GLBT Travelers - Approaching passport control w/ my partner

My partner and I recently got domestically partnered in the state of Wisconsin. We are flying internationally soon and will be re-entering the United States in ORD.

I know married couples can always approach passport control together. Can we now do so at ORD?

I don't think so - it's the same issue that regardless of what each State may or may not do with the issue, Federal law still won't recognize your relationship, so you'll need to do it separately.

This is much the same issue of why people can marry their partner in several States, but yet cannot sponsor them under the Federal immigration program for a visa - I agree with the other poster who mentioned that some guy can bring a random female into the country much more easily, even barely knowing her!

Unfortunately, this is one of those areas where a lack of recognition means that things are very inconsistent. Some agents don't have a problem with this; others do. That being said, if you each present separate customs declaration forms, you are much less likely to get any pushback if you go to the booth together.

I've never had a problem with this, and I always assumed it was OK for any group traveling together, to approach at the same time. Not once have we ever been told otherwise or been given a hassle.

This is a good discussion. Partner and I have always presented ourselves separately but now that we have twins (and we are both legal parents and both listed on he birth certificates), it will be interesting to see what happens.

My partner and I have always presented ourselves together....home or abroad...without issues.

In the US we always go separately, we've been yelled at by the customs agent for going up together and one of us was told to get back in line and wait for the next agent.

Never had a problem anywhere else in the world, actually at LHR we went separately and the agent asked if I was travelling with anyone. I said yes, and he motioned my partner up and asked why we didn't come up together. I said we'd had problems in the US and he completely understood us.

We always approach together and have only once had an issue - in DFW - where the agent made my husband go to a different line. That's in the U.S. In Europe we generally approach together and in Asia we generally do so separately (depending on the country).

On a recent trip to Canada with our twins, the Canadian immigration officer asked us 3 times "where is their father" and a 4th time "who is their father." I'm sure it was a mere 30 seconds, but felt like 30 minutes ... On the return trip, the US immigration officere merely asked "how are you guys related?"

My partner and I have always presented ourselves together....home or abroad...without issues.

Same here.

When returning to the US you can approach if you are in the same household. But with Global Entry it is no a non issue.

We always go separately. Only once has a US immigration officer asked us who we were traveling with and then proceeded to ask him to come up also... then threw away his form and let us go. I just worried about the next step... will the customs agent feel the same way… about one form? This is one of those "National" issues that makes "state specific" marriage wrong.

My partner and I have stopped going together after being yelled at by grouchy agents twice recently. We weren't surprised when it happened at IAH but were very surprised when it happened at YYZ.

We never enter together in the US or Canada, as we both use NEXUS/Global Entry, in EU countries we go up together and in Israel we go together.

Before we got Global Entry, we always went separate because at the time we were technically domiciled in two different residences (he went to school in another city in a different part of the state). With Global Entry/Nexus, it doesn't matter much. In Europe and in Australia, we've gone together without any problems.

The only exception to this was in YQB, which doesn't have Nexus. We approached together (we had since finally consolidated our houses) and the agent yelled at my partner to get back in line. I looked blankly at the YQB customs officer before I said politely, "If he's in line, and I'm over here with the customs declaration, then how does my domestic partner enter without one?"

The look on his face: priceless. Then, I guess to save face, the officer called my partner over, asked us the usual questions, and let us go. Never did apologize, but I guess that would be expecting too much??

When returning to the US you can approach if you are in the same household. But with Global Entry it is no a non issue.

Interesting you mention household. While we've always approached passport control together, we go through customs separately. Years ago we tried to go through together because the customs declaration forms said one per household. But they don't actually consider partners to be a household. We're actually considered 2 households. One of the few benefits of discrimination is we get double the duty free allowance!

We're actually considered 2 households.Actually, the customs declaration form references one per family, and the on-line guide to filling it out says "immediate family" but I don't think there's any official statement on whether domestic partner/civil union/SS marriage qualifies two people as a family in this regard. Presumably DOMA would disallow it, but I think it's a YMMV situation (it worked for me the one time I tried it).
One of the few benefits of discrimination is we get double the duty free allowance!Pretty sure that's not correct. Members of a family are allowed to combine their allowances. Which means if you purchase a $3,000 watch in St. Thomas, and have two people on the declaration, you won't owe any duty. If you have only one person, you'll have to pay duty on the amount over $1,600.

By the way, we now both have Global Entry, so forms generally won't be an issue, except on cruises. I can't remember the exact customs declaration questions it asks, nor can I find them listed online. But IIRC, there's nowhere to declare the value of goods imported or indicate whether you're over the allowance (which varies by country visited). Only currency. Are you just supposed to verbally tell the customs officer when you exit?

