Can My Spouse Go Through The US Immigration Line With Me?
Dec 20th 2013, 10:41 am
#31
Joined: Apr 2012
Location: CT
Posts: 33,508
Re: Can My Spouse Go Through The US Immigration Line With Me?
Dec 20th 2013, 12:19 pm
#32
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 2,903
Re: Can My Spouse Go Through The US Immigration Line With Me?
From the 'reality' airport shows I've seen, Customs officers are watching more or less from the moment you get off the plane with two-way mirrors and cameras. They know who they're going to stop and search long before you go through the green line.
It's rare you'll be stopped because you have an extra carton of cigs or bottle of booze unless, that is, you look suspicious at any time before you go through the customs hall!
It's rare you'll be stopped because you have an extra carton of cigs or bottle of booze unless, that is, you look suspicious at any time before you go through the customs hall!
Dec 20th 2013, 12:30 pm
#33
Joined: Apr 2012
Location: CT
Posts: 33,508
Re: Can My Spouse Go Through The US Immigration Line With Me?
From the 'reality' airport shows I've seen, Customs officers are watching more or less from the moment you get off the plane with two-way mirrors and cameras. They know who they're going to stop and search long before you go through the green line.
It's rare you'll be stopped because you have an extra carton of cigs or bottle of booze unless, that is, you look suspicious at any time before you go through the customs hall!
It's rare you'll be stopped because you have an extra carton of cigs or bottle of booze unless, that is, you look suspicious at any time before you go through the customs hall!
Dec 20th 2013, 3:47 pm
#34
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Joined: Feb 2010
Location: Los Angeles, California
Posts: 8,427
Re: Can My Spouse Go Through The US Immigration Line With Me?
I've mentioned this story before -- but one time through LHR, it was our then 21-year old daughter who got the third degree. She was in university, but the fall term for UC starts three weeks after what is normal for the rest of the US, so there was a fair amount of questioning about her schooling. The inquiry then shifted as to why we were going to a private address in Cornwall. She truthfully answers "visit my uncle." "How is he your uncle?" Pointing to her mother "Her brother." I see Immigration Officer looking at wife's US passport showing US birth. I finally say something, the most effective four words of advocacy I have ever spoken: 1. He 2. Is 3. Naturalized 4. British. Stamp, stamp, stamp "Have a nice visit." I then had to explain to my two ladies what had happened and why. Their mood shifted from annoyance to amusement.
Dec 31st 2013, 12:06 pm
#35
Cornish Pasty Lover
Joined: Jun 2004
Location: Atlanta Y'all
Posts: 93
Re: Can My Spouse Go Through The US Immigration Line With Me?
Me British passport, Wife & Kids US Passport. LHR, told they can come with me through EU line, Manchester (MAN), Border guy kicked them all back! Depends on airport.....
Dec 31st 2013, 12:45 pm
#36
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Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 88,023
Re: Can My Spouse Go Through The US Immigration Line With Me?
We had a similar experience at MAN airport. Entered on Christmas Day, hubby, daughter, daughter's then fiancé (Canadian) and me. The IO told daughter's finance to go through the non EU line...Merry Christmas.
Dec 31st 2013, 3:08 pm
#37
Forum Regular
Joined: Mar 2012
Location: Kissimmee
Posts: 165
Re: Can My Spouse Go Through The US Immigration Line With Me?
From the 'reality' airport shows I've seen, Customs officers are watching more or less from the moment you get off the plane with two-way mirrors and cameras. They know who they're going to stop and search long before you go through the green line.
It's rare you'll be stopped because you have an extra carton of cigs or bottle of booze unless, that is, you look suspicious at any time before you go through the customs hall!
It's rare you'll be stopped because you have an extra carton of cigs or bottle of booze unless, that is, you look suspicious at any time before you go through the customs hall!
Dec 31st 2013, 3:30 pm
#38
SUPER MODERATOR
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 88,023
Re: Can My Spouse Go Through The US Immigration Line With Me?
It actually starts well before that. I do some work for Customs at Heathrow and other airports and they have dogs sniffing your hold bags when they come off the plane and before they even reach the baggage hall! From some of the work I do, it's amazing how much they catch, usually drugs, by doing that! You're right though, as long as they haven't picked you out then, as long as you're not acting suspiciously you're okay. It's never happened to me, but I usually need to use the loo when I get off the plane, and there are some between disembarking at Hrow and getting to passport control, and I often wonder if they mark out people who disappear like that, in case they are doing something or hiding something they shouldn't be!
Jan 1st 2014, 3:38 pm
#39
Mouthy Yank
Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 2,229
Re: Can My Spouse Go Through The US Immigration Line With Me?
It's never happened to me, but I usually need to use the loo when I get off the plane, and there are some between disembarking at Hrow and getting to passport control, and I often wonder if they mark out people who disappear like that, in case they are doing something or hiding something they shouldn't be!
