Getting Married - Tell the truth or lie to border control?!?
Jan 13th 2014, 9:10 pm
#31
Joined: Dec 2001
Location: Dixie, ex UK
Posts: 52,448
Re: Getting Married - Tell the truth or lie to border control?!?
Right but busy doesn't necessarily mean more passengers. It's the ratio of immigration officers to passengers that is more important. Maybe they just don't have enough at Charlotte. Or maybe I've just been unlucky to arrive from Mexico at the same time as a bunch of other international flights. Washington Dulles is also a busy international airport and I've been to secondary there too. Personally I don't see any correlation between how busy the place is and how likely you are to have issues with immigration officers. If you're suggesting busier means you're more likely to be waved through, that has not been my experience.
I am interested that you, and others had problems at Charlotte, because that is where I had my worst experience, though admittedly that was 15 years ago when there were only, I think, three transatlantic flights a day into Charlotte, very few, if any, international flights to the south, nor, I think, any to Canada either.
Jan 13th 2014, 9:24 pm
#32
Often not so civil...
Joined: Apr 2010
Location: The Boonies, GA
Posts: 9,561
Re: Getting Married - Tell the truth or lie to border control?!?
Atlanta is ridiculously easy to get through - I told them I was getting married and she didn't ask me a second question. It sounds like your bad experiences may have had alot to do with you rather than the Officer - if you present yourself with suspect circumstances then you have to expect that they ask more than just the basic questions.
Jan 13th 2014, 10:04 pm
#34
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Aug 2013
Location: Clarksville, TN
Posts: 392
Re: Getting Married - Tell the truth or lie to border control?!?
I got sent to secondary at Dulles last month. Why? When asked what forms of currency I was bringing back into the US, I said Sterling and Euros (not large amounts). The question then became why did I have Euros when visiting the UK. Answer: I connected via Schiphol. Question: Why wasn't Netherlands noted on customs form as a country visited. Answer: Connecting flight, only flight side....off to secondary I went.
Jan 14th 2014, 1:22 am
#35
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Sep 2010
Location: Maryland (via Belfast, Manchester, Toronto and London)
Posts: 4,802
Re: Getting Married - Tell the truth or lie to border control?!?
I wasn't necessarily meaning busy per se, but the major hubs that have handled large numbers of international flights for several decades (might) have a cadre of pragmatic experienced CBP officers, as opposed to newer international hubs like Charlotte, where my experience has been that the CBP officers are more "edgy". I will concede that this argument may be less persuasive as CLT has grown and receives more international flights.
I am interested that you, and others had problems at Charlotte, because that is where I had my worst experience, though admittedly that was 15 years ago when there were only, I think, three transatlantic flights a day into Charlotte, very few, if any, international flights to the south, nor, I think, any to Canada either.
I am interested that you, and others had problems at Charlotte, because that is where I had my worst experience, though admittedly that was 15 years ago when there were only, I think, three transatlantic flights a day into Charlotte, very few, if any, international flights to the south, nor, I think, any to Canada either.
Jan 14th 2014, 1:24 am
#36
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Sep 2010
Location: Maryland (via Belfast, Manchester, Toronto and London)
Posts: 4,802
Re: Getting Married - Tell the truth or lie to border control?!?
I got sent to secondary at Dulles last month. Why? When asked what forms of currency I was bringing back into the US, I said Sterling and Euros (not large amounts). The question then became why did I have Euros when visiting the UK. Answer: I connected via Schiphol. Question: Why wasn't Netherlands noted on customs form as a country visited. Answer: Connecting flight, only flight side....off to secondary I went.
Jan 14th 2014, 2:00 am
#37
BE Irregular
Joined: Jan 2004
Location: Tampa Bay Florida
Posts: 4,849
Re: Getting Married - Tell the truth or lie to border control?!?
The chances of getting denied entry if you admit to intending on getting married, whilst carrying a wedding dress, are out weighed by the chances of getting further immigration benefits denied, like AOS/PR, Citizenship, each of which will involve "swearing" you have never lied to gain an immigration benefit before. In my opinion.
Jan 14th 2014, 3:48 am
#38
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Mar 2008
Location: Santa Cruz, CA
Posts: 4,913
Re: Getting Married - Tell the truth or lie to border control?!?
The chances of getting denied entry if you admit to intending on getting married, whilst carrying a wedding dress, are out weighed by the chances of getting further immigration benefits denied, like AOS/PR, Citizenship, each of which will involve "swearing" you have never lied to gain an immigration benefit before. In my opinion.
Look what happened to Martha Stewart ...
