a bit of a grilling. First of he was my best mate and we were talking about politics and laughing. He kept questioning me on what I do and where I worked (I had been to the US about 4 or 5 times in the 18 months beforehand). He was quite busy on his computer much more than usual. He stamped me in and kept looking at me in the eye.
Other than that just the odd question when on VWP. What are you doing in the US? How long are you here or? I do know quite a few friends, most are now married and living as permanent residents in the US that when visiting GFs and BFs have gone to secondary and one that has been denied entry before.
I do remember after getting my L1-B my first entry into PHL, I was in a bit of a state to be honest, 26, said goodbye to my parents at LHR, 2 suitcases, entering a city I had never been in my life with about 3 grand in my bank. Bloke says "where the hell are you going".... I didn't really know what to say "downtown" I think was my response. Had not signed my customs form correctly, he said "got a pen" nervously I said "no". He then said "well you made it, just remember a pen next time". Always stuck with me, coz I had made it. It's since been the best few years of my life and career, won't ever forget seeing that first 3 year stamp on my passport.
Aug 25th 2015, 2:35 am
#44
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Re: Strangest border crossing experience?
Last edited by Pulaski; Aug 25th 2015 at 2:38 am.
Aug 25th 2015, 2:40 am
#45
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Re: Strangest border crossing experience?
I did all of the above just was the first time I had a bit of a grilling so was a little unprepared. Anyway I am on L1 visa now and rarely get questioned apart from, what do you do here? Have a nice evening sir.