jphripjah

I flew back into SFO today after a ten day trip to Southeast Asia. Like every trip I've ever taken anywhere, I was asked upon return if I was traveling alone. The officer, who appeared to be Chinese-American, asked this question in a variety of different ways like "Are you alone?" "Did you fly there alone," "Were you alone the entire time," "Were you on a group tour or just by yourself," etc.

Strangely, he also asked if I spoke Thai and Chinese, and when I told him I didn't, he asked how I managed to get around in Thailand and Hong Kong without speaking Thai and Chinese. Uh, other people speak English.

I've also been asked before "Why are you traveling alone" and other strange variations on the same theme. So why is there a CBP fascination with travelers who vacation alone? Is it that unusual? Does anyone else who vacations alone get these questions? Does CBP suspect that we are all drug smugglers?

Sopwith

No, not drug smugglers. Just smugglers, liars, thieves, cheats, money launderers, felons, fugitives, fraudsters, and terrorists.

We are guilty until proven innocent.

I find many of their inane questions are designed to test whether you can answer an unexpected question quickly off the cuff. If you hesitate while making something up on the spot it's an indicator that you're making something up on the spot.

GUWonder

Is the OP a male single pax?

The CBP is sometimes fishing for unlawful pornography or unlawful sex tourism, when it comes to single pax male Americans returning abroad from SE Asia in particular.

CBP is fishing for a lot of things, which is why they ask questions that deal with more than just what a person is carrying on-person or in their luggage. The result is that they treat a lot of innocent people as being less than innocent.

Wally Bird

This.

While it's easy to take such impertinent questions personally they are not usually intended that way. Depends on the agent and his/her mood that day.

Chrisinhouston

Just casually reply, "No, I'm traveling with this 6 foot tall rabbit named Harvey. Can't you see him?"



http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0042546/

jphripjah

What about:

"Are you traveling alone?"
"No, there were about 300 other people on the plane, sir."

Fredd

Cute but we should be be aware that some of these folks act as if their sense of humor has been surgically removed.

Ari

That was my first thought.

GUWonder

That was my thought too, but the Chinese-Thai speaking question may also be the product of a perception about drug trade and un(der)declared money/jewels/precious metal trade, but the questions seem geared far more about sex-related activities/material.

IME the younger they are, the less humor they seem to display on the job.

golfguy714

If you are an American citizen you do not have to answer any of their questions. Just give them your declaration and tell you are not answering any questions. They will not like it, but they cannot refuse you entry back into your own country.

Wally Bird

Although perhaps not immediately.

RadioGirl

Only if it's the passenger making the joke. They're apparently allowed to clown around, as evidenced by the young guy at LAX who studied my passport for several minutes, then said, " RadioGirl? You're wanted by the FBI. " (2..., 3..., 4...) " Ha ha ha! "

It wasn't funny after 14 hours in Y, it's still not funny 15 years later.

InkUnderNails

Exactly. Up thread I mentioned some Canadian problems I have had. In one, they sent word over to the US side that they were sending me back home but did not give a reason. The US CBP agent detained me for about 1.5 hours while they checked me out. He said is was SOP when someone is returned without a reason given.

They were apologetic and nice. They could not understand why the Canadians had done it. I could. I had escalated my appeal up the chain in Canada, a fruitless endeavor if there ever was one. They made sure I got my chain jerked on the other side as I went home.

Right now, I am in the early process of trying to get some consulting work in China. I have looked into the immigration requirements. There are a lot a bases to touch and many potential ways that things can go wrong. I will travel to DC or another consulate to get my Visa just so that I will know I am good to go.

Loren Pechtel

Sex tourism. They're interested in whether you were with underage girls, or perhaps have child porn with you.

CDKing

Its because you are obviously a threat to something if you are not traveling with someone else.

I still remember the first time i experience chat-down at BOS. I was being treated as a criminal. Once they found out the woman being interrogated by the other BDO was my travel companion they lightened up. They scolded me for not telling them i was not traveling alone