CBP secondary screening codes
 

I recently went through customs coming into DFW. I made the mistake of telling the truth when they asked my occupation (Im unemployed) which apparently was a red flag and got me secondary screening. I noticed the first screener wrote C844 on my customs declaration and asked the 2nd screener about it. He said its a code they use to tell the other screener what to look for and all the questions he asked were about my finances, etc.

Anyway, it got me curious about the different codes they used, so I did a little digging on google and found a couple more based on stories from other fliers. Based on the reports of others you get the code AO if you mark that you visited a farm and they send you for agricultural inspection. You get code AS if you mark that you are carrying food items.

I thought this would be a good place to post the info in case others want to chime in with what codes they have gotten and what they mean. Maybe a stickie?

Same thing happened to me also at DFW

Somehow it seems they need to justify their existence, Nothing else!

Our borders are not one bit secure because of these people

Just more tax payer money going to waste....

Before my last secondary at LAX, the immigration officer wrote "One" as is customary but rather than underline it as usual, he wrote it over the DHS Seal on the form and he circled the DHS Seal rather carefully. Customs saw that and strait to secondary. Obviously the big circle exactly around the DHS seal was the tip-off. The search seemed to be intended to cover my laptop and other electronics since this was mainly what the questions focused on and they didn't even pay much attention to anything else,,,, except much to their disappointment I wasn't even carrying a laptop or other electronics and really had nothing more than a light carry-on with a change of clothes, toothbrush and such, which seemed to bother them quite a bit but quickly nipped any intended electronics search in the bud. That was about a year ago and I have passed through LAX Immigration and Customs 8-10 time since with no further hassles so it looked like a one-off thing.

As far as immigration's super secret marks on customs form, I do find that an interesting topic and am also curious what others have experienced.

Secondary at customs or at immigration control?
(Yeah I know CBP do them both)
When I first entered the US at LAX it was quite a good amount of people in the secondary room. Luckily I was not directed in there (I hold a Norwegian passport btw) since I am probably the CBP's dream passenger. White, blond and blue eye and most of the people in there were not that. Well actually no reason to send me into there anyway as I have not overstayed, I do intend to return home after I am finished with my studies here in May and I don't have any criminal record, but you never know with the CBP. It can be as simple as the inspector doesn't like you.

Customs does the secondary but sometimes Immigration will mark up your form with some super secret symbol or code so when you present it to customs, they know to automatically pull you for secondary.

Particularly relevant is that if you are flagged in CBP's computers anywhere, Immigration would be the one to see that and note it, whereas Customs is generally not even looking at a computer or querying your name against any list prior to sending you to secondary.

I got a big "A" scrawled across my declaration form after I told the immigration officer at IAD I had a half eaten sandwich from LHR that I had taken off the plane and did not see a trashcan between the plane and immigration. He told me not to throw the sandwich away when I picked up my luggage because they would ask me about it before leaving the customs area. Happened again on the next entry to IAD even though I wasn't carrying any food.

I cleared on Monday @ ATL and was sent to Ag.

Immigration Inspector drew a line thru the middle of the bottom half of my landing card, which could have been a long "1"

At Customs exit, I gave my landing card to the individual at the exit, she motions for me to proceed, and then calls me back. I return.

She asks about the Yes to farm/food, puts my passport and landing card in a green see-thru envelope, sends me to Ag. FWIW, Food was plantain chips - also spent time on a farm.

Ag does x-ray, finds nothing of interest, comments on how great my coffee smells and sends me off wishing me a great day.

(I brought a dozen bags of coffee back from Costa Rica)

:D

I've been observing CBP procedures for about 25 years now. If you keep your eyes on the officer's face while he's doing his stamp jockey routine, you will note, that as he writes the all important code on the customs declaration and circles or underlines it, he looks up to watch your expression. If you are already staring at his forehead, which is easier to stare at than the eyeballs, as it prevents a stare-out from developing, you will notice this. It's just some psychological mumbo-jumbo and is not very productive.

I disagree with this characterization of the episode. It is never a mistake to tell the truth when you choose to respond to a LEO's question.

In fact, if you had chosen to lie to the officer, you could have gotten yourself into a lot of trouble.

Note, however, that if you are a US Citizen, you have an alternate option: to remain silent. Occupation is not something that is on the written Customs declaration form, so if the officer asks you, as a Citizen you can choose not to answer and CBP cannot use your lack of response as grounds to deny you entrance to your own country. (Of course, if you do not cooperate with questioning, they can choose to inconvenience you with lengthy searches, processing delays, etc.)

Or you could just join GlobalEntry and thenceforth be exempt from all the psychological mumbo-jumbo.

This is why I always delay answering the farm question until I can gauge the line lengths at customs. If long and things look plugged I'll mark yes and take the always quick and easy Ag route. When asked which shoes I was wearing on the farm, just indicate the ones on my feet ... saves having to dig out a pair from the bag for the antiseptic process.

Indeed. I am a big fan of Global Entry. :D

I just tend to have this look

http://tinyurl.com/aubfj

Canadians beware: You have not right to silence at Canadian immigration/customs. You must answer all questions truthfully or go to jail. Same applies to non-citizens as well btw.

CBP secondary screening codes?
 

Does anyone know what TH-M mean? Everytime CBP sends me for secondary I notice that on their slip they write down that code?

CBP secondary screening codes
 

I had the misfortune once to say that not everything belongs to me in my baggage (wife's clothes) = automatic secondary every time + denied GE. I usually enter from YYZ bimonthly and they just put my passport and card in a yellow folder. While at other POE the codes vary, there's usually an S ( for secondary I assume).
Canadians use different codes every time.

I dont think there are official codes - what they write depends on the local airport. Sometimes they write 1 or 2 - turned out to be inspection rooms in that particular airport. If they write anything - you bet you are being send to secondary! The leave notes in the computer for the next person to read and the "codes" really mean nothing.

What are the different color folders? I’m going to guess that the green one is for agricultural inspection? What are the yellow and red ones for? More serious things?