As a US citizen, what questions is Customs permitted to ask you on arrival in the US?
Dec 25, 2007, 11:13 am
#31
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2006
Posts: 545
If the immigration officers in JFK do not have the knowledge or technology to identify a forged passport then we might as well give up the game and stop pretending we have security.
But making a false claim that they impinge upon my constitutonal right to enter my own country is an utter and complete joke.
It isnt anybody's business why I wish to enter my own county - not even the INS. Being from the country is both reason and right in and of itself, Otherwise citizenship means nothing whatsoever..
Govt is supposed to serve the citizens of this country and we pay taxes for fund their services. At this point, the tail is wagging the dog here. Its not their right to demand justification as to why I should or can can enter the country - it is my country.
But making a false claim that they impinge upon my constitutonal right to enter my own country is an utter and complete joke.
It isnt anybody's business why I wish to enter my own county - not even the INS. Being from the country is both reason and right in and of itself, Otherwise citizenship means nothing whatsoever..
Govt is supposed to serve the citizens of this country and we pay taxes for fund their services. At this point, the tail is wagging the dog here. Its not their right to demand justification as to why I should or can can enter the country - it is my country.
Dec 25, 2007, 11:35 am
#33
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: OAK
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Once they have annoyed me with that, for some reason "she is a citizen of the greatest country on earth, why the heck would she want a passport for any other country" seems to annoy them even more
Dec 25, 2007, 11:51 am
#34
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I am a US citizen who has been resident outside the US for five years. My 3.5 year-old passport is nearly filled with various entry and exit stamps and visas. When I enter the US anywhere other than New York (particularly Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas), I am generally asked probing questions by immigration officers who seem not to understand why a US citizen might choose to live outside the US. On my latest entry, the officer seemed not to grasp the concept at all:
Q: "What were you doing outside the US?"
A: "I live outside the US."
Q: "What do you do [for a living]?"
A: "I work as [profession]."
Q: "How long were you away?"
A: [choosing not to note the obvious logicical gap] "I was last in the US [date]."
Q: "Welcome home."
When entering the US in Dallas, I have discovered that if one can state the Dallas Cowboys score for the past two weeks, as well as the next opponent of the NFL team in one's city of destination, one is waved through with no further questions.
Q: "What were you doing outside the US?"
A: "I live outside the US."
Q: "What do you do [for a living]?"
A: "I work as [profession]."
Q: "How long were you away?"
A: [choosing not to note the obvious logicical gap] "I was last in the US [date]."
Q: "Welcome home."
When entering the US in Dallas, I have discovered that if one can state the Dallas Cowboys score for the past two weeks, as well as the next opponent of the NFL team in one's city of destination, one is waved through with no further questions.
Dec 25, 2007, 11:52 am
#35
Join Date: May 2007
Location: LAS
Programs: Delta Gold Medallion
Posts: 258
He made a mistake asking you about the purpose of your visit. People do make mistakes. Why waste your energy on a philosophical battle that carries onto Internet message boards long after the incident happened? Best to just tell him you are visiting family for the holidays and forget about it. You will never see that agent again.
Dec 25, 2007, 12:50 pm
#36
Join Date: Mar 2007
Posts: 370
The overring question remains for me: if you facing are a US citizen, with the right to be in the US, what is the point of asking why you are entering your own country?
Dec 25, 2007, 2:17 pm
#37
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Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: NYC
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If the immigration officers in JFK do not have the knowledge or technology to identify a forged passport then we might as well give up the game and stop pretending we have security.
But making a false claim that they impinge upon my constitutonal right to enter my own country is an utter and complete joke.
It isnt anybody's business why I wish to enter my own county - not even the INS. Being from the country is both reason and right in and of itself, Otherwise citizenship means nothing whatsoever..
Govt is supposed to serve the citizens of this country and we pay taxes for fund their services. At this point, the tail is wagging the dog here. Its not their right to demand justification as to why I should or can can enter the country - it is my country.
But making a false claim that they impinge upon my constitutonal right to enter my own country is an utter and complete joke.
