Customs officers

[Foreigner]

Generally first you need to make it past immigration control. Then you navigate through Customs.

US Customs officers can be quite casual. Once i had over $10k in bank draft and cash. The officer was relaxed, helped filling in declaration form and chatted casually.

Australian officers appear to be eager to clear passengers fast.

Then in a number of Asian cities you rarely see Customs officers. Some are there but you breeze past them.

What's your experience?

 

[Alanslegal]

In Asia - you break the law, you probably will never see daylight again - so no wonder why they don't bother with customs people and only the crazies would ever think about doing anything wrong there.

In USA - apart from the long queues - I don't have any issues. I find them quite pleasant contrary to what the stories are. Even after flying in from Cuba (via Mexico) they didn't even care.

In Europe - who knows - maybe at Immigration they don't understand me and I don't understand them - so I get processed quite fast - and then straight through the Nothing to Declare channels.

In Canada / UK - I get treated the same - multiple questions on why I want to visit, how much money I have, how long have I been saving for this trip and so on. Makes me scared of visiting sometimes

In Australia - more often than not I am required to get my bags scanned and have the super excited beagle quarantine dog smell my bags. I once was grilled by three customs guys purely because I may or may not have had some cigarettes in my checked luggage [as my now wife packed by luggage] - and I did the right thing by ticking yes, because that's what the form said to do if I was unsure.

 

[Austman]

What's your experience?

I've been asked for bribes from officials at least twice (Indonesia) and to buy liquor on arrival once then hand it over to an official (Tunisia).

I paid the bribe once. I've ignored other bribes requests. And I did buy the liquor because I had been helped in a Catch-22 VOA matter.

It's really easy to pontificate about what's right and wrong until you are actually IN the situation, in a foreign country and knowing your life could be hell (at least for a while) if you don't co-operate with a corrupt official.

 

[kermatu]

I've found the US officials to routinely be the friendliest and always happy to have a good chat. I assume their computer systems are going to highlight anyone of concern so they can be relaxed!

Australia and NZ close behind. never an issue. Though I have seen some Australian customs/immigration officers get irate at pax who are in the wrong queue or haven't filled out the form. (Frustrating for all, but never intentional so I don't see the point of getting angry).

UK and Canada I get detailed questions but always OK. Same in Germany.

Italy my passport has been stamped without the officer even looking at me.

Singapore and Malaysia - quick and efficient.

 

[get me outta here]

It is only when arriving back in SYD have I experienced a rude customs officer because although the passport was open at the correct page and I had filled in the form correctly, one of the forms was face up but upside down.

I have committed the crime of holding one of the forms

I've found the US officials to routinely be the friendliest and always happy to have a good chat. I assume their computer systems are going to highlight anyone of concern so they can be relaxed!

Australia and NZ close behind. never an issue. Though I have seen some Australian customs/immigration officers get irate at pax who are in the wrong queue or haven't filled out the form. (Frustrating for all, but never intentional so I don't see the point of getting angry).

UK and Canada I get detailed questions but always OK. Same in Germany.

Italy my passport has been stamped without the officer even looking at me.

Singapore and Malaysia - quick and efficient.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Watching the various customs shows I've come to the conclusion the passenger can't win... if you have a positive swab for an illegal substance and admit having come in contact with it you get the full search ('passenger has admitted so we now have grounds for a search'), and if the passenger denies any knowledge they still come in for the full search ('the passenger can't explain the readings so we now have grounds for a search').

 

[Himeno]

I had exactly the same experience in Italy!

I've had that at MAD, BCN, CDG, FRA, FCO, HEL and AMS. It is common all over the Schengen
area

 

[jb747]

I've had that at MAD, BCN, CDG, FRA, FCO, HEL and AMS. It is common all over the Schengen
area

The rudest officer I have ever seen was in Brisbane. Sticking your face 3 inches from that of an old Korean lady, and then speaking very slowly and loudly in English, is not a universal translator. It was so bad that I wrote to the minister.

 

[farstar]

In Australia - more often than not I am required to get my bags scanned and have the super excited beagle quarantine dog smell my bags. I once was grilled by three customs guys purely because I may or may not have had some cigarettes in my checked luggage [as my now wife packed by luggage] - and I did the right thing by ticking yes, because that's what the form said to do if I was unsure.

Of the last five years I have never had my bags scanned returning to Australia, this includes a flight from South America. This is on 30 plus incoming flights. I always get told to walk straight out. Guess I just look innocent.

 

[astrosly]

I've had that at MAD, BCN, CDG, FRA, FCO, HEL and AMS. It is common all over the Schengen
area

Similar experience here, but once at FCO where the lines were to the back of the hall one of the officers started shouting "Australia!?" and waving people through with a nod and nothing else but a glance at the passport cover! And that was coming from a non-Schengen flight.

