TotallyOz Posted January 20, 2009 Posted January 20, 2009 I had no trouble when I got back into USA with immigration. However, I had a guy that sat next to me and he and I chatted for a long time on the plane. He was coming from Singapore and Thailand and on business. However, when he entered the USA, he said all his videos were taken and he was given a warning not to bring illegal videos into USA. These were not porn videos but regular G, PG and R rated popular current videos. I wonder if this is common? Anyone else ever had this happen to them? Anyone have immigration question them? Quote
atri1666 Posted January 20, 2009 Posted January 20, 2009 When i enter germany the customs box is mostly empty and one time they have had a look in my handluggage and the officer told me i bought good films because he also liked horrorfilms uncut. Quote
Guest fountainhall Posted January 20, 2009 Posted January 20, 2009 Anyone else ever had this happen to them? Anyone have immigration question them? I have travelled to the US every year for more than 30 years and usually have no problem. However, last August I flew into Boston from London. Immigration took all of 10 minutes - a breeze. Then the customs supervisor saw that my trip started in Thailand. I was ushered over to a special line and every single item in my baggage was then thoroughly checked. It was all done with good humour and thankfully I was not asked to switch on my computer. But the time saved at Immigration was almost all lost with that customs search. Next year I'm giving Boston a miss! Quote
Guest laurence Posted January 20, 2009 Posted January 20, 2009 Yes, I have been asked if I had any DVDs. I had only one so the agent said he was too busy to search. I understand from other posts that one pirated DVD is permitted. Forget where, but on West Coast of USA. Answer is they will confiscate your DVDs if they know you have them. But if you lie and say you don't have any, then you will be in more trouble. Quote
2lz2p Posted January 21, 2009 Posted January 21, 2009 Yes, I have been asked if I had any DVDs. I had only one so the agent said he was too busy to search. I understand from other posts that one pirated DVD is permitted. Forget where, but on West Coast of USA. Answer is they will confiscate your DVDs if they know you have them. But if you lie and say you don't have any, then you will be in more trouble. I've only been "searched" once when returning from Thailand - that was several years ago when clearing customs in Dallas (wasn't bringing anything back, but a bother, especially since they "dumped" the contents and I had to put everything back). My more recent trips back from vacation and now from living in Thailand, I have entered either through Los Angeles or San Francisco ports of entry (once I flew into Vancouver and was surprised that US border clearance done there before catching my connecting flight to Dallas). Most of the time I haven't even been asked any questions by customs - must not fit the profile, whatever that may be. As for DVDs, can't say from any personal experience as I never brought any back - wasn't sure they would play on my US TV (NTSC format). But, some years ago when I was booking using AAA Travel, the lady travel agent cautioned me about bringing back counterfeit goods - she had taken a group to Thailand on tour and, at request of friends, brought back several fake watches (rolex, cartier, etc.) - she said customs let her keep one of each brand, but confiscated all the rest. Quote
Guest stef Posted January 21, 2009 Posted January 21, 2009 I had no trouble when I got back into USA with immigration. However, I had a guy that sat next to me and he and I chatted for a long time on the plane. He was coming from Singapore and Thailand and on business. However, when he entered the USA, he said all his videos were taken and he was given a warning not to bring illegal videos into USA. These were not porn videos but regular G, PG and R rated popular current videos. I wonder if this is common? Anyone else ever had this happen to them? Anyone have immigration question them? Nothing Surprises me with the US immigration. They would even take away real stuff as they couldn't make the difference which ones are real or not. ( May be over reacting here ) Anyway I have heard more similar stories and nothing surprises me from them Quote
Gaybutton Posted January 21, 2009 Posted January 21, 2009 Maybe Guantanamo will be used to house the terrible people out there who smuggle in a pirated DVD or a questionable photo. After all, a single male traveling to Thailand must automatically be a criminal of some sort . . . Quote
Guest slackersam Posted January 21, 2009 Posted January 21, 2009 I've had several people I know get busted for bootleg DVDs. There are two solutions to this: 1. FedEx your dvds home ahead of you. 2. Simply use mininova.com to download DVDs, burn them and then label them "family photos." Quote
Guest buckeroo2 Posted January 21, 2009 Posted January 21, 2009 I have travelled to the US every year for more than 30 years and usually have no problem. However, last August I flew into Boston from London. Immigration took all of 10 minutes - a breeze. Then the customs supervisor saw that my trip started in Thailand. I was ushered over to a special line and every single item in my baggage was then thoroughly checked. It was all done with good humour and thankfully I was not asked to switch on my computer. But the time saved at Immigration was almost all lost with that customs search. Next year I'm giving Boston a miss! I always enter the U.S. through customs in San Francisco. I must fit the profile of someone of interest as I am stopped and searched 4 out of 5 trips. They go through all of my luggage, check the memory card on my digital camera, etc. They ask all about my visit to Thailand, reason, where I stayed, traveled, etc. It is just part of the routine - I allow extra time for my airport pick-up. I never bring in DVD's as I fully expect to be serached upon entry to the U.S. Quote
Guest fountainhall Posted January 21, 2009 Posted January 21, 2009 US border clearance is done at all Canadian gateways. I often find this much easier and faster than entering the US direct from Europe or Asia. I have done immediate connections - Tokyo to Chicago via Vancouver, for example - or stayed a few days in Canada. Quote
