MUST KNOW Immigration Questions at the Airport (+ Answers)
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- čas přidán 7. 12. 2023
- To avoid problems, always prepare for these customs and immigration questions at the airport!
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The more familiar you are with the commonly asked questions by immigration officers at airports, the less nervous you’ll be. And the less nervous you are, the less likely you are to say something stupid and have problems.
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i never got to be told to leave....
but it must helped me a lot, to be born next to an international border....
also to be EU citizen in the EU...
and having a strong passport...
i went to the USA and i went home happy!
Atlanta Airport
"What is the purpose of your trip?"
"Business"
"What sort of business?"
"Steel"
"I hope the material and not the verb"
"laugh"
"Welcome to the US+
"What's the purpose of your trip to Venice?" Food and Wine. He smiled.
Not sure it started last year, or this year. But last I heard, they turned Venice into a Disneyland Resort. That you have to pay to get into, and no this is NOT a troll. The fact that they are using the Climate Scam as the primary excuse for this sheity practice however is!
"Do you have any explosives in your checked in baggage?"
"Oh not this time, I needed the space for all the drugs"
I’ve never had problems when travelling in a group but when I’ve been travelling alone I seem to always get grilled and asked a lot of questions. I always print out my flights and all my hotel bookings plus have an idea of the places that I want to see before going on the holiday so I have always been able to get past their questions without being sent to a back room. When I went to Fiji the moment the immigration officer saw those printed out documents he was like “Welcome to Fiji”.
This is definitely a great Tip! I picked that one up from my Father, when we went a few time to visit my step family in Jamaica. Sadly my Stepmom is the only one in her generation who's left. But, going to a private address, something that for all intense, and purpose doesn't exist in Jamaica. I came that close to being ejected out of the Country, thankfully my Father was able to explain my vist more clearly, and I was let go. But, this should be THE SINGLE BIGGEST RULE for anyone going outside of their respective Passports. In my case its the Blue, and Red Ones. (US & a non-disclosed EU Country).
I'm traveling to Germany for a week. Do I need a visa?
@@3CHD Depends on where your coming from. (In the case of the USoA, no. But, IIRC you will have to get a Travel Authorization (e.g. European Travel Information and Authorisation System, or ETIAS, for short.) Again if IIRC, it costs in the neighborhood of 20$(USD), and it has to be obtained now latter than 48h before departure.
Just note it's the same way for any EU Citizen wanting to go to the USoA. (Thankfully some of us have Dual Citizenship, and so have an instant money / time saving cheat code. To elevate such problems. It's also an excellent way to breeze the long immigration lines!
The lone travelers are usually the drug mules based on watching Border Security episodes.
Always carry a printed itinerary of your full trip with you. In Japan I got asked about my return flights to Australia, because I wanted a quick visit to South Korea and then return to Japan. I was asked the same questions in Korea.
The most intense questioning I had was in the USA, after a 17 hour flight. Great. I was there for holidays and see the 2017 eclipse, so the officer started asking me where I'll see the eclipse, and why I didn't choose better location X and Y. He also asked what equipment I have with me. You'd better be ready to quickly answer detailed questions and not be vague, even after being awake for more than 24 hours.
Usually they're good at figuring out if your responses are a bit dodgy but your visit is legit. Once in a while your responses could be perfect but they still give you a hard time.
Another thing that is careless to say, when they ask what your plans are or why you're vacationing here - is to say "just look around or see what there is." Yes, there are people who like throwing darts at a map and just going to see what they can see but it's a really sloppy answer. Even if you have no intention on seeing things, just pull up a travel site about where you're going and put a few things on the list. It's also just not a good place to cop an attitude. Yes, "Where is your husband? Does he let you travel alone?" are really annoying but it's not the time to tell them they're asking stupid questions. Maybe they're a jerk and want you to get fresh with them so they have to keep you longer ... just answer the questions and give them no reason to keep you there any longer.
yah but that example of a question isn’t just really annoying it’s straight up sexist and disrespectful and insulting, but agreed otherwise I guess, I’d still report them if they try to be bigoted though
you have to remember your culture doesn't extend in to every country. In some places it would be uncommon that a woman's family would let her travel without a male family member. If have you have an attitude over it they could decide you are just coming to cause trouble. They also might think a woman traveling alone is a, or coming to see a s*x worker. They've seen the videos of Western women with the teenagers in Jamaica and they don't want that happpening in their country. @@Cassxowary
@@CassxowaryBe that as it may, remember that it's THEIR country; they have the right to ask what they want and set whatever laws and policies they want. If you have a problem with that then well, don't go there; nobody's forcing you to.
Also remember not everywhere in the world has the same culture, laws, rules, and expectations your home country does. Again, if you have a problem with that, don't go there.
i said that in New Zealand and they send me to room for 18 hours !!!!
That's one reasen i will never visit a islam country
I went to London twice in two weeks and was really grilled. My favorite question was, “are you here for medicine?”
Is the uk custom boarder patrol just as bad as America - Canada ?