It isnt anybody's business why I wish to enter my own county - not even the INS. Being from the country is both reason and right in and of itself, Otherwise citizenship means nothing whatsoever..
Govt is supposed to serve the citizens of this country and we pay taxes for fund their services. At this point, the tail is wagging the dog here. Its not their right to demand justification as to why I should or can can enter the country - it is my country.
Cheers
Howie
Dec 25, 2007, 4:41 pm
#38
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Dec 25, 2007, 6:47 pm
#39
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Posts: 10,967
Exactly. Once, I asked an immigration officer why they don't generally stamp US passports unless you request it, and he said "because we don't have to 'admit' US citizens and residents--this is your home country."
I usually get no questions at all, but if any, I get "why were you outside the country?" or "what do you do for a living?" I don't think they really care what the answers are--they are watching body language, and how quickly we answer, and whether we get tripped up with a question...that kind of stuff.
Now, while US citizens/residents cannot be denied entry, they can be questioned and detained. When you are at a port of entry, legally you are not inside the USA yet. Therefore, you and your belongings can be searched without a warrant, you can be held without being charged, and you do not have the right to an attorney.
As with TSA insanity, I choose to answer the questions truthfully, in as few words as possible. In these days of "homeland security," making a stink on principle (about rights) will do nothing but delay you and possibly get you put on some kind of permanent secondary-search list for all future travel.
Dec 25, 2007, 9:51 pm
#40
Join Date: Aug 2004
Posts: 4,704
The officer can ASK most any question they want (within reason of course, ie-no probing into one's sex life, etc. 
). The question is not can they ask, the question is - is one required to answer?
The answer to that is - it depends.
Most US citizens don't need to answer much at the Immigration portion of arrivals. Its the Customs portion that's more pertinent. They may ask you though where did you visit, how long, etc. and always remember one can be secondaried and search for little to no cause at arrivals. Evasion or refusal to answer may be considered by the officer "this is taking too long - send to secondary."
Honestly, though, a cop asking, say, for permission to search your car is fine. He can ask and one can say yes or no. The question comes in is what is permissible absent consent.
). The question is not can they ask, the question is - is one required to answer?The answer to that is - it depends.
Most US citizens don't need to answer much at the Immigration portion of arrivals. Its the Customs portion that's more pertinent. They may ask you though where did you visit, how long, etc. and always remember one can be secondaried and search for little to no cause at arrivals. Evasion or refusal to answer may be considered by the officer "this is taking too long - send to secondary." Honestly, though, a cop asking, say, for permission to search your car is fine. He can ask and one can say yes or no. The question comes in is what is permissible absent consent.
Dec 25, 2007, 10:51 pm
#41
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The officer can ASK most any question they want (within reason of course, ie-no probing into one's sex life, etc. ). The question is not can they ask, the question is - is one required to answer?
The answer to that is - it depends. Most US citizens don't need to answer much at the Immigration portion of arrivals. Its the Customs portion that's more pertinent. They may ask you though where did you visit, how long, etc. and always remember one can be secondaried and search for little to no cause at arrivals. Evasion or refusal to answer may be considered by the officer "this is taking too long - send to secondary."
Honestly, though, a cop asking, say, for permission to search your car is fine. He can ask and one can say yes or no. The question comes in is what is permissible absent consent.
). The question is not can they ask, the question is - is one required to answer?The answer to that is - it depends.
Most US citizens don't need to answer much at the Immigration portion of arrivals. Its the Customs portion that's more pertinent. They may ask you though where did you visit, how long, etc. and always remember one can be secondaried and search for little to no cause at arrivals. Evasion or refusal to answer may be considered by the officer "this is taking too long - send to secondary." Honestly, though, a cop asking, say, for permission to search your car is fine. He can ask and one can say yes or no. The question comes in is what is permissible absent consent.
Dec 25, 2007, 11:50 pm
#42
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2006
Posts: 545
Dec 26, 2007, 12:12 am
#43
Join Date: Mar 2006
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Don't be so certain that a passport cannot be easily forged. All the would-be passport thief needs is anothers identity, and then a passport with their information but your picture can be fabricated.