 

[Foreigner]

Similar experience here, but once at FCO where the lines were to the back of the hall one of the officers started shouting "Australia!?" and waving people through with a nod and nothing else but a glance at the passport cover! And that was coming from a non-Schengen flight.

Perhaps dressing with something Australiana like a cap can help swift exit through Customs...something unostentatious

 

[Happy Trails]

Once in Algiers, one made a great show of confiscating some soft-cough magazines and a girly calendar, holding then them up by the corner between finger and thumb before disgustedly throwing them on the floor.
I saw him a little while later, smugly walking away from the terminal with the swag under his arm.
Something told me he wasn't looking for an incinerator.

 

[puppysparkes]

I've had one woeful interaction with a customs officer in BNE back in 1994. I'll refer to mentioned officer as Richard Crane. (now boarder force officers). Having flown BNE-POM-MAG I managed to jump on a 72ft yacht headed for SIN. The sailing was totally unplanned and occurred through a chance meeting. On arrival in BNE from SIN on SQ I was aggressively lambasted by Richard in a tone that I'll never forget. I fired back with attitude when recounting my travels and justifying my movements. I'm older now and more passive. She could have assessed my travels without aggression. It was probably out of character but over 20 years on I still remember it, thanks Richard.

On the other hand we were treated well by SIN customs. Sailing into the worlds busiest port is something I'll never forget.

 

[Foreigner]

Was it he (Richard) or she (Rachel?)?

 

[RooFlyer]

Only bad customs experience was in Morocco, where the guy was clearly looking for a bribe. Held up my wallet and make clicking sound with his tongue. I looked him in the eye and said firmly "I have nothing for you." Passed through.

On the drive into town, I mentioned this to my host, who was a bit of a mover and shaker in Casablanca. He was apoplectic; hearing him call what I gather were some highly placed government people and verbally tearing them each another *hole was probably worth the experience at the airport. Arabic is singularly suited for this type of 'conversation' .

 

[benjy]

I've just returned from London and a 4 week tour of Europe.
In London I only had my passport stamped and 'enjoy your trip through Europe', my bags weren't checked and it was a very pleasant experience.
In Australia, went through the ePassport checking thing, got my bag, and off I went.
With it being my first ever International trip I was surprised that's all that happens. I'm sure it is different experience if you have things to declare or look suspicious etc

 

[Ausbt]

Chatting with a lass today who had mentioned to UK Border Control she was coming in to work as an Intern (upaid). Very bad move - they delayed her for six hours. I myself have visited the UK three times this year to work, however salary/accom paid by Oz and I'm not being paid by UK businesses for my services. No dramas.

Always my perception that Oz customs/immigration the rudest in the world. But hey, we are an island - I don't want anyone importing any nasties either. At least we use Beagles, I reckon a few would like Rottweilers if they could train the things without losing an hand.

 

[Deleted member]

3 trips running BNE - AKL (return) within about 3 months first to third, my (NZ) passport was taken into a windowless room and I don't know to this day why. Only ever happened outbound in BNE.

 

[RooFlyer]

Chatting with a lass today who had mentioned to UK Border Control she was coming in to work as an Intern (upaid). Very bad move - they delayed her for six hours. I myself have visited the UK three times this year to work, however salary/accom paid by Oz and I'm not being paid by UK businesses for my services. No dramas.

<snip>.

Not wishing to divert the thread, but that's not always sufficient. In Canada, 'working' there also includes if you are doing the job that a Canadian could do .. notwithstanding that you are employed by an Australian entity and are not paid in, or by, Canada.

 

[TheBOSman]

Always my perception that Oz customs/immigration the rudest in the world. But hey, we are an island - I don't want anyone importing any nasties either. At least we use Beagles, I reckon a few would like Rottweilers if they could train the things without losing an hand.

On the other hand I've never had an issue with Australian customs/immigration. Only time I was ever even asked any questions was arriving in ADL from HKG (which must be a strange routing for an American passport holder, but I was coming from ICN so makes perfect sense to me!), questions were direct but the staff was very nice about it overall, not remotely nasty and I didn't mind as a result. NZ usually asks a few questions but nothing bad really (of course they scan all bags of anyone not from Oz or NZ so they would find out if you were lying).

Worst for me by a long margin is Canada, I won't go back until I'm applying for NEXUS, and tell everyone I know not to go unless they have to. Rude and disrespectful and straight out nasty, and sent me to secondary without a good reason (IMO). I was nice and cooperative and they seemed to just be trying to irritate me. Considering Australia has let me in without issue half a dozen times at least, I feel qualified to say Canada didn't have a good reason. Too many other countries nicer than Canada that are glad to have me visit and I'd much rather spend my time and money going somewhere welcoming.