@@dansari0007 No we can spell Border correctly
Sounds like your passport wasn’t eligible for quicker border entry via an eGate, passports issued by the EU and approx a further twelve countries can use the faster eGates, customs is separate, many countries uses the red/green walk through channel.
@@dansari0007border* US* canada is in america too
@@markylonand more and more know america isn’t a country
I find it easier to print out my Intinerary and keep it with me to show immigration.
The trees are not happy with you
@@marcospark2803 But it is far better to have printed paper copies than to be stranded at an airport with a mobile phone that won't function .
Modern technology is only good when it actually works .
Ditto.
Let's be frank! I am retired U.S. military, and retired from The Department of Justice. I now live in Central America. I am of color, and racial profiling is an issue in questioning! When I return once a year to the U.S., to visit family and friends. I am given the 3rd Degree, still as a U.S. citizen, with a U.S. Passport.
I am very sorry to hear that. Not fair at all 😤
Since when US citizen have to go through immigration?
I am often at the immigration in JFK and LAX and as from Europe I have to go through immigration and while waiting in line and see people with US passports going swiftly through passport check without questions
@@daylightdaylight6612 we're usually asked three or four questions coming back to USA but since most countries only ask us one or two questions, it's fustrating that we face more hassle coming back home to our own country.
@@stevenroshni1228 from what I saw when I standing in line in lax and jfk, US citizen show their passport and just go through
Take up South African citizenship.
These are all scaring the hell out of me. Was gonna go to Portugal for the first time but I think I missed the boat on that one. Seems like it's all a hot mess now. Dammit!!
Awesome compilation! Thanks
We moved to Australia in 1998 for my husbands job for 3 years with a baby and 3 year old and had big boxes of things because our whole house contents was being shipped to us and would take weeks to get to us in Australia. We had a toy clock, that our daughter loved, in one of the boxes and it started to tick and could be heard through the box. They had put our 4 big boxes of things and our luggage in a room where we had to pick it all up. They heard it and we just told them what it was and they said ok. That would never happen these days. I thought that they would have us open the box and show them, but they didn’t.
I flew into Minneapolis from London to end my first around-the-world trip. On the form about what I was bringing into the country, I listed items from Japan, Tapai, Hong Kong, UAE, Switzerland, Germany, and England. I got pulled out of the line and asked several questions. They weren't hard, but had I visited a farm in any of the countries, etc. I ended up leaving sooner than some of the other people who had been around me.
I was held up for 5 hours when I first came to the US - because the school from which I had an F1 education visa could not be reached by the school. I had all paperwork. And actually, I was a student. I got a BA, an MPA, and later a MSN plus RN. My sponsor with whom I was staying was waiting outside the door!
As I am a citizen of an EU country I did not have had that question but the US friend I was travelling with me was asked in Rome what was the purpose of his visit - he replied "Wine, Food, and the Vatican museums" - that was a very fast admitted stamp.
The Italians are mostly pretending they are screening people who fly in, their real effort is only focused on the boats in the South :D The "why you're here" and "Food/Wine/Vacation/Venice/Michaelangelo" exchanges go like a million times a day for each agent :D Half of the time they don't even look at my ID.. XD
I got admitted as if Brexit never happened when I went to France back in 2022, yet we Brits are now third country citizens in the eyes of the EU, which usually elicits questions similar to what an American tourist would get asked. PFA officer at CDG just glanced at my passport, stamped it and I got through in 10 seconds flat. Not a single question asked as to plans, duration of stay or even how much I have in terms of money.
Well, the reason why no one asked you questions in Rome was that you are an EU citizen, and he can only prevent you entry for pretty rare reasons.
Just make sure the purpose of your visit meets the restrictions of your visa/visa free status and don't be embarrassed to share anything about yourself. Like someone who's low income but staying with friends or a woman recently single coming out an abusive relationship.
Going into a country in order to board a ship in a shipyard is an eye opener.
In Singapore, if you travel direct to the ship from the airport, you are still "in Singapore" when you are onboard the ship. You can be standing next to someone onboard that ship who is "not in Singapore".
So when we went on sea trials. I had to go from the ship by taxi to Singapore port immigration, at which point I had "departed Singapore". I had to get back on the ship, and the arrangement was that a boat taxi would pick me up and sail me back to the ship which was still moored at the quayside.
There was no physical barrier stopping me getting off the ship at that point and walking in the Singapore, but doing so would have been illegal as I was "not in Singapore" from an immigration point of view.
Reverse process was acted upon when sea trials were completed.
By the way, immigration into Singapore through Changi Airport was completely painless. Automated passport gates, scan your eyes and fingerprints and you're in. All questions asked are in advance via the online Singapore arrivals card process.
