Which countries interrogate citizens on (re)entry?
#16




Join Date: Mar 2005
Programs: UA MP
Posts: 1,701
Originally Posted by You want to go where?
The only question I routinely get at US Immigration is "What kind of food?"
based on my indication that I am carrying food into the United States. The answer is always: "Chocolate!"
based on my indication that I am carrying food into the United States. The answer is always: "Chocolate!"

#17
Original Poster
FlyerTalk Evangelist


Join Date: Nov 1999
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So it seems that the European Union countries are the least intrusive as far as customs and immigration goes. I'll add Singapore to that list of countries.
A few years ago, my partner entered a country which she had just become a newly-minted citizen of but had never lived in. Given her experience as a native-born Canadian reentering Canada, she was terrified of being questioned in a language she isn't fluent in. All the immigration officer did was briefly glance at her passport and politely thanked her.
Originally Posted by huts
On the original topic, Australia is one country that will definitely ask questions when a citizen reenters the country, although I probably get more of this because I don't actually live there these days. My wife is a US citizen, and previously when we lived in a country that was neither the US or Australia, she would get more questions entering the US than I would, and I would get more questions entering Australia than she would.
#18
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A lot of the questioning is to test your reactions and see if you're nervous or making something up. If they hear obvious signs of lying such as sweating, stuttering and lack of eye contact, you'll probably get searched or at least sent to secondary.
#19
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Join Date: Aug 2003
Posts: 12,242
I think it depends a lot on the customs/immigration offical rather then the specific country. I've had nothing except a welcome home when entering through JFK, PHL, & ORD. To what I would consider the standard questions (how long have you been out of the country? Where did you go? What kind of food are you carrying? Chocolate) at PHL & CLT. To the third degree at US preclearance in YVR and in CLT when I did a MR to LGW.