People who traffic human beings thrive on doing things such as this.
People who traffic human beings thrive on doing things such as this.
Dec 26, 2007, 2:32 am
#44
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Florida, USA
Posts: 886
Immigration - most time than not it's "Welcome home". Few times it's just 1 or 2 questions, "how long have you been gone and where?" Never more than that.
Customs - most times I just breeze through but I have been send for secondary twice.
HNL coming from BKK through NRT. The agent actually did open my cases and took an x-ray of a wrapped up framed painting. I asked the nice lady agent to please don't tear apart the wrapping as I would have been screwed. I was still catching another flight to ORD. She didn't but had it x-rayed.
The DFW from NRT experience was different. After waiting in the secondary room for about an hour, the secondary agent just asked me few questions, marveled at all the stamps I had in my passport, told me that the officer collecting the forms made a mistake sending me for a secondary and never even looked at my luggage. Unfortunately I lost about an hour out of my 1.5 hour connection.
ORD customs approached me couple of times at the carousel and asked me few questions as I was waiting for my luggage.
In all the times I never experienced any rudness. Sometimes I did get a non-friendly agents, but nothing that I would categorize as being out of line. Most times it's just professional treatment and few times I actually had some quick, joking, smiling, very friendly exchanges with agents.
Stations through which I have entered US:
BOS, JFK, PIT, RDU, MIA, NAS, ORD, DFW, LAX, SFO, YVR, YYZ and 2 seaports, FLL and SFO
Customs - most times I just breeze through but I have been send for secondary twice.
HNL coming from BKK through NRT. The agent actually did open my cases and took an x-ray of a wrapped up framed painting. I asked the nice lady agent to please don't tear apart the wrapping as I would have been screwed. I was still catching another flight to ORD. She didn't but had it x-rayed.
The DFW from NRT experience was different. After waiting in the secondary room for about an hour, the secondary agent just asked me few questions, marveled at all the stamps I had in my passport, told me that the officer collecting the forms made a mistake sending me for a secondary and never even looked at my luggage. Unfortunately I lost about an hour out of my 1.5 hour connection.
ORD customs approached me couple of times at the carousel and asked me few questions as I was waiting for my luggage.
In all the times I never experienced any rudness. Sometimes I did get a non-friendly agents, but nothing that I would categorize as being out of line. Most times it's just professional treatment and few times I actually had some quick, joking, smiling, very friendly exchanges with agents.
Stations through which I have entered US:
BOS, JFK, PIT, RDU, MIA, NAS, ORD, DFW, LAX, SFO, YVR, YYZ and 2 seaports, FLL and SFO
Dec 26, 2007, 4:58 am
#45
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I am a US citizen who has been resident outside the US for five years. My 3.5 year-old passport is nearly filled with various entry and exit stamps and visas. When I enter the US anywhere other than New York (particularly Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas), I am generally asked probing questions by immigration officers who seem not to understand why a US citizen might choose to live outside the US. On my latest entry, the officer seemed not to grasp the concept at all:
Q: "What were you doing outside the US?"
A: "I live outside the US."
Q: "What do you do [for a living]?"
A: "I work as [profession]."
Q: "How long were you away?"
A: [choosing not to note the obvious logicical gap] "I was last in the US [date]."
Q: "Welcome home."
When entering the US in Dallas, I have discovered that if one can state the Dallas Cowboys score for the past two weeks, as well as the next opponent of the NFL team in one's city of destination, one is waved through with no further questions.
Q: "What were you doing outside the US?"
A: "I live outside the US."
Q: "What do you do [for a living]?"
A: "I work as [profession]."
Q: "How long were you away?"
A: [choosing not to note the obvious logicical gap] "I was last in the US [date]."
Q: "Welcome home."
When entering the US in Dallas, I have discovered that if one can state the Dallas Cowboys score for the past two weeks, as well as the next opponent of the NFL team in one's city of destination, one is waved through with no further questions.
That is beyond outrageous -- discriminating amongst travellers based on their sports team loyalty.