Canada's border authorities--the CBSA, as well as their predecessors at Canada Customs & Revenue and Citizenship & Immigration Canada--always found me suspicious enough to set me aside for Secondary Inpsection. They've never turned me away, and honestly they ended up wasting their own time as much they've wasted mine. But some of their inspection methods and lines of questioning were bizarre. There was a time in my life when I really liked to wear a suit everywhere I went; an inspector once asked "You're here for pleasure. Why are you dressed like you're going to a job interview?" Another time, an inspector saw my medications (in their properly-labeled prescription bottles) and asked me "What will you do when the condition you take your medication for flares up?" (I think the inspector was concerned that I might try to steal Canadian healthcare from Canadian citizens.) They were especially concerned with both what I did for work and how much money I had, since my travels to Canada often involved the country's most expensive city: Vancouver. One little thing that raises red flags to Canadian border guards is if the traveler had just turned 19, since that is the legal drinking age and youngsters like to travel up that way to legally drink and party.
Wow that is so interesting! Guess it’s suspicious to dress nicely now! (Fortunately I don’t think I’ll ever have that problem 😂)
Nothing to worry about - we have no health care to steal.
@@ProjectUntethered There is a growing "dapper" subculture of men who dress up for just about everything - including flights. I think it's actually pretty cool.
They don't care about your travel record.
We were flying from Vancouver to Seattle having just come off a cruise. I was asked leaving the country if I was carrying any marijuana. I was rather stunned, my reply was two part: 1. I don't even smoke cigarettes and 2. If I say "yes" I'm going to get busted, and if I say "no" you aren't going to believe me. It's a lose/lose question. Actually, the guy smiled and replied that it was legal in Canada, it was not legal in Washington or to fly into the States with the stuff. I believe I answered with a definitive "No", told he he could inspect our luggage which was mostly dirty laundry, and thanks for the tip. No inspection. But there definitely was a psychological reaction profile going on. Of course, carrying an unlimited amount of fentanyl across the Southern US border is perfectly acceptable and never checked.
Great ideas and suggestions, as usual! Thanks!
Thanks for the kind words! 😇
Thank you so much for this informative video.I appreciate it
perfect video. thanks a lot man!!!
Your videos are sooo helpful! 🙌🏼 thank you!
You’re very welcome! 🤓
Agreed! Thanks!
13:02 - I always give my travel bags a once-over even though they are "segregated" from my other day to day knapsacks, duffels, etc. I would also advise anyone who frequently goes target shooting to make extra sure that spent shell cases didn't somehow end up in one's travel luggage.
My tip; When packing for a trip, make sure you start with completely empty bag(s), even if you know you'll need to bring what's already in it. Dump it out, empty every last li'l pocket. My moment of shame came when I entered the security checkpoint with a whole(like 100ml) can of lighter fluid in a small side pocket of my backpack! I had bought that several days earlier and forgot about it as I didn't have an actual immediate use of it. My guts wrenched hard and my mind had this long slo-mo scream "OOOOOOOHH SH....T!" as the security guy pulled it out and glaringly looked at me. I can't even recall if I said anything, my mind was busy picturing stern faced guy snapping on gloves for a deep cavity search. Maybe my face told enough that he let me have my bag back, motioned me to move on and just settled for confiscating the tin can of lighter fluid.
Sounds like a lesson you only need to learn once! 😅 same thing happened to me with my special jackknife that I inherited from a loved one.
@@ProjectUntethered ouch. Aaaah daym..! As a knife collector, I can imagine that hurts for sure.
Don't rely solely on mobile phones to store information because they can stop when you least expect it .
I had a problem where the screen of my mobile phone would not open because the button became faulty when I had to travel the airport .
I prefer also to have my travel details in printed paper form because it is so easy to access .
Great education travel video. Your recommendation of watching CZcams videos helped a lot. Got me hooked watching them. DangerTV will give you an idea of what not to say or do with immigration or customs when traveling to another country. Thanks!
Very direct, concise to the point , no fancy shamancy stuff. Just perfect. Thank you
AMAZING video, Sir! Calm and composed, the way you approach this subject!
Thank you for the kind words! I hope it helped!
12:36 i would gp one step further and carry a backup phone too, one unfortunate drop and you could be stranded
thanks alot surely it will help new travelers like myself. 👍👍
After having worked 30+ years in different European countries and visited the US, and Canada on holidays, I only just now - as I was watching this video of yours - realized I never had issues entering any of those countries or getting past airport security controls. I flew mostly alone and always had a hotel confirmation and the date of my return ticket. During many of the
first years, there was no such thing as the European Union. Later travelling here in Europe became even easier with no passport controls. Could it be a reality only for a white Western European woman? Anyway, it was interesting to learn about such questions. I vaguely remember a few questions each time I flew across the Atlantic, - mostly about the departure date. Life has chaged a lot in the last 5 to 10 years and security needs to be firmer.
VERY helpful.
I was grilled when I flew to the US back in April 2022. I have since applied and got approved for Global Entry and it's been smooth sailing ever after. It's definitely worth the $100 to not have to wait in line at immigration, AND it comes with TSA PreCheck, which allows you to keep on your shoes and leave your electronics in your suitcase 🙂
In the past we have gone into Canada for hockey tournaments. My brother always gets pulled aside because he can't answer the question "What country are you from". He always says Michigan. Ugh! Pay attention to the questions.
Ahem
sadly can’t expect more from people who believe their country is america… so I hope you both know it’s not
@@Cassxowary Oh? America isn't a country? Then what is it? Please enlighten us.
