A bit of retraining needed, perhaps?

[RooFlyer]

Had a bizarre experience with exit immigration on Easter Island (Chile) recently.

Near the front of the queue when exit immigration booths opened, so on I marched to #3.

Guy starts off by doing the usual flip through of passport; finds the Chilean entry bit of paper and lays it next to the passport. Continues to flip through it. Back and forth. No doubt looking for the entry stamp I was thinking.

Nope. He finally settles on the page of my stick-in Indian Visa and peers at it intently. Starts comparing the numbers there to the Chile Entry paper. I start to say "That's my Indian Visa ..." but he cuts me off with wave of hand.

Oops. Rule #1. Don't speak at immigration unless spoken to.

He now starts typing in details from my Indian Visa into his computer system. WTF I'm thinking; for those who don't know an Indian Visa (or at least the one I have) is a full page stick-in and is bright pink and blue background with "Republic of India VISA" across the top and various passport and visa numbers within it, and 2 photos - one small colour, the other blue, with background. In my case it also had a big "Immigration India" stamp in the middle of it from when I entered that country. Mine is in the middle of my passport.

Guy stops, asks something of roving senior guy. Now comparing Indian Visa details to my Chile Entry slip again. He's clearly confused.

Now he goes to what is obviously (its written across the top), the typed couple of pages of inbound transit passengers on his desk, goes down it looking for my name. Surprise - not there (I'm standing in front of him!!); next he goes to the typed list of pax coming off the inbound flight (ditto). He looks confused again, and asks the senior roving guy something again.

Houston, we have a problem ...

Goes back to my Indian Visa. I can't stand it any longer - I say "That's my Indian Visa - not Chile".

He goes back to my Chile Entry bit of paper. Peers at it intently.

At last, he goes back to my passport and ... finds the photo & details page. Yipee!! Begins re-typing into his computer.

After 10-15 minutes with this cretin, I get my passport back, stamped and move on.

 

[JohnM]

D'oh! Looks like he thought the Indian visa was the main photo page of your passport. Bizarre.

I just had a slightly odd thing at AMM pre-security X-ray entering the checkin area. Had to take my small binoculars out of my hand luggage and put it in my checked luggage.