Cellphones & Immigration/Customs
 

Why are cellphones illegal at most immigration and customs points? Cameras I can understand, I guess, but why cellphones? That rule was in effect before cellphones had cameras.

I am guessing something along the lines

(a) so you dont get fed answers when you are being questioned :rolleyes:
(b) so you dont tell an accomplice - go for it now they are all in here with me ;)

BTW congrats on 1000 posts ^

Yeah. (b) makes sense.. but the consipiracy theorist in me wonders.. could it be an interference thing? And, then... interference with what?

Thanks! It snuck up on me. :)

I guess it prevents people from calling and finding out which line a certain accomplice/officer is currently in. They have had this rule for a very long time, perhaps to try to foil smugglers.

Are they illegal? I know you are not allowed to use them, but not sure it's against any laws.

I believe it's right up there with not being able to take any pictures of any of the bridges in and around New York anymore (which is illegal), it's just a stupid rule not based in reality meant to give people the feeling they are doing something.

Is this really illegal today? How on earth would they enforce it?

Passengers on a plane I was on the other day were told that their cellphones would be confiscated if used in immigration arrivals. I know that in a police-state that doesn't necessarily mean that they are illegal. Perhaps I was optimistic that there was law behind it. :(

My question was related to Cordelli's comment about photographing the bridges in NYC being illegal. :eek:

I do believe using a cell phone is prohibited in the customs/immigration/security sections of the US airports and some intl ones, as well. How they enforce it or what the penalty is is unknown to me (which is a good thing, I guess) :)

Actually at arrivals in JFK, there is no need for them to look to enforce it because last time that I was there, the entire area had been made a dead zone for reception. This is a pain in the a** if you want to call for your ride after the bags have come down.

I think you answered your own question. Many cellphones can take pictures now.

Does anyone really, and I mean really, need to use a cell phone while in custom. Does it really affect your quality of life to have to stand there. :rolleyes:

Maybe not really. But it's definitely useful, efficient and courteous to be able to call and say "The immigration queue is really, really long today and it looks like it's going to take me another hour before I get through to baggage claim."

This has been a regulation pretty much everywhere since the 1980's and is totally justified. The reason it was put in was so that mules couldn't warn eachother (i.e. the guy at counter 9 is almolst asleep, they are not manning door 4, etc.). Anyone who disagrees probably doesn't travel internationally that often, otherwise tehy would have understood this for years and would not even try it.

Yes it is, and they are trying to add the subways to the list, hearings this month.

They put up signs on the bridges, not really sure how they could enforce it unless they caught you in the act of doing it.

In reality though, our walk goes over the Brooklyn Bridge, everybody takes pictures on the walk, and nobody was hassled.

I hate statements like 'anyone who disagrees probably doesn't travel int'ly very much' - how condescending. I travel intl'y a lot. I have my own theories on why they're not allowed (one of which coincides w/ yours above), but give me a break.

Personally I'm in the 'screw it; nothing's that important that I need to whip out my cell phone' camp. If they're waiting for you to come out of customs, they're already at airport; not call me when you know what the customs line is like & I'll drive down to pick you up then.

BTW - given the topic, what a # of us thought was really funny a few weeks ago was - some woman comes off an int'l flight & is IN CUSTOMS & gets on the phone & gets into a REALLY LOUD SCREAMING MATCH w/ her credit card company on how she paid the bill on time, why aren't they authorizing this, yada, yada. The entire line's looking at her like a) are you nuts - why would you turn on your phone in the customs line given the rules, or even have this conversation in front of total strangers; b) where's customs to enforce the no cell phone rule when you need them! :D

As someone already stated, many airports already put in jammers in customs halls which in effect ends the argument.