@@mrmagoo312 No, America isn't. The United States of America are, though. There are a bunch of other states in America, Mexico and Canada even being in North America.
@@thiloreichelt4199 Everyone knows automatically that when someone says America, they’re referring to the United States. Also, America isn’t a continent, but North America and South America are continents. There are many ways to refer to the United States, including U.S, USA, and America. It’s just a shortened way.
Thank you for your time and posting. But it is so difficult not to run-my-mouth when I'm nervous. ;)
Thought this might be another BS travel vlog. But your information was spot on. I travel frequently and your info is the correct way to clear immigration. I always get stopped at LHR because my bio is the same as some one they are looking for. 15 years now.
I just flew back into the USA yesterday after a month abroad. The customs agent threw in a couple of 'trick' questions so see if I was lying. I live about 100 miles north of Seattle. But he asked me, "Is that near the university district" which refers to an area near Seattle University. I would have to be clueless about my actual home town to think they were anywhere near close to each other. He also asked me about any food I had in my bags - probably related to the stuff you showed like the 50 pounds of fish. I just had a couple of protein bars / travel snacks. The other questions were the usual / obvious for a citizen returning to their home country.
Wow that is a sneaky question to throw in there!
Wait. I don't understand - why do you get questioned as a US-citizen?
This totally prepared me on my trip from Idaho to California, a totally foreign country.
🤣
In Amsterdam we were asked about when we were leaving the country. We were on a cruise and weren’t sure what the first non EU country the agent was good with the cruise itinerary, we had printed out, he figured it out and was glad to help.
I once had the supervisor come over when I wanted to check in for my flight. That was in Munich, and I was going to Beijing via Dubai, with the intention of then travelling to Pyongyang. Of course I had all of this set up, but the lady who was meant to check me in had never seen one of these North Korea group visa before, which is basically just a printout with the names of all the members of the tour group, so she called her supervisor. The supervisor knew these group visa and let me pass. But I do find that a bit stressful, travelling with that printout of the group visa that the tour group in Beijing had sent me via e-mail.
As a Brit I'd always been told that entering the US was a nightmare, but I flew into Miami in the 90s, transiting, and it was a doddle. The authorities were professional, polite and efficient. Two weeks later I returned from the Cayman Islands and the dog patrol was checking everyone. I nearly had a major underwear event when the K9 jumped up and went for my cabin bag. The woman officer said, "You're carrying bananas - they could spread a huge epidemic here. If you'd been carrying two bunches, you would be toast!"
You seem to be confusing IMMIGRATION with CUSTOMS. Not the same thing. so much ignorance on here
@@markylon Fair enough, but you can't skip one and choose another in my experience. They are all part of border control ultimately. The worst experience I ever had was in my youth, when I looked like a hippie. I came back to Heathrow from Goa and I was all set to have the full strip search and rectal examination by one suspicious official, when he caught the eye of his superior. The boss signalled something like "this dude is not sweating and nervous" and the customs officer let me through, reluctantly, IMO.
My point was this video was about what to say and not say when trying to enter a country eg immigration. It was not about Customs where you are dealing with Goods and Items you bring into the country eg cigarettes, smuggling, drugs, weapons etc. Which has nothing to do with immigration. Often people clear immigration only to be turned away at Customs. Or at Immigration they will flag you up as suspicious for Customs Inspection. The point was people seem to think that they're one and the same as you experience them all at the border. But you could then say the check in desk and the coffee shop person are too.
@@markylonI had dogs meet or flight at the jetway. The handler knew her dog well when the dog paid particular attention to a woman behind me. She was asked it she had pets!
As a Polish-American dual citizen I don't have to worry about getting denied entry in either the USA or EU/Schengen Area... my experience flying into Europe is that customs inspections (goods to declare / nothing to declare) is totally honor system and during my last 4-5 trips to Europe I don't recall seeing any customs inspector in the "nothing to declare" line.
Customs and Immigration are not the same thing. Immigration is whether you're allowed IN to the country and Customs is to see what you're bringing IN to the country they're nothing to do with each other
If you're an American at all, you have the absolute right to enter the United States. The only thing is CBP has the right to set the terms of your entry. Are they going to make you pay taxes, fees, fines, and duties? Are they going to bring you over the border in cuffs because you have something on your person they don't like? That kind of stuff.
The weirdest question I got asked at US immigration as a US citizen... I was coming back from Egypt, and when I said that that's where I'd been, she asked if I brought back anything sweet. I wasn't sure what she meant, so I just said "Uh, just tourist trinkets, really." Then she asked "No no, like, sweet stuff." So I said "Well, I got a Toblerone bar and a bottle of rum from the duty free store in Paris [where I connected]." I mean I don't know what else she could've been referring to, but despite how confusing it was, she still seemed like I didn't understand her question but she just let me on through after scanning my passport.
Going to Egypt was hardly an issue... just had to pay for a visa, and filled out a form with all their questions on the plane ride over, basically saying which hotel I was staying in, how long I was staying there, and all that. The immigration agent there didn't even ask me any questions.
