What questions can customs ask?

Your bags and electronics can be searched without your permission, for any reason, and CBP officials can ask you almost any question.

Do you have to answer questions at customs?

If you are a U.S. citizen, you need only answer questions establishing your identity and citizenship, although refusing to answer routine questions about the nature and purpose of your travel could result in delay and/or further inspection.

Why do customs ask questions?

But if you go through a border-check, they are going to ask you questions. They aren't trying to incriminate innocent people; they are trying to sort out the smugglers. If you don't answer, they have to throw you on the maybe-smuggler category and go through all your belongings.

What information can customs see?

Information on the crossing—such as name, date and country of birth, and other biographical information; the dates and locations of previous border crossings; citizenship or immigration status; and a host of other related information—is stored in the TECS database, which contains a master crossing record for every ...

What do customs officers look for?

In fact, the CBP assesses all people who arrive by airplane, overland vehicle, ship or on foot and want to enter the U.S. The job of U.S. customs agents is to search for banned agricultural products and counterfeit goods, but they also are trained to seize street and pharmaceutical drugs, illegal immigrants and ...

Customs

How do you know if you are flagged by customs?

There are signs that will indicate you have been flagged for additional screenings: You were not able to print a boarding pass from an airline ticketing kiosk or from the internet. You were denied or delayed boarding. A ticket agent “called someone” before handing you a boarding pass.

What questions do immigration officers ask?

Can immigration check your text messages?

If you are at U.S. port of entry or under investigation DHS may be able to view your phone calls and text messages. DHS also views your social media information.

Can customs check your bank account?

US border agents are asking travelers to hand over their phones and access to their online accounts – be it Facebook, bank accounts, text messages and/or photos – according to a Houston immigration lawyer.

Do they check phone at immigration?

Yes. CBP refers to several statutes and regulations in justifying its authority to examine "computers, disks, drives, tapes, mobile phones and other communication devices, cameras, music and other media players, and any other electronic or digital devices."

Why can't you use your phone in customs?

It's totally legal for a US Customs and Border Patrol officer to ask you to unlock your phone and hand it over to them. And they can detain you indefinitely if you don't. Even if you're a American citizen. The border is technically outside of US jurisdiction, in a sort of legal no-man's-land.

How long can customs detain you at the airport?

In most cases, Immigration must decide within 48 hours whether to put you into immigration proceedings (in front of a judge), and whether to keep you in custody or to release you on bond. After 72 hours, Immigration must give you a Notice to Appear (NTA).

Do you have to unlock your phone for customs?

Yes. The government policy states that electronic devices “must be disconnected from the internet before a search is performed,” and that officers can only search information that is stored on the phone itself (and not, for example, only available on the cloud). This applies to both basic and advanced searches.

Can customs stop you?

If you refuse to be searched, you can be arrested without a warrant by the Customs officer and may be prosecuted. If you are arrested by Customs officers, you will be taken to the nearest police station to be charged with an offence. Customs officers keep records of all the searches that they conduct.

What questions do airport ask?

Can your own country deny you entry?

International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) article 12(4): 4. No one shall be arbitrarily deprived of the right to enter his own country.

Can customs check your credit card?

For charges exceeding US$100, there will be a mandatory account verification in which customs will contact the credit card company for confirmation of the card's validity. Other "suspect" charges also may be directly confirmed at the discretion of customs.

What do border officers see when they scan your passport?

' Presumably both you and your son hold US e-passports which contain a chip. That chip holds biometric information that's printed on the picture page - name, date of birth, sex, nationality, date of issue, passport number, and photograph.

What happens if you declare more than $10000 US?

What happens if you don't declare at customs? Failure to declare monetary instruments in amounts valued more than $10,000 can result in its seizure. If you are caught crossing the border with any amount of undeclared cash in excess of $10,000 USD you will almost certainly have it seized from you.

Can immigration look at your Facebook?

They look throughout the internet, for information about the people that are applying for benefits. Don't just think that because USCIS officials said in Washington, that they don't check social media, that they don't in fact.

Can immigration see your bank account?

Yes USCIS may verify information about your bank account with bank.

What is the penalty for lying to immigration?

Lying to an immigration officer can have extreme consequences including permanent inadmissibility, deportability, and not being allowed to apply for U.S. citizenship. Any person seeking a benefit under U.S. immigration law—a visa, permanent residency (a "green card"), or citizenship—must submit a written application.

What can I expect at an immigration interview?

During your naturalization interview, a USCIS officer will ask you questions about your application and background. You will also take an English and civics test unless you qualify for an exemption or waiver. The English test has three components: reading, writing, and speaking.