Hi,

I'd like some advice from people who might have experienced similar problems with US customs.

I travel on a Canadian passport and I recently came back from a trip in Colombia, Panama and Mexico. On my return trip, I transited through Chicago and of course I had to go through US customs and Immigration.

I honestly filled the customs declaration card specifying that I'm return from a trip to Panama, Colombia and Mexico. The first officer I spoke to asked me only one or two questions (where are you coming from, where are you going to... ), handed me back my passport and wrote a big "1" on my custom declaration card... which I think is normal.

When exiting the customs area, I handed my customs declaration card, looked at it and indicated the secondary screening area. Then 2 officers "greeted" me and inspected my luggage and asked me all sort of questions very intensively during 15-20 minutes. They were takings notes while interrogating me. At some point I thought I would never get out of there. 15-20 minutes look very long when you're challenged this way. They never mentioned the word "drug" to me even if I know that is what they were looking for. They even asked for the name of my spouse and some unrelated personal stuff.

Finally they let me go, they didn't finger printed me nor photographed me. I checked in my passport and they did not write anything next to the stamp. So I think I'm fine, but...

My main concern is to know if I'm likely to be flagged and to have further problems every time I want to cross to US ? I usually fly to US 2-3 times per year.

Thanks for your advices.

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Obscure2k
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It is where you were coming from - that simple. It is a drug route which is cause for exta inspection.

Just for an example the Postal inspection in Frankfurt have gone to hand inspecting ALL!!! mail from those countires and the hits they get is incredible. I cannot say what percentage but it is huge!

Question answered. Welcome to Flyertalk.

Uh, not quite. Read the title of the post. The OP asked whether he/she would be flagged for future travel.

If you come from those countries again, the answer is "probably.' If it's to simply re-enter the U.S. from Canada, the answer is 'no.' As mentioned earlier, it's likely it was where you came from is what got you pulled over.

They ask you personal questions to see how you answer when they know it's truthful (spouse, other personal stuff). This way, they can gauge how you answer truthfully versus how you answered on the other stuff.

The '1' on your card was likely just an easy way for the folks who collect the cards to know it's for one person (and not to let someone else go behind you).

Welcome to Flyertalk.

You were definitely red flagged due to the "Columbia and Mexico" portion of your recent travels. Also depends on a person's general appearance in combination in my opinion if their luggage will be inspected. For some reason,and unfarily so, any untidy beard or longer hair made that individual a more likely drug runner suspect. I doubt you will automatically trigger any inspection the next time you travel as you passed and they gave a thorough inspection of you. However if your itinerary are the same countries visited again do not be surprised if they check you again. Certain countries visited trigger closer inspections. If a person does get inspected by customs and their customs form does not jive with what has been declared I believe this triggers a comment in the computer with your passport number profile for closer inspections to take place which no one wants to be confronted with.

Thanks for the correction. That's what late night posting after a hard nights work does

The 1 is completely normal--everyone gets a number written on their card, it's simply telling the guy at the exit how many people to let through on the card.


Your inspection no doubt had to do with an itinerary that looks like a drug smuggler and isn't anything about you.

It is the point of exist -. infact many airports now have these portable screening vans and luggage from all these places are screened to 100% before it is put onto the lugage belts for pick up and if they have something suspisious they will check who takes pocession for the piece of luggage and then invite this person to customs inspection where everything is rescreened in your precense and its jail if they find something. It just depends on where you come from. Amsterdam is another one of those places they like to check well because of the "coffee shops"