That's definitely a weird question!
I dunno, but I've been flying internationally for more than 50 years, including having lived in Europe for about 8 years, I've never encountered any issues.
That's probably because you're not the typical stupid U.S. Ken or Karen for whom this video is catered ;)
A genaral rule is, the better your Passport the easier immigration is. If you have a EU or US Passport you probably won’t have problems. If you have e.g. a Russian Passport problems are determined.
you probably don't look like a degenerate
I am so happy traveling mostly in the Schengen area
Same but it's "oh you're Scottish on you go".
Schengen countries are extremely hostile to African tourists. Even professors who are invited to conferences. The racism is amazing.
I have been hit up a couple times on the money side of things. How much cash do you have on you since our stays can be multiple weeks or months. Then when it is not thousands of dollars/euros/lbs.. How are you going to afford to stay here? hahah Credit cards with X limits... then do you pay off the cards every month? How much money in your bank accounts? After the first time going through that, I now print out our bank statements to show we have the necessary funds to support us. One immigration officer asked how is it you have this much money, what do you do for a living, etc. My answer, save and invest. He gave me the stink eye but let me go after that. As you have pointed out be ready with some info. I am amazed at how many people violate the rules, especially with food. Don't bring any food with you !!!! Not even a breath mint. Make things easy on yourself.
Omg! Thanks for making this vid sharing us the useful tips to fly. I remember during COVID. It hell everywhere. Some from transit flight was told to bounce back cause they didn't have enough documents needed to enter the other country😢. Some was told to take another covid jab or else. Cancel the flight while on transit flight back home
Gadejo, a classic one 😂
Nice tips though
A few years ago , two young ladies I knew (sisters)copped the full 3rd degree from US immigration. The officer could not believe that two young retail workers could afford international travel . He was unaware that the Australian minimum wage was enough to live reasonably comfortably at the time , particularly since they shared an appartment. He staight out accused them of lying when they explained that the recieved four weeks of fully paid holidays, with a 10% loading, every year .
It also mostly depends on your nationality.
Like for my nationality, for most countries I am always stopped for a friendly discussion about my life with the immigration officer.
When I visited India in 2014, I was travelling with my now husband, shortly after we'd gotten engaged. One of the immigration officers asked what our relationship status was. I was so shocked, my brain wouldn't let me answer, so the guy asked my hubby instead, who luckily managed to tell him that we were relatively newly engaged 😂
As an Indian, I can surely agree that Immigration officers here just love to give everyone the Hard time, just for the sake of it.
Wosome video , all the best.
As a working Crew Member of an Airline I would get pissed when they wanted to search my bags just about every flight. I had nothing to hide so I would say "knock yourself out" the agent would often say "you seem annoyed" my answer was "there is no law that requires me to be happy when I am tired" I am sure this did not help. I would only do this in the US because they can not deport me or stop me from coming into the US.
Perhaps the officer was projecting
I traveled a few times to the USA now from europe, to visit my bf and I was pretty lucky so far with the questions. It was, why you here, when you leaving and where do you work? Then if my bf is american and I was asked once if I'm going to marry in the US. But everything went very fast and without any issues. I think many people also overthink it, then they seem nervous and this makes them sus, so just be chill and honest.
good video tho!
Did I see a "Happily Ever Hank" sitting to the right of you? Thanks for your very informative videos and for the entertaining videos of the Hanks :-)
I took my first flying trip out of europe to the US 2 years ago and i got taken for an interigation. i was very scared as i have autism/social axiaty, and this was my first time flying + flying allone, and this was a connecting flight that i only had one hour to get to.
The reason i was picked out was because on my ESTA i put in my information from my ID card, not my passport. Since i filled in the ESTA before i got my passport and i assumed the information was same.. I found out about this mistake the evening before the flight so i had my ID card with my to prove that the information matches up and matches with the passport. i luckely got throu and i was the last on the plane as we took of 5 minuuts after i boarded.
When they asked me if i had any gifts with me i was so scared of lying that i declared the 6 dollars swimming trunks i had with me for my boyfriend XD
Wow, I had no idea this would get so intense for the average person
Some officials have a strange superpower of making the average person feel like a criminal - but I guess they need to add some pressure to catch the bad guys 🤷🏼♂️
It's what they are trained to do, for the example any us border agent is supposed to treat everyone as if they are going to break the visa by default
thanks!
Hello thank you for sharing the information. Can you be please be specific how much money one needs to carry if they are going on dependent visa.
My union sent me to Detroit for classes several times and I drove since I lived about 6 hours away. I cut through Ontario and when I got to the border this one time, the border agent was a total a-hole to me. To the point that he was nearly screaming at me. I did not have my birth certificate and that seemed to trigger him. This was over a year before you had to have it or the enhanced license for entry. Needless to say, when I returned from this trip, I got a passport.
I’m sorry you had to go through that!
One year before? I think You needed a passport then. Or yeah a lot of other documents if you wanted to chance not having one. It was amazing you got through without it ever.
