US Immigration

From watching the border agency tv shows (as someone posted above, clearly an irrefutable source of information ), they do have access to your baggage. People have been turned away (in Australia, I think?) for packing chef's knives (which wouldn't be allowed in hand luggage so would have to be in the checked bags).

I don't know how immigration and customs coordinate their efforts, but immigration does appear to have access to your bags before they interview you.

I saw that episode! She was adamant she wasn't going to find a job, despite having copies of her resume with her.

Hanging out with al qaeda?   Drug running?  Tax evasion?  Plotting with North Korea?  Killing someone and being a fugitve?  Any number of things can be considered dodgy!

Obviously living in another country doesn't make you a criminal, and it does get old the questioning, but they don't have to let you if they suspect you've been up to no good, just because you're a US Citizen.    

My point is is that US immigration seem to think that everybody entering is up to no good until they question them.It's a guilty until proven innocent type deal ever since 9/11, which is sad. Also, I think the TSA should be abolished but that's a subject for another thread.

my problem in Charlotte was long before 9/11. I suspect the IO that gave us such a hard time is long since retired.

And shall we just say that it was apparent that he was in a position for which he was not particularly qualified....and while I have an opinion about how he got to where he was, I won't voice it.

I've never before or since had issues with immigration or customs. If I got that kind of (almost) abuse again, I would ask to speak to a supervisor. But I'm old and cranky, don't knowingly break any laws, and give straight-up, truthful answers. Some of these folks DO abuse their power.

I'm pretty sure the number of bags is probably listed somewhere within the passenger information. I find it hard to believe that it's not automatically attached to whatever record is created when you check in. But who knows what comes up on those screens when you get there.

Yes, good point.

I remember a colleague who was going to New York for 2 nights to see Bruce Springsteen so only had a carry on and they questioned him a bit on that and why so short a stay before coming to the same conclusion we have of him - crazy! 

I remember a colleague who was going to New York for 2 nights to see Bruce Springsteen so only had a carry on and they questioned him a bit on that and why so short a stay before coming to the same conclusion we have of him - crazy! 

Sounds perfectly sane to me! But what do I know, I'm from Jersey. Liking Springsteen is in the water...   Also, he's absolutely fantastic live so it's almost worth the flight. Really.

Sounds perfectly sane to me! But what do I know, I'm from Jersey. Liking Springsteen is in the water...   Also, he's absolutely fantastic live so it's almost worth the flight. Really.

Agreed!!

I heard all these horror storys about USIOs but after several trips have never encountered a problem. I have traveled there 4 times within the last 12mths & found the IOs at DFW & Houston to be polite & efficient so much more than the UK opposites at LHR. However I think I may be up for a bit of a grilling next time. Last time in Houston the IO looked at my passport & said " you been here a few times this year.. are you living & working here?" I replied " nope , as much as I like it here I have young kids & other comitments back home to deal with first, plus my wife really wants to live in the UK & if shes happy so am I." He just laughed stamped my PP & told me to enjoy my stay.

Now when I got back to the UK I noticed he had,nt written a date on my stamp. I got talking to a frend of mine who used to be an IO at Dover & he told me that could be a discret flag up.. so be prepared for it next time I go there. Anyone else heard this ?

Certa.

I have flown into Logan many times with my Brit. husband with never an issue, same in LA and San Diego and Atlanta.  Many of the folks in immigration are really nice and say something like 'Welcome Home'. However, the single time we went through Philly left such a bad taste in our mouths that we will never fly thru there again.  My husband is Orcadian and very broad spoken - the man at Philly immigration spoke Urban Philly-Southern which as a native New Englander I could barely understand. (I had been to Philly many times and never had any problems understanding anyone before.)  He could not understand my husband, my husband and I couldn't understand him.  He was trying to tell us to have my husband put his thumb on something but my husband is blind and couldn't see what he was pointing to and I couldn't figure it out.  In the end, the guy ended up screaming at the both of us, I was almost in tears and my husband was shaky.  It was dreadful experience.  Looking back we should be able to laugh at two dialects clashing but his whole attitude was so threatening that even now -  six years on I can't laugh.

