"Countries visited on this trip prior to U.S. arrival"
 

When the US customs declaration form asks you to list countries visited prior to US arrival, what does that mean in practice?

Or, on a philosophical level: What is a trip?

Anyone been called out/detained for just listing the country they flew in from, and not countries they visited prior to that one on the same "trip"? Ex: flew in from the UK, but visited France on that trip, also.

And what if you made an overseas connection? Flying from India to the US on British Airways, do you need to list the UK if you didn't leave LHR?

I interpret it as the time you left home to the time you returned. That is a trip.

If you went through UK customs, you "visited" the UK.

I just list the countries visited on that "trip" home living overseas as an American, not all the countries I've visited since I last left the USA.

Good question.

I'll fly to USA from Brazil with a connection in MEX.

What am I supposed to write in the customs declaration form ?

Brazil and Mexico ?

Just Brazil ? (from where I am and come)

Just Mexico ?

Tks.

If in doubt, right them all down, especially if you happen to be a foreign citizen.

You don't need to list transit cities as you're not clearing immigration and entering the country.

I remember once coming into the US and for various reasons I had a lot of luggage, and the customs guy looked at me and asked "what flight were you on?" And I said "from London". And I swear he was thinking of letting me go, but then he asked "and where were you coming from?" And I said "Kenya" and they went through every bag.

Correct. I never listed transit countries on my Customs form.

This is confusing for me too, mainly because I am a permanent resident of Cyprus. So when I fly to the US from Cyprus (about once every 12-16 months) without really stopping anywhere, I do not list any countries under "countries visited on this trip". If I stop in AUH overnight when I fly to the US I will list the UAE. But should I be listing all the countries I've been to since I last left the US (several trips in Europe from Cyprus)? I've interpreted that to be NO. I do list Cyprus as my country of residence.

If in doubt, list them. You can indicate transit for those countries to which it applies.

true, however if your are transiting through a country or US territory you have to list it if you buy duty free and want the higher personal exemption

Don't overthink or parse the truth on these things. If you are flying to the US with a connection in Mexico, just how hard is it to list Mexico?

Just how hard is it for you if you are the one person who is pulled aside simply because you did not list Mexico yet arrived manifested on a flight from Mexico?

The advice to simply list the countries where you have been present on this trip seems to be a fair and simple reading.

I've always listed transit countries even when I stay airside -- when applicable for my customs declarations and otherwise applicable to my dealings with the USG forms that ask such questions.

There isn't enough room on those forms to spell out the common name for all the countries I've transited and/or otherwise visited on various trips of mine. And listing countries by two or three letter abbreviations annoys the CBP way too often in my experience. If I add a code for transit, as I've done, it didn't help.

Fortunately with GE kiosks or APC kiosks or MPC, things get simplified in regard to declarations.

Is it only the US that asks its citizens to answer where you are coming from, which countries you visited and for how long when we enter our own country at the airport immigration counter?
I have been to europe and asia and never been asked a single questions like this and are always welcoming to US citizens. These type of questions are normally supposed to be answered by foreigners entering another country. Feels like tyranny!