Even before 9/11, in the 90s it was getting tighter
I'm from Barbados and when i visited another Caribbean island(St.Vincent)the immigration officer looked through my passport,and just stamped my passport without a single question.i don't know if it's because he saw i had been to the U.K three times prior and was allowed in each time.
Put everything in a file with organizer. Customs is happier. They will get annoyed if you start digging through pages looking for air ticket, hotel reservations
I was traveling overland from Honduras to El Salvador. When asked for my visa by the border comandante I replied in my best Humphrey Bogart “visa? I don’t need no stinking visa”. I was escorted out of the country at gunpoint
One of the tricks is to see if you stutter your answers eg, What's the purpose of your journey? Holiday! Where are you staying? What's the name of your hotel, what part of the country is that? What are you going to see? How long you here for? They're not really interested in the answers they're looking to see if after quick questions, you don't have a name of a hotel, or you don't know what you're going to see here, if you're lying they will listen to see if you hesitate while your brain tries to make up an answer.
I once went to the states and I said I was here to visit some theme parks, he then said have you bought the tickets yet and I said yes he said are you going to 5 Flags? He was trying to trick me it's 6 flags, a liar might have just said YES, but I said do you mean 6 flags? He knew so let me pass. Had I been lying and said yes to 5 flags he probably would have take me off for questioning.
not everyone is good at being put on the spot and thinking quickly, doesn’t mean it’s lies… I’ll have my hidden disabilities lanyard though so hopefully that helps…
@@Cassxowary yes because people visiting countries for nefarious reasons would wear this too
I went to the US once and the immigration asked how long do you intend to stay... I said as short as possible... :)
That's clever because most Americans and especially border control will act as if it's the best country in the world, and you put that on its head
"Gadejo": Me encanta.
married couples should carry the marriage certificate with them. we got caught out with that trying to fly from Kosovo to Switzerland.
if husband or wife are traveling solo, it is also a good idea to have at least a copy of the marriage certificate.
Great tip! We carry ours with us as well - especially important because we don't use the same last name.
The only time I was given a hard time by immigration was once flying in to the UK in Gatwick in the 70s (I'm Scottish). The immigration officer seemed sure I was an illegal immigrant and kept questioning me for ~3/4 hour.
But now am going for an exchange program and its a 6 month duration then how do i handle it there ? Like when will i return basically its after the 6 months
I come from Latin America. When I was 11 my parents sent me alone to visit my sister, who lived in Canada. They paid for a service at the airport, in which a person was waiting for me at the end of every flight and take me through immigration and to pick up my luggage and handed me later to my sister. What my parents didn´t think is that it would be a red flag for immigration a kid traveling alone. So I had this issue with an annoyed immigration officer trying to ask me "Why was I traveling alone?" or "If my sister was at the airport to pick me up?" but I couldn´t speak English back then, and the person who accompanied me at the airport couldn´t speak Spanish. So it is not common to send kids or teens alone, but if you do, let them know that they will go through extra questions about it.
Thanks. Lots of great info. Hard to know how long you'll be in a country if, lets say, you are traveling up thru Vietnam beginning in HCM and ending in Hanoi. Also impossible to have departure info since again, one could take 3 weeks to travel thru or 3 months if he/she has the time and money.
For most countries (including the USA and England), having a departure booked is a requirement of visa-free entry. Airlines will often enforce this and not let you board if you don't have departure info. (With good reason. If they let you in incorrectly, the fines they receive can be ~$10k, as well as them being required to return you to where you came from.) If you're going to apply for visas everywhere you go, it'll be expensive and time-consuming.
Damn very interesting question thanks appreciate it
I went to Oslo & Prague immigrations (Schengen zone) and the officers didn't ask me anything. Meanwhile in Heathrow airport, they'll ask you lots of questions, and families have to go to the counter together
Could you use the eGates at Heathrow? families with children over 10 can also use eGates .
EU generally just asks for your itinerary (exit flight) and the purpose of the visit. It's super quick 😍
Toronto airport has u.s customs preboarding for flights to the states. Going through one freezing cold January morning for my flight to Florida I looked at the customs inspector and asked him who he pissed off? .”why? He said. I said back to him, to get stationed in a freezing cold post in Canada! He replied, I requested it, higher pay and I grew up in Detroit, I’m used to the weather. He was an ok guy. Once driving back into Ontario at the Queenston Lewiston bridge I got held up at the booth for what seemed like forever! The guard just wanted to talk! He was in a talkative mood, didn’t care about the lineup building behind me, he just wanted to tell me about his life! It was his last day on the job and he was moving to Australia to be with his wife. You just never know what you are about to encounter when you pull up to that border station! Other times I’ve encountered real a holes and they are usually the Canadian border people, and some of the meanest were women.
At the Vancouver Airport, where they also have United States preclearance, I was being interrogated in Secondary Inspection by a CBP officer that I just knew was from Florida. I could tell because he had a sticker from Publix on his tumbler. And the last time I went up to Canada, my Secondary inspector was a woman who basically was some hockey mom from the Prairies that tried to hang me out to dry, but I finessed her.