By the way, we now both have Global Entry, so forms generally won't be an issue, except on cruises. I can't remember the exact customs declaration questions it asks, nor can I find them listed online. But IIRC, there's nowhere to declare the value of goods imported or indicate whether you're over the allowance (which varies by country visited). Only currency. Are you just supposed to verbally tell the customs officer when you exit?


There is a place for Global Entry members to declare that they are over their allowance. One of the Global Entry kiosk questions asks you if you are over your personal exemption allowance. That question can be seen in the following video, at 0:35:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hzSW6zgHcpo&feature=related

My partner and I recently got domestically partnered in the state of Wisconsin. We are flying internationally soon and will be re-entering the United States in ORD.

I know married couples can always approach passport control together. Can we now do so at ORD?

We are not a legally recognized couple (you know, Italy is Vatican-land...). We never have issues approaching customs together to enter Europe (of course, within Europe, that's a non-issue :-), and have been consistently bounced while doing so in the US.

The leniency may be related to the fact of being European citizens, though.

I've never had a problem with this, and I always assumed it was OK for any group traveling together, to approach at the same time. Not once have we ever been told otherwise or been given a hassle.

I'm single now, but when I traveled with my partner it was never an issue.

My partner and I have been presenting ourselves together, and perhaps only had an issue in the Netherlands, out of all places, and maybe once in Chicago where the woman was probably in training, who asked me 20 questions when I still was a permanent resident.

Also, for purpose of entering the US, if you have the same last name, you only need to fill out one customs form.

we are married and we go to the passport control together in countries where we know of certain democracy and we definitley avoid doing it in countries where it s forbidden - all in all it s not a biggy for us ;)

Interesting you mention household. While we've always approached passport control together, we go through customs separately. Years ago we tried to go through together because the customs declaration forms said one per household. But they don't actually consider partners to be a household. We're actually considered 2 households. One of the few benefits of discrimination is we get double the duty free allowance!

I've had the same thing happen 2-3 times entering the US, and once tried pushing the 'household' thing but was sent back to the (beginning of the) line. This was 6-7 years ago.

Global Entry / NEXUS now so non-issue.

Interesting experiences. We usually go through together and have never once had a problem in the US or internationally; however, if there is a long line or things seem to move slow we do go to different booths and it seems to speed up the process. That could be all in my head, but I've never had a question asked about it.

Always go through separately in the US. Used to approach euro passport control separately, until chastised by LHR agents, that if we were traveling together, we should go through passport control together. My one amusing anecdote was when leaving FRA on a UA flight for SFO a few years ago, the last passport control (apparently by United agents) conducted a very rude interrogation on what my connection was with this man with whom I was traveling. After being told he was my "partner," the agent insisted on knowing what kind of partner he was. Unsatisfied on finding out that we were not in business together, he pressed on. I finally just said bluntly, "You're rather dense, aren't you? We f*ck, OK?" This apparently american UA agent (he spoke English with a perfect american accent) turned red, and let me proceed to boarding without any more questions.

I finally just said bluntly, "You're rather dense, aren't you? We f*ck, OK?"

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I love yr response :)

I love yr response :)
Just fantastic. Made my day.

After being told he was my "partner," the agent insisted on knowing what kind of partner he was. Unsatisfied on finding out that we were not in business together, he pressed on. I finally just said bluntly, "You're rather dense, aren't you? We f*ck, OK?"

Love it!

"You're rather dense, aren't you? We f*ck, OK?"

^ Best response ever! :D

Now that we both have global entry we go up separately.


^ Best response ever! :D

Just saw this in the blogosphere

http://www.care2.com/causes/us-customs-plans-to-recognize-same-sex-partnerships.html

Are there advantages to a combined declaration? I guess if we were to buy something that exceeded one person's exemption.... is there a downside (like being married for tax purposes?). Still, this is a very positive change.

On a recent trip to Canada with our twins, the Canadian immigration officer asked us 3 times "where is their father" and a 4th time "who is their father." I'm sure it was a mere 30 seconds, but felt like 30 minutes ... On the return trip, the US immigration officere merely asked "how are you guys related?"

This is completely unacceptable, and I'm frankly very surprised this happened in Canada, which is arguably the most gay-friendly country on the planet. What airport or border crossing were you at, can I ask?

How did the situation resolve itself? And do you think the border agent was just clueless, or was there some kind of malicious intent? If the latter, I would have filed a complaint on the spot with a CBSA supervisor.