Guest FanOfThailand Posted January 24, 2009 Posted January 24, 2009 This is my first post so I hope this works. A couple of years ago I was stopped and searched at San Francisco. The customs guy asked me twice while looking through my suitcase if I was carrying over $10,000 in cash ( yeah I wish). I had computer games on DVD's ( maybe 5 or 6 ) which he joked about being cheaper in Thailand but did nothing about them. The next time going through customs at SFO I was again stopped and searched. This time she seemed more interested in my camera than the game DVD's I almost always buy when in Thailand. After about 20 minutes of searching all was put back and we went over to her computer where she asked me how long I lived at my current address. I told her I have lived there over 20 years. She typed something on the computer and I have not been stopped since. I have been waved through customs the last three times. At Immigration this last time I was asked if I have ever lived on the east coast ( I have not ). I have a very common name which appears to be the problem. Whatever that customs lady did so far has kept me off the "search list". Quote
Gaybutton Posted January 24, 2009 Posted January 24, 2009 This is my first post so I hope this works. At Immigration this last time I was asked if I have ever lived on the east coast ( I have not ). Your post worked just fine and welcome to the board. They asked if you ever lived on the east coast? That's a new one. I can't even imagine what difference that would make, but there it is. Quote
Guest GaySacGuy Posted January 24, 2009 Posted January 24, 2009 I imagine that the guy they were actually tracking lives on the east coast...same name or birth date, and maybe some other matching traits. By living on the west coast, this isn't the right guy! Quote
Guest slackersam Posted January 24, 2009 Posted January 24, 2009 They probably have to use lots of questions like that when dealing with people with way common names. Quote
Guest lvdkeyes Posted January 24, 2009 Posted January 24, 2009 I haven't been back to the US in 4 years, but when I was traveling back and forth I never got searched or questioned about DVD's , although I always has some with me. Quote
Guest slackersam Posted January 24, 2009 Posted January 24, 2009 I'm always getting searched and questioned at airports. But I think it's because I have a long and unusual first name. (Sam is my middle name and I don't use my real first name ever.) My feeling is to a lot of customs people "unusual name = potential problem." Quote
Gaybutton Posted January 24, 2009 Posted January 24, 2009 But I think it's because I have a long and unusual first name. You could be right, but one time I was bringing a lot of plants back from Thailand (yes, I had a permit). With plants, you don't just bring them in. They have to be packed and labeled in a specialized way and you have to show permits from the originating country that they also had inspected the plants and authorized you to take them (I had those too). Upon arrival in the USA they are supposed to be rigidly inspected by agricultural inspectors during customs inspection. I had included them on my customs declaration card. The customs officer waved me right on through, but I volunteered that I had the plants. I didn't want any trouble later. I asked the customs officer why he was going to wave me through when I had declared a suitcase full of live plants. He hadn't even bothered to look at the declaration form. You know what his answer was? He simply shrugged and said, "You don't fit the profile." Then he sent me off to the agricultural inspectors. That's what I think it is. I think they are trained to look for certain profiles and that's who gets hassled. I don't have a clue what it is they look for, but with hundreds of people passing by them every day, I suppose after a while they get used to who to single out for inspection. Quote
Guest slackersam Posted January 28, 2009 Posted January 28, 2009 Yeah and I tan easily and have a strange name, which I'm guessing is part of a profile. Also I'm usually totally jonesing for a cigarette which probably makes me look nervous. Quote
Gaybutton Posted January 28, 2009 Posted January 28, 2009 I tan easily and have a strange name, which I'm guessing is part of a profile. I suppose anything is possible, but I fail to see why customs officials would consider that someone's name, whether common or unusual, would have any relevance or bearing upon the likelihood that someone might be carrying something illegal. Whatever reasons they may have for stopping you, it's difficult to believe your name would have anything to do with it, especially since you didn't even choose your own name. Quote
Guest slackersam Posted January 28, 2009 Posted January 28, 2009 It sounds like it could be muslim (though it's not.) Quote
Guest lvdkeyes Posted January 28, 2009 Posted January 28, 2009 Fair or not profiling is done based on statistics. Quote
Guest slackersam Posted January 28, 2009 Posted January 28, 2009 Yep, and I'm guessing that well tanned single men with non-American sounding names have been statisically more problematic than others. Quote
Guest laurence Posted January 28, 2009 Posted January 28, 2009 From my experience it is just a question of chance. Some are never stopped and others often questioned and searched. Likely those first off the plane and thru Customs may have a greater chance of being searched. My experience has been, single/male/from Thailand is enough to trigger the search. Quote
Guest slackersam Posted January 28, 2009 Posted January 28, 2009 We should all travel with our sisters. Quote
Guest FanOfThailand Posted January 29, 2009 Posted January 29, 2009 I think the reason for me being searched came from the INS agent who scanned my passport upon entry and then made a red mark on my customs form. The friend traveling with me had a green mark and was not searched at costoms. This is why I think there is a list of names with little other narrowing information to tell if "I" am indeed the person on this list. They just search everyone whose name appears on the list. Something the customs lady did the last time stopped the searches at least the last two times I've gone through customs. I will be coming to Pattaya again next month so I will see if the non-search still continues. They do random search people going through customs but I was on a list of some sort. Quote