Yeah, Canadian Border Agents act like it’s their mission to disprove that old cliche about Canadians being “nice”. Got a blast from both barrels at Pearson last June. You’ll have to take my word for it that I did nothing to deserve such rude and dismissive treatment (except being American?)
3:06 purchasing a fully refundable ticket is best but its going to cost a lot more, but you get more perks in return. It also an edge r to immigration officers flying into and out of their country on a " better" airline.
I wanted to use that option once before till I found out the ticket wasn't FULLY REFUNDABLE. You there's a fee.
Thanks for the video 📹 and at the immigration in some countries you can get asked the travel insurance and your travel record as well I know you didn't mention it in this video 📹.
For third world spouse you need a lot more documentation getting into a first world country. There are CZcams videos on preparing for entry and carefully applying for visas, interviews, etc.
@@watersbey25 Yes there is.
Only some models have eSim but on arrival one can buy a local sim ...
I been traveling to two countries soon were planning to Thailand hope everything goes well ❤
Being Irish (Republic of Ireland) and living in the U.K. (Manchester, England) travelling by train and ferry between Holyhead (in Wales) and Dublin, I am very surprised that even post-Covid and post-Brexit, that I’m never asked these questions, even allowing for the fact that the U.K. and Ireland are in a Common Travel Area, where Ireland is still in the EU, nor am I ever subject to full search, yet I see loads of immigrants with EU passports (not Irish or U.K.) passing through Holyhead to Dublin, never the other direction - travel disruptions aside, I’ve never been pulled over, even though I’ve always held an Irish passport in the 21 years that I’ve lived in the U.K. and have extended family in Ireland
Travelling between UK and Rep of Ireland you don't even need a passport. So there's no IMMIGRATION. Don't confuse CUSTOMS with IMMIGRATION
Many years ago, I was flying back from Japan alone. My wife and I left together from LAX to visit her parents, I flew back earlier alone to LAX. The plane was delayed several hours in Narita. It' was a special 747, I think it was on its last flight the captain announced. It's a long flight anyway and I didn't get any sleep and I was extremely tired and cranky. When I was de-boarding the plane security, whoever they were intercepted me and took me to an area LAX to ask me several questions. Why were you in Japan? Business or pleasure? How long were you there? bla bla bla. They took me to another area, and a new set of interrogators and asked me the same set of questions. Then they had another person, asked me the same set of questions again, and when I was answering them for a third time, I was getting irritated. Again, the plane was delayed many hours, and for some reason they decided to pick me out of hundreds of people on the plane to fiddle with.
They wanted to inspect my luggage, which is fine. I had nothing to hide. For some reason, my luggage didn't come out with the rest of the airplanes luggage and it took an extra 20 or 30 minutes and finally it came out. I was wondering if someone had intercepted it. Did this day I don't know why it took another 20 or 30 minutes to come. I'm guessing they found the luggage and x-rayed them again. Everybody was gone that was on the plane by then and the place was empty. I had two pieces of luggage that I had checked. The officers were overweight, speaking Spanish to each other, they seemed excited hoping they will find something in my luggage. It was ridiculous. I'm thinking they're just wasting everybody's time. It's 3AM, I'm tired, I wanna go home.
A Separate person that inspects incoming luggage at LAX went through my things, they were really nice and kind. The way I had packed the suitcases, it appeared that no one had got into them yet. Of course, there was nothing to find. Since they didn't find anything the two guys that were "harassing" me decided now they wanted to strip search me. I'm thinking, oh my God, these guys got nothing better to do, I was so tired. By this time, I was so tired and was over the hump and I didn't give a shit. I was brought into a room, and they proceeded to strip searched me. During the strip search they were speaking Spanish to each other and chuckling, which I could not understand, which I thought was BS. But hey, English is not the official language of America. Of course they found nothing. They kept telling me that I don't have any rights until after you've passed through immigration and customs. After the strip search I gathered all my luggage and everything they handed me a printing that says "WHY ME?" It had it information of where you want to complain to. I was in my 30s back then. Traveling alone. I'm guessing I fit the profile of a drug smuggler. I'm sure I wouldn't of been pulled aside if my wife was with me.
Back then, about a month later, I read in the newspaper that some gal had flown into LAX, they suspected her of drug smuggling. They brought her to a hospital to look for drugs because they suspected her of consuming them for later retrieval. I believe she was in the hospital for a day or two and there was nothing to be found. It was a crazy story, way worse than mine but I was wondering if the same A-holes were involved that flipped me a bunch of crap. She ended up suing them. I don't know what the outcome was, but I imagine she was compensated.
I wouldn't be surprised if those people that were screwing with me, we're eventually let go.
So remember this: Even if you're an American and you come back in to the US, you allegedly have no rights. At least that's what they told me.
I have never had customs ask about my money. I am going to Spain and now I'm going to have to Google that info.
Yeah uh… my friend and I are planning on me getting him the heck out of Egypt cause the place sucks and I have no idea what the process will be like since we’re planning this all early
Know the name and street address of a hotel in the city you land in.
