Usual US Port of Entry Questions - Tourist

[pretinnes]

^^nakakatuwa naman sis.hehe. at least okay na di ba?congrats!

[coldsiren]

i'm going on a cruise to mexico with my family. ganyan din kaya ang mga maitatanong sa akin ng io pag nakita nya na mag cruise pa ako sa mexico?

[theflygirl]

My experience...

I went to Mexico 4 months ago transiting from Texas POE is LAX... so nung nasa line na ko ng Immigration meron pinay na IO pero deadma lang... so nung turn ko na for the interview tinawag ako nung pinay na IO knowing na vacant yung IO na nasa harap ko, talagang sumenyas siya dun sa kano na parang ibig sabihin is "this one is mine"

so interview na, she asked for all my document since I'm there for business trip. passport, Certificate of Employment, E-ticket, guarantee letter, itinerary and online booking ng hotel... dame db?

then questions asked:

- whats your purpose of going to the US?
** its for a business meeting and training
-how long are you staying here?
** just for 1 night since I'm transiting from el paso to Mexico
-why do you need to stay there for 1 night?
** because we will arrive in el paso around 11pm and its not safe anymore to travel going to mexico, so we'll be spending the night there..
-why do you need to go to el paso when you can get a direct flight going to mexico?
** because from el paso its only 30 mins drive going to mexico, its cheaper than having the direct flight...
-how come your company is sending you to mexico? do you know that its a war zone?
** we're staying near the US embassy in mexico, so the place is safe and the company will be liable for everything...
-what is your company anyways and what do you do?
**(syempre explain naman ako)

the pinay IO even asked another IO if he's buying my explanation..
imagine, 2 IO is interviewing me...

at the end sinabi saken nung pinay IO is
"kasi pinay din ako, ayoko lang na may mangyari sayo""

and i was like... WTF!!! pagtapos mo ko gisahin dito mi hindi mo nga sinabi saken na pinay ka tapos sasabihin mo saken na ayaw mo lang na may mangyari saken???

katakot kaya ma A to A...

The reason lang naman IMO why you were questioned about the Mexico trip is because Juarez is the most dangerous city in Mexico. I went there some years ago, toured around the place , not knowing na ganun pala reputation nun. I guess mas malala na ngayon kasi even the mayor of the town nearby is a 21yo girl who volunteered cos no one wanted the job. Too many drug cartels and the like. Kaya jan super higpit n suspicious ang IOs. OT lang, I personally liked the Juarez trip, bought some latigos, cerveza negras, went to a bull ring and glass factory and wasn't questioned at all by border patrol. I was with a tour group, btw, and was staying at the air base at El Paso, TX.

[bachoy0819]

The reason lang naman IMO why you were questioned about the Mexico trip is because Juarez is the most dangerous city in Mexico. I went there some years ago, toured around the place , not knowing na ganun pala reputation nun. I guess mas malala na ngayon kasi even the mayor of the town nearby is a 21yo girl who volunteered cos no one wanted the job. Too many drug cartels and the like. Kaya jan super higpit n suspicious ang IOs. OT lang, I personally liked the Juarez trip, bought some latigos, cerveza negras, went to a bull ring and glass factory and wasn't questioned at all by border patrol. I was with a tour group, btw, and was staying at the air base at El Paso, TX.

nung andun ako mejo wala naman akong nakita na violence around the city, even love juarez a lot specially yung mga tao...
i was there for 4 weeks, sobrang hospitable and nice ng mga mexicans dun... and they love to party a lot, sad nga lang kasi ganun nga yung tingin sa kanila... war zone kaya yung ibang business nagpupull out sa kanila... but i was there election time, alam ko guy na matanda yung nanalo na mayor... 

[theflygirl]

^of course di naman gagawing blatant yung sa drug selling, and like I said, the mayor of the town NEARBY yung batang babae... Ok din naman ako dun...actually, boring nga the day we visited kasi tahimik...and like I said as well, I liked the trip, LOL...

[divamom]

^she's the police chief, not the mayor...fyi

[theflygirl]

Oh yeah haha...oops, thanks for pointing it out...I remember it was all over the news about the young girl. Oops again, OT na, baka maging mexican thread na to...love to all! Thanks divamom

[irische]

Hi mgs sis!

I am planning to go back to the US this coming April 2 to attend a furniture show it would be my 3rd time.  Kaso lang, I have already been to the US twice and the last time was for 6 months, March to Early September 2010.

Magkaroon kaya ako nang problema sa POE ko? I plan to enter sa Las Vegas same sa entry ko the last time.  Do you think I should postpone my trip sa May.  My visa is expiring on Early August.  Where kaya yong medyo maluwag yong POE?  Nakakatakot kasi yong mga stories na naririnig ko puros airport to airport. 

Sabi din nila kasi malaman nang POE yong mga details nang ticket mo and the last time when I bought my return ticket pauwi dito eh yong kaibigan kong lalaki yong nagpurchase sa ticket kasi hindi na marebooked yong original ticket ko and hindi naman tumatanggap nang foreign issued credit card yong airline kailangan daw basta point of origin america american issued na cc.  natatakot akong ma problema pa ako at ma a to a.

[design21]

@ irische: maybe because you stayed there for 6 months the last time, dun ka maququestion sis kasi bakit ganun ka katagal. Pls basta iwasan mo detroit as point of entry. In my experience, twice nako sa LAX wala naging problem, once sa Detroit well long drama and once sa NEw Wark no problem din.

[xtine]

@ irische: maybe because you stayed there for 6 months the last time, dun ka maququestion sis kasi bakit ganun ka katagal. Pls basta iwasan mo detroit as point of entry. In my experience, twice nako sa LAX wala naging problem, once sa Detroit well long drama and once sa NEw Wark no problem din.

