anuny

Just curious as to what kinds of questions Immigrations/Customs/Passport Control ask of people while entering ? And what answers we give. So share away those stories here. I start first; here goes some of mine -

Some of the common questions asked at JFK/EWR/ATL (my common POE) are -

How many days I was out of the country ?
Work or Pleasure ? followup Q. s what kind of work ?
**Any alcohol or cigarettes ?

The oddball time a bored customs guy will ask: Any non-bottled food items (Only when coming from Caribbean Islands & CDG)

** Once returning from Barbados, I said yes to how many as I had; two-for-one deals on Mount Gay, this was at JFK, and ofcourse, at ATL, I had two-for-one on a cigarette cartons coming from GRU. Both occasions, the CBP officer just wrote something on the customs form, which then the customs guys flagged for secondary.

As soon as I mentioned in the secondary, this tall linebacker sized dude, said "Get out for here !!!" those *bleep* have nothing better to do than send me cigarette cases"

The JFK secondaries are usually "Against regulation" and waive me off.

Incidently, after the ATL encounter, my next two POE questions after the customary "How many days were you out sir!" was "How many cigarettes ?"

Ofcourse over the decades and hundreds of POEs, there have been quite a few oddball coming in. Most have been post 9/11 TSA "random" or mandatory secondary carryon searches.

Jerseygirl

The last few years we've always been asked...where have you been...what was the reason for your visit and how long were you there for. Land of the free indeed.

robin1234

We usually enter at the port of Ogdensburg, New York.

Last time we came in, about two weeks ago..

OFFICER: What was the purpose of your visit to Canada?
MY WIFE: We went to Brockville for dinner.
OFFICER: What was the name of the restaurant?
MY WIFE: I don't know.
OFFICER (handing back passports): OK Have a nice day.

S Folinsky

The weirdest one I've had was an entry INTO Canada driving a rental car. I was asked: do you have any firearms? Answer: no. Q: Did you leave your firearms at home? A: no, I don't any. Q: How many firearms do you own? A: none. Q: What kind of firearms do you own? A: I don't own any. Got pulled over and our entire family had to wait while the car was thorougly searched.

Weirdest US entry: Returning to LAX from a very short business trip to Korea in January. I was wearing the parka which I never wear in LA -- it never gets cold enough. Cleared immigration with no problem. While waiting for baggage [flew business class -- so no line yet], a customs officer approaches me. Q: Where did you come from?" A: Seoul. Q: how long were you gone? A: four days. Q: Business or pleasure? A: You are kidding, right? Customs guy chuckles "I see your point. Welcome home."

DMDA

Last year I had a stopover in Houston.

Cleared immigration no problem. Got to customs and was asked about the food I'd declared, chocolate, Ready Brek, tea, etc.

Then he wrote on a piece of paper...showed it to me and asked me to pronounce the word...

"WATER"

I think he was bored.

md95065

The three questions (other than the usual ones) that I can recall being asked were:.

"Going to watch the superbowl this weekend?"

"Have you ever been arrested anywhere on planet earth?"

"Have you ever lived in Kentucky?"

(FWIW the answer to all of those was "No" ...)

Poppy girl

Why is your status not updated! go to secondary

How long were you married?

How long have you been away for?

I need to take a fingerprint?


Update well its none of youer buisness how long I was married
I can stay away as long as I like so put that in your pipe and smoke it
You want a finger print be my guest.

The beauty of becoming a Citizen

Jerseygirl

We are US citizens but they still ask...where have you been...what was the reason for your visit...how long were you there?

Poppy girl

Are you kidding lol OMG!

Jerseygirl

No...the last couple of years whether we've entered by air or road...it's the same questions. One time when we were coming back from Canada the IO could see one of the dogs and the asked where the other one was. I've said this before on here but it never fails to amaze me what they know about you.

Poppy girl

I remember a few years ago I was back in the UK and I forget what it was for but they needed a credit check on me...I had just come back from Australia and they said to me 'oh you only flew in yesterday from Singapore true connecting flight and then the guy in the store even knew what flippen airport I came into that might of been a guess but its true scary doo doo hey!!

Big Brother is watching.

Jerseygirl

You can say that again. Early last year I enquired with an airline about booking a bereavement ticket. In the end I decided it was too much trouble and booked a regular ticket online. When I got to the UK...I entered as usual using my UK PP. The IO said...you're coming back for a family bereavement.

Nyz

When I flew back from London this January:

IO: where do you live

ME: LA

IO: Don't you know your address

ME: (in my head you tosser - the address that's on the custom form) but I gave him my address

IO: Have you ever had any problems with immigration

ME: No (totally true)

IO: Go to secondary inspection

Arrgh! So I called him all sorts of names in my head and wasted an hour in secondary with a very tired 4 year old. First time ever I've been sent to secondary since moving here in 2001. I've probably traveled at least 10 times in that time!

Anyway, am waiting for my oath so hopefully won't have to experience this again!

Jerseygirl

Whenever I enter the US from the UK and put 'tea bags' on the customs form...the IO's queried it...marked the customs form and my luggage has been sent for x-ray. Goodness knows what several thousand PG Tips teabags (courtesy of Asda) look like.

anuny

I watched a 0-2 Yankees, wrap up 4-2 win over Atlanta in the World Series, next morning I flew in from Rio (into Atlanta)

ME: So, I see that Braves just collapsed
HE: You really care !!!!
ME: I flew backjust for the Parade