Nice Hotel,
123 main drag,
subdistrict 4,
looks better than "Hotel in ...." on your arrival form
Went through immigration at LHR & when asked what my occupation was gave the officer my title & industry (I am an X in blank industry). He responded by telling me that didn't tell him anything & then started accusing me of stuff. I was just transiting the airport & they had just dropped the transit form (early 2022 when covid restrictions were lifting). He stated that it was still required & threatened to detain me because I wasn't being forthcoming.
Not sure what else I could have said regarding my occupation since I gave him the most exact answer I could... I can't help if they're not familiar with super niche industries. I knew not to be overly chatty, so I didn't offer an explanation.
Sounds like he had a bad case of gadejo
@@ProjectUntethered that's what our Airbnb hosts said
@@3rin817
Please tell us what are your X occupation and blank industry that made him jealous that much. 😅😂
How about filming in the airport security areas?
just sub to this channel.... good stuff. makes me paranoid about travelling.
Hahah I’m glad you subbed, but not glad that I made you paranoid! 😂
Im travelling for conference in newyork next week. Can i book
and pay for a hotel for one day then i ll pay other days while at newyork
When I came back to Texas after visiting Italy in 2017 I was questioned. They ask me why I had gone to Italy. I said a vacation. I had always wanted to see the sights in Italy.
nice bro..
You can make ur etickets available off line with google drive !
6:55 It states in print that "online bank statements will not be accepted."
Going to Canada from the US has me stressed out everytime, had the first smooth border crossing for the first time.
I've gotten some strange looks from immigration officers (American and others), when I say I'm a stay-at-home father.
“retired”
I'd say retired too
It's not hard to get strange looks from these people, infact you will get strange looks by default
@@MuzixMaker Except saying retired in one's 40s, with a kid in grade school gets even stranger looks.
@@kentfrederick8929 “independently wealthy”
Everything depends on 1- what the immigration officer is like 2- your passport 3- racial stereotypes 4- the country you're from 5- the country you're entering 6- the countries they can gather you've been.
I'm a petite Asian Brit (UK) with a completely white name. I travel alone. I will always be stopped for pat downs with a leather jacket on. US officers will often ask trick questions which I laugh at and make a face because it sounds weird. I'm always smiling. They're usually frowning. It's a serious job. They are stressed and busy, but you need to look compliant and happy to make it go smoothly. Sometimes, when I get to places like NZ or countries where it's not as integrated as the UK or US, even on a UK passport they will assume I barely know English at customs and so I'll just play into their biases and not say a word. Makes things easier. Airports have to stereotype through what they see. If you look attractive, they will think you party (do drugs) so wear comfy clothes and don't do yourself up. If you travel alone as a woman you're always riskier, if you're a certain colour they'll make assumptions. I have been asked point blank by US immigration to tell them my life story because my name is white. I replied that it's because I'm British. They said, but your parents aren't right? I made a face. And I said yes, they are. This confused the officer but I didn't answer further and they let me through. Don't make it a fight but you don't need to over explain like you have something to hide or did something wrong. Be confident and pleasantly professional, not arrogant. The best experience I've ever had was going through Finland's immigration. Even though I was there for a job interview and this was post Brexit, they were jolly and chill and it took no longer than 15 seconds. Always be honest with short answers, and don't leave room for any misunderstandings. If you don't speak good English or whatever language of the place you're going, always take a friend who is fluent. I've gotten a friend through Canadian immigration when they were being given trick questions on a study permit because I could interpret. They tried asking trick questions cos my friend and i had been friends for well over 10 years and they thought I was escorting them through the process and that we were strangers. So if my friend had been alone there would've been many ways they could've been forcibly tripped up despite having documentation to be there legally. It's like preparing for a mini job interview. Give honest answers and what they want to hear within what is the truth. That part in the video about stating an exact duration of stay even if you're not sure is a great example. They need you to be sure and it to be legal. They aren't gonna check in on you after to see you didn't lie because in most cases you have a return flight anyway. They are trained to give these interviews in a specific way and you just need to give clear answers so they can move you along.
On my recent trip to the US, I was taken to another room for questioning just because I had a visa denial in 2018, I’m wondering if that’s normal for anyone who has had previous visa denial.
I suppose that depends what it was denied for.
This happens at land borders, too. I threw off a few officers because I'm an average looking white guy and I used to travel to and from Mexico a couple of times a month when I was living in Arizona. I had a Mexican girlfriend at the time and also went south of the border for charity work every so often. I never went to Mexico to camp at a resort or vacation in the sense people think of when it comes to Mexico, but they never asked me more than the usual questions. Body language and tone of voice told me they thought it was weird, if not outright funny, but not suspicious. Haha.
Only got a secondary inspection once because said girlfriend and her mother started an argument while I was answering an officers questions. Guess that didn't go over too well.
Haha latinas sure do love to find ways to add drama to a situation 😅
I am always carrying hard copy. Never fails,
If they put your name on stop listbin cyprus because you are illegal in cyprus, is this effect going to another european country, and how many years do you need to delete your name from the stop list