Any Country Besides the US Routinely Cross-Examine its Own Returning Citizens?
Nov 17, 2014, 1:50 pm
#31
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I have never had to wait more than 10 minutes at AMS or LHR in the EU citizen line. The wait time has particularly decreased at LHR since they put in the automated border gates - which are open to all EU citizens with no pre-registration, and where there is no necessity to speak with an immigration officer or hand it a piece of paper after passing through the gate. I have spent much longer than that at US POEs before I got Global Entry.
I have had to wait ridiculous times at CDG even in the EU citizen lines - of note, in France the automatic border gates are only available with prior application.
You are simply incorrect re the luggage. Checked luggage for passengers coming into Schengen clears customs at the destination airport. That's why they frequently have a separate channel at intra-Schengen customs, which everyone ignores in any event. I don't know what you mean by "scanned", there is no scan for customs that I am aware of.
I have had to wait ridiculous times at CDG even in the EU citizen lines - of note, in France the automatic border gates are only available with prior application.
You are simply incorrect re the luggage. Checked luggage for passengers coming into Schengen clears customs at the destination airport. That's why they frequently have a separate channel at intra-Schengen customs, which everyone ignores in any event. I don't know what you mean by "scanned", there is no scan for customs that I am aware of.
Re scanning, not sure how to describe it in any other words. They scan luggage that comes through the airport.
And regarding wait times - the new automated kiosks should help significantly, and hope they get deployed more. And I have many times waited less than 10 minutes for a "meeting" with an officer that took less than 30 seconds.
Nov 17, 2014, 8:37 pm
#32
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You say you're not bringing in anything illegal. And if everyone in the world was auto-programmed to only ever say the truth, then they could simply ask: "Do you have anything on you that's illegal OR anything on you that should be reported?" And that would be it.
As I'm sure you recognize, the world doesn't work like that.
And if they were to strip-search you instead of just asking a question, I don't think you'd like that too much either...
As I'm sure you recognize, the world doesn't work like that.
And if they were to strip-search you instead of just asking a question, I don't think you'd like that too much either...
Nov 17, 2014, 9:26 pm
#33
Join Date: Jan 2011
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I always hear horror stories about American Immigration. So, next year,I'll renew my passport and visit home again after 10 years. With my current passport, I refuse to visit. I was in Canada and Mexico a few years back immigration was lovely and nice. I've learned that if you treat them with respect and a smile they will do the same with you. Now France immigration was a little arrogant. :-)
Nov 18, 2014, 12:44 am
#34
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Nov 18, 2014, 1:03 am
#35
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Earlier this year, noting that I didn't have EU stamps, the immigration officer asked to see my British passport (he just said your other passport), asked how I was a dual citizen, said "that must be nice" as the thumbed through it to look at its stamps. Seemed highly inappropriate to me.
Nov 18, 2014, 1:05 am
#36
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I'll mention this little tidbit: if you think you get invasively questioned as a citizen returning to the country, you should try living in the US as a foreigner on a work visa. US, great place to visit, but if you ever try to legally live/work/pay taxes there the CBP question everything.
Some examples as a student: Why are you studying here? Don't they have these programs back in Canada? What's your GPA? How can you afford tuition? How much money do you have? (and they require a bank statement for the visa so can check anyways).
Some examples on a work visa: How much do you make? What's you education? How long are planning on working here? Don't they have this type of job in Canada? Why did you renew the visa? Why aren't you applying for a green card? Why do you have a State driver's license?
Some of their questioning certainly gets to be very personal and all a person can do is grin and bear it --> or pay for the Nexus/GOES just to avoid the officers (GOES kiosks never harass me, and all I had to do was get my eyes scanned).
Some examples as a student: Why are you studying here? Don't they have these programs back in Canada? What's your GPA? How can you afford tuition? How much money do you have? (and they require a bank statement for the visa so can check anyways).
Some examples on a work visa: How much do you make? What's you education? How long are planning on working here? Don't they have this type of job in Canada? Why did you renew the visa? Why aren't you applying for a green card? Why do you have a State driver's license?
Some of their questioning certainly gets to be very personal and all a person can do is grin and bear it --> or pay for the Nexus/GOES just to avoid the officers (GOES kiosks never harass me, and all I had to do was get my eyes scanned).
Last edited by DirtyDan; Nov 18, 2014 at 1:14 am
Nov 18, 2014, 1:13 am
#37
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Earlier this year, noting that I didn't have EU stamps, the immigration officer asked to see my British passport (he just said your other passport), asked how I was a dual citizen, said "that must be nice" as the thumbed through it to look at its stamps. Seemed highly inappropriate to me.