I came in through Logan last night. The IO was perfectly nice and just confirmed that I lived in the UK now, asked who I was visiting and how long I was staying. He wished me a pleasant trip. The rest of the TSA were complete jerks on a power trips though. If anyone had a question, they treated them like idiots and absolute scum. Any answers given were with complete disdain. 

I had a good experience coming through US immigration in Philly with my British husband ( couple weeks ago when we flew in for my dad's funeral).  There was a young guy directing people with questions as to which line to get into, etc.  I told him I was American and my husband is British, but the last name in my passport is my maiden name.  I asked if we should get into the same line or not.  In a South Philly accent he said cheerfully and proudly, "Yeah, if you're married and you *say* you're married, even if your names are different you can go through the same line.  Anywhere in the US you can do that!" (whether or not that is true, I don't know.)

The immigration officer at the desk actually was funny and made a little joke about the town where my husband was born.  Even about the hospital I was born in (I know, it doesn't sound funny, but it really took some of the stress out of being asked questions that seem so serious at the time).

DH has had the most hassle at Philly. Logan can be tricky too. Part of the problem is he always travels light -- just a carryon. He gets the "why isn't your wife living with you?" line a lot.

DH has had the most hassle at Philly. Logan can be tricky too. Part of the problem is he always travels light -- just a carryon. He gets the "why isn't your wife living with you?" line a lot.

We only had carry-ons too and no-one seemed to be worried about that.  I can understand why they might question you hubby not living with you.  It must be a pain to have to explain that every time.

I find the US Border Agents to be mostly A-holes but luckily I have never been intensely questioned. They have, however, intensely questioned my fiance who has each time said "friend" and "we have known each other for years".
I find their questions ridiculous mostly and yes they try to trip you up. Some are smarter than others and really know exactly what questions to ask. Some are not and are just fishing and the questions are irrelevant.
We are a same sex couple and cannot apply for a spousal visa in the US as the federal govt does not even recognize us, thus the "friend" status.
To make matters worse (and you can see my other posts for more of the story) the US denied my fiance's F1 student visa AND her closely followed B2 tourist visa as we are now under the gaydar radar....too many visits, too long and my name on the SEVIS as her source of support. It's a mess.

I've been questioned when going back into the US via Newark.  They say hello in a nice voice, you hand them your passport then their voice turns ugly.  The potential to be polite is there... but nope.  I was asked why I went there, did I have a visa to visit for so long? I had to explain that you don't need a special visa to stay up to six months. Then who did I visit, was I going to marry that person, am I in love, where am I going to move to?

Some of the questions are just so stupid.  It really gets on my nerves the amount of quite nosey questions I get asked and I have to answer them. Sometimes I feel almost bullied.  What other service do you really run into this kind of bologna?

I try to amuse myself thinking of scenarios of everyday places if they asked you these things.

For example at the Post office trying to mail a package or letter.

Post clerk asks you where you're sending letter/box, asks your relationship to this person.  Do you see them often? Do you two have a relationship?  Are you getting married? *Opens letter or box* Reads contents.  Sorry, halfway through this letter the writing seems different. Oh, your hand got tired you say? Hmmph, I'm sure it did.  You put 2 x's and 2 o's by your signature. I thought you just said you were friends!? I see you're sending them the Tesco brand chocolates over say Thorntons. Well, I guess you might just be friends.  Carry on...

I think these sort of questions from IOs have less to do with Americans being annoyed and more with IOs establishing your individual credibility. I suppose asking for your entrance clearance in the UK would demonstrate to American IOs that you're law-abiding since they want to question law-breakers, citizen or not.

I remember getting some grilling questions in CANADA (a country I have zero ties to) while I was transiting back to the UK after a brief holiday in the US. It wasn't a huge deal but I remember being surprised by the nature of her questions. I thought I would get questions about my *brief* visit in Canada rather than my business in the UK. I understand that if the IO thinks I'm fishy and up to no good in the UK then I could pose a threat to Canada, but it still caught me off guard.

I also remember reading about a British IO abroad who stopped a woman with a visa to the US because she had suspicion that the passenger was lying. Don't even get me started on a few of my UK IO encounters--amazing that you can have entry clearance and get treated worse

I suppose when citizens demand for border security, more questions and suspicion at the immigration desks is only natural.