Shucks! I got scared sis.  My point of entry this coming december is Detroit.  How scary is the Immigration there?  My visa kasi will expire February of next year pa.  And I'm planning on bringing 2k as shopping money although I have Itinerary and etickets just in case I need to present my within US travels.  Likewise, all my hotels are already paid.  Ano pa kaya ang pwede maging problem.  I'm in my late 20s and works for IT. Kindly share some tips.  Thanks!

[design21]

Hindi ko din gets bakit ganun sa Detroit eh, pero kahit yung mga US citizen na Filipinos na kakilala ko ganun din sinasabi samin. Yung dad ko, mga 8K dala niya, binilang pa talaga yung cash. Kami pinabuksan lahat ng maleta. Wala naman kami anything illegal kaya hindi naman kami natakot. May mga tagalog dvd ako na dala, pero original dala ko pa yung receipt. Hassle lang kasi may connecting flight pa kami. That's why I will never ride Delta Air again.

One more thing, they shout pagbaba mo palang ng airplane.Naka Border Control uniform sila.

[xtine]

^Now I'm really scared.  Naka delta air din ako.  Shucks!  Maliit lang ang dala ko $2,000 lang kaya natatakot ako.  Mukhang I need to lessen my pasalubong also.  Thanks for the tip sis!

[irische]

@ irische: maybe because you stayed there for 6 months the last time, dun ka maququestion sis kasi bakit ganun ka katagal. Pls basta iwasan mo detroit as point of entry. In my experience, twice nako sa LAX wala naging problem, once sa Detroit well long drama and once sa NEw Wark no problem din.

thank you sis my poe is las vegas sana ma okay and tuloy2x no.
nagtagal lang naman ako sis kasi long awaited vacation ko yan and suppose to be 3 months lang ako pero ayan napa extend ng extend pero
i can show proof naman na hindi ako nag tratrabaho kasi palipatlipat ako nang state.  okay kaya yon?

[design21]

kung palipat lipat ka ng state enough naman siguro yun sis to prove na you didn't work there. another tip yung cousin ko na single nakaipit kasi ata sa passport niya yung ticket so ang tinatak sa kanya is one month lang. i think las vegas hindi mahigpit.

[irische]

kung palipat lipat ka ng state enough naman siguro yun sis to prove na you didn't work there. another tip yung cousin ko na single nakaipit kasi ata sa passport niya yung ticket so ang tinatak sa kanya is one month lang. i think las vegas hindi mahigpit.

salamat po sis sa encouragement mo....nakakabahan talaga ako eh...kasi ma airport to airport pa ako..di lang nakakahiya eh sayang pa yong pera diba?

[bachoy0819]

pero mga sis, may mga travel advisory ngayon na mas hinigpitan nila mga POE ngayon specially for tourist...

any recent experience po to anyone?

[fashionista_guru]

Sis, yung travel advisory naman is for their people planning to visit our country... During my recent travel, the officer was very nice. Just asked me where will I be staying and how long. Then nag-joke pa nga siya re my surname. Also, yung four fingers ko lang sa right hand ang ini-scan niya then pinaalis na ako after taking my picture. Basta be brief & precise lang when answering questions.

[irische]

Sis, yung travel advisory naman is for their people planning to visit our country... During my recent travel, the officer was very nice. Just asked me where will I be staying and how long. Then nag-joke pa nga siya re my surname. Also, yung four fingers ko lang sa right hand ang ini-scan niya then pinaalis na ako after taking my picture. Basta be brief & precise lang when answering questions.

sis saan yong port of entry mo?  di ba mahigpit?  kinakabahan kasi ako since 6 months ako dati...

[fashionista_guru]

sis saan yong port of entry mo?  di ba mahigpit?  kinakabahan kasi ako since 6 months ako dati...

Sis LAX... I know mas maluwag dun but you know naman, we can never tell din. Kasi there was this Filipino guy na parang sinisigawan na nung isang immigration officer. Malayo lang kaya hindi ko marinig why. Yung hubby ko before sis, nag-stay siya ng 5 months then the following year naman, 6 months. When he renewed his Visa, dun siya na-question sa Embassy. Dineny siya pero when he re-applied, binigyan naman na siya ulit.

[girltropicana]

Hi mga sis,

Speaking from experience, i never want to make Detroit my point of entry ever again! Super bad experience ako talaga doon. I was travelling with my sister noon (yr 2005) and papunta kami ng New Jersey.  Single pa kami pareho noon.  Tinanong kami ng immigration officer ng the usual stuff (how long will you stay, staying where, whats your work, etc) and then basta na lang sabi "follow me."  Yun dinala kami sa ibang room.  Doon may further questions pa siya sa amin.  Binulatlat hand carry gamit namin, pati yung journal ko binasa! Yung greeting card ng sister ko from her friends binasa din, naghanap pa siya ng interpreter kasi tagalog.  Wala naman kaming dalang anything suspicious like resume or diploma or what.  As tourist lang talaga intention namin doon. 

Hay super traumatic talaga! Good thing nung tinawagan niya yung auntie ko sa new jersey nagtugma naman yung mga sagot namin sa kanya.  Yun doon na contento yung officer.  Thank God hindi kami naging airport to airport.

And because of that incident we missed our connecting flight to NJ.  The officer said sorry for the inconvenience and gave us food and phone coupons.  Grrrrr talaga!!! 

Take note that was NOT our first time in the US, we've been there a couple of times before.  Pero first time namin sa Detroit as POE. Lagi kami LAX. But from then LAX na talaga kami. Local flight na lang to visit our relatives na nasa east coast.

Advice ko lang, if you can avoid Detroit as POE, avoid it!