Israel, Australia, Switzerland, and Germany come to mind
Nov 18, 2014, 10:18 am
#38
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That is one of the the points of this thread - your checked luggage is technically going through EU/Schengen customs at your destination airport (you do not even see it at your connecting Schengen airport, unlike the US where you get your checked luggage at your point of entry to the US and re-check it after customs), but you don't even know you are going through customs because they don't ask you anything. See http://ec.europa.eu/taxation_customs...s/index_en.htm
Are you taking a flight between a non-EU airport and an EU airport with a change of plane in another EU airport? (e.g. Tokyo - Copenhagen - Amsterdam with a change of aircraft in Copenhagen)
You will get off the first plane in Copenhagen where your hand baggage is liable to be checked by customs. Meanwhile, your registered baggage, which will have been given a normal label (no green edges) in Tokyo, will be transferred from the baggage hold of the first plane to that of the second).
On arrival in Amsterdam , your hand baggage will not, in theory, be liable to be checked by customs , whereas your registered baggage may be.
If the second EU airport is not equipped for air traffic with third countries (See, for information, the list of international Community airportspdf(89 kB)), your registered baggage will be liable to be checked in the first EU airport.
Are you taking a flight between a non-EU airport and an EU airport with a change of plane in another EU airport? (e.g. Tokyo - Copenhagen - Amsterdam with a change of aircraft in Copenhagen)
You will get off the first plane in Copenhagen where your hand baggage is liable to be checked by customs. Meanwhile, your registered baggage, which will have been given a normal label (no green edges) in Tokyo, will be transferred from the baggage hold of the first plane to that of the second).
On arrival in Amsterdam , your hand baggage will not, in theory, be liable to be checked by customs , whereas your registered baggage may be.
If the second EU airport is not equipped for air traffic with third countries (See, for information, the list of international Community airportspdf(89 kB)), your registered baggage will be liable to be checked in the first EU airport.
Nov 18, 2014, 12:04 pm
#39
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Those countries thumb through for stamps the other passport of their own citizens (or EU citizens in the case or Germany)? This isn't about seeing the big picture to grant immigration clearance. I'm a US citizen. They're not (shouldn't) be trying to determine if I've been somewhere that'd somehow make me ineligible for entry (or whatever they were looking for). Simply being a US citizen makes me eligible for entry.
Nov 18, 2014, 12:10 pm
#40
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Those countries thumb through for stamps the other passport of their own citizens (or EU citizens in the case or Germany)? This isn't about seeing the big picture to grant immigration clearance. I'm a US citizen. They're not (shouldn't) be trying to determine if I've been somewhere that'd somehow make me ineligible for entry (or whatever they were looking for). Simply being a US citizen makes me eligible for entry.
I've been with German friends in Germany and seen them asked for an American/Israeli passport, as they show no entries to other countries in the German passport.
Nov 18, 2014, 4:59 pm
#41
Join Date: Nov 2012
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Ya - in Israel, I've been asked for a US passport (which they assume I have since my Israeli passport lists "USA" as place of birth).
I've been with German friends in Germany and seen them asked for an American/Israeli passport, as they show no entries to other countries in the German passport.
I've been with German friends in Germany and seen them asked for an American/Israeli passport, as they show no entries to other countries in the German passport.
Nov 18, 2014, 5:48 pm
#42
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Answering the questions is not in your interests, because you could unwittingly implicate yourself in a crime or give them probable cause to strip search you.
However, if you don't answer, they might night try to delay you and intimidate you for a few hours.
Ultimately, if you're a US citizen who has proven his citizenship and otherwise refuses to answer questions, CBP has no power over you other than the power to delay you and search you and make you miss your connecting flight.
Nov 18, 2014, 9:15 pm
#43
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But the immigration official also makes the determination as to what level of customs inspection you are going to get. Where you have been does matter for this.
Nov 18, 2014, 11:10 pm
#44
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Cuba? Are they really THAT concerned about a US citizen going to Cuba to resort to such measures? Syria? Palestine?
Nov 18, 2014, 11:37 pm
#45
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Dual US/EU citizen here, so a good bit of experience. I think the key difference in my experience is that the EU only asks questions past immigration and in customs, and mainly about what you're carrying.
When I come back into the US, I'm asked at immigration about my actions, what I've done, where I've gone, why I've gone where I've gone, who I went with, who I met, what address I'm going to in the US, etc. And if I deign to get smart with them, that's a 30 minute tear apart of my bags/more thorough interview of my "actions."
When I come back into the US, I'm asked at immigration about my actions, what I've done, where I've gone, why I've gone where I've gone, who I went with, who I met, what address I'm going to in the US, etc. And if I deign to get smart with them, that's a 30 minute tear apart of my bags/more thorough interview of my "actions."