Glad to hear that US Customs will start recognizing our family! Does anyone know when this will take effect? Before kids, my partner (US permanent resident) and I always went through separately. We just travelled overseas with our twins for the first time and, upon returning to EWR, went through as a family with one customs form. The officer did not have any issue with it, but I think it depends on who's on duty.

I too was glad to read that US Customs will recognize this soon.

I've always thought not recognizing and allowing a domestic partnered couple to declare on one form was a matter of national security, if you truly care about controlling who brings in what. Why? If we're on a trip and buy whatever with our shared money, as we're leaving we often just cram whatever can into one another's bags, not really knowing/caring who has what or knowing even who paid for what. Then when it comes time to fill out the form, he fills his out, I fill mine out. I don't consult him on what he declared and vice versa. As far as Customs is concerned, we're not related, so why should I bother to confer with him, right? He's usually sleeping or I am, and often lately we don't even seem to be seated next to one another. So who knows what he wrote on his form or didn't. And then when it comes time to actually present the forms, they are basically requiring you to not go through together, so again they can't easily corelate that information either. Though I would be shocked if their software didn't have some sort of alert of frequently traveling together, xyz person was just in another booth, etc. In fact, if not, that would be kind of sad for them. Not that I'd use this information disjuncture "to my advantage" ever, but what's stopping others...

I do, as a matter of principle, always leave the "# of family members traveling with" blank, I don't try to write 1 or 0, just leave it blank. I've never been questioned on that or been told to fill it out, and I think the agents "understand" what I'm getting at. They'll write "one" at the top of the card and circle it on it real big as a matter of policy.

We've been yelled at by Immigration (the people who actually stamp your passport, before Customs/Farm inspection) for approaching one at the same time, so we never do any more. Occasionally, usually only if there is no line whatsoever really and only one or two agents working to begin with, the agent will wave me up and have us both there at the same time.

Last week, the day after this story above came out about how Customs is about to recognize domestic partners, I got the royal reaming from Customs at LAX. We were coming back from Bangkok, had done absolutely zero shopping except for $10 of trinkets at the duty free, so we had nothing of food nature to declare. We breezed through Immigration, seperately, but then as we approached the Customs guy taking the blue forms who normally would send you to the farm inspection x-ray line or send you on your way, I was sent through and my partner was just randomly selected for x-ray screening. I walked to the exit, past the blue line that seemed to indicate you've left Customs and were now in the hallway to baggage recheck, and stood waiting. There was another guy nearby, inside the exit area, collecting the forms of those who left the farm inspections. I was told by him that I had to keep walking, at which point I politely told him I was waiting on my travel companion that they had just seperated me from. I stood there, near the back of the wall, waiting. He took a few more forms, and the same prompt came from him. I told him I was traveling with family who was sent to the inspection line, that it wasn't my fault and I was going to wait there. He said "who?" and I said "my domestic partner." To which he replied "oh, you're not actually family then." ... To which I replied "you're an a---ole" and kept walking. I didn't want to actually get to the baggage recheck line, we were needing to talk to an agent about a different flight. Had I not called the guy an ......., I would've gotten his badge number, but I was too worked up so I kept walking after. Meanwhile, my partner was behind a row of 10 monks, and when he got to the Customs inspection booth they didn't even ask him to send his bags through the x-ray, they took the form and said Thanks.

They'll write "one" at the top of the card and circle it on it real big as a matter of policy.

Actually, this just means that you've been cleared by the immigration officer (since they're the ones with the computer and do the actual interview) and they don't advise any further customs/ag/etc. searches. It has nothing to do with the number of individuals on the declaration form.

A different code word/letter/number would indicate that the immigration officer feels you should be searched in depth (the specific code indicating the type of/reason for search). However, the customs agents at the exit can always request a search regardless of the code on your form; this is just a way for the immigration officers to communicate to the customs officials information information that may come up via computer or during the interview process.

I'm very happy to have a NEXUS Card which allows me to skip the process of talking to Canadian and US Immigration Officers. However, last week when connecting in YVR on our way to HNL (connecting PAX don't have access to NEXUS machines) I was asked by US Immigration if I was traveling alone. I said "No, I'm with my partner but we've been told in the past not to approach the desk together". He said that since we live together as a couple we are "family" and should present ourselves together to officials and asked him to step forward.

Tired to re-enter as "partners" or 2 at same time, the officer sent one of us back with the quip "your not married you can't go together"

Oh well the flight crew was really nice and fun (so rare these days), and one of the FA told us afterwards, "well you know when you are there they own you!"