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We have the power!
For Filipinos looking for more comprehensive tips designed for Philippine
Immigration, check out my post Immigration Tips for Filipinos: A Guide to Philippine
Immigration. (https://ksyu.wordpress.com/2016/01/11/philippine-immigration-tips-a-guideto-philippine-immigration/)
As someone who has been to 20 countries, lived in China where I frequently get my
passport stamped in Hong Kong and Macau and crossed borders more than I count my
own hair, immigration still strikes fear in me. Think of it immigration is nothing more
than people standing behind a box that stands between you and your travel adventures.
As a Filipino even leaving my own country drives me into an anxiety filled spiral. Since so
many of us work illegally around the world, my country makes it a point to make life
difficult for us to leave the country if we dont have a return ticket and an exit
permit/travel tax exit. We are grilled when we leave our home shores and grilled again as
permit/travel tax exit. We are grilled when we leave our home shores and grilled again as
soon as we arrive in our destination.
I also encounter many different probing/inquiring tactics at different borders and customs.
Some, Ive answered well and some I didnt prompting close calls with the risk being
detained.
Here are my experiences and tips when handling immigration:
Know the officers intent
The immigrations officers job is to ascertain which passenger would likely cause trouble
to the country, commit a crime or reside illegally. Your task is to make sure their suspicions
arent aroused. For them everybody is guilty till proven innocent.
Sometimes immigration officers might just want to fill their quotas of suspicious people
interrogated questioned (hint: post 9/11 USA). If youre lucky enough to be randomly
chosen for a second screening, do not take it too personally youre just a number to them
after all. Do not look too nervous and just answer their questions. Looking nervous would
just arouse their suspicion. When youve reached that point, the immigrations officers
intent now is to harass you to submission so they can finally pat themselves in the back for
catching a criminal or they just want a break from their monotony of stamping passport all
days and surprise! youre there to provide them the entertainment their day needs. Think
of all cop movies you saw in the interrogation room playing good cop/bad cop. The
immigration officer want to feel like those cops.
In some immigration like the US, the person is actually stripped bare of their rights and
treated like a criminal because technically in the customs area, they havent arrived in US
soil yet. They would harass you, search your belongings and if they find one shred of
evidence that you are guilty, they would detain you and wouldnt even allow you to make a
single phone call to your family or friends who might be waiting for you. Its that bad.
When they think theyve proven youre guilty, they would sometimes force you to sign
papers (do not sign any papers, you at least have the right to do so). Its like the
immigration officers want to turn US immigration into Guantanamo Bay. I cant even
imagine how many people they tortured and deposited into their cells and tower over
them feeling like dictators. I read a story they put a poor 64 year old woman into a cell
when all she wanted was to attend her daughters wedding.
My cousin Lloyd was selected for random screening at the Fort Lauderdale airport in
Florida. He was detained for 2 hours in a room because they found he brought his work
documents with him because he wanted to apply for a Japanese visa in the States. Only
when he insisted on his torturers ID badge number and to speak to his supervisor was he
let go.
My friend Shirley was also interrogated as soon as she reached Australia customs. For no
apparent reason that she is brown and looks like an immigrant (yes, immigration officers
love profiling.) Never mind shes traveled to 30 countries. She was horrified at being
treated like she was less of a human being. After the horrific experience, she later realized
treated like she was less of a human being. After the horrific experience, she later realized
there was a reality show in Australia called Border Security
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Border_Security:_Australia's_Front_Line) where immigration
officers catch passengers who planned on staying in Australia illegally or were sneaking
drugs in. These officers were probably harassing her hoping for their lucky break on that
show.
Know how to answer questions. Be detailed but not too detailed
Immigration officers would sometimes ask you queries to determine your intent in coming
to their country. Immigration officers in developed countries (USA, Canada, France,etc. )
would often ask these questions:
Why are you here?
Where will you be staying?
Who will you be visiting?
How long will you be staying?
How much money are you bringing?
It was Alices first time to visit Hong Kong from the Philippines. As a first time traveler she
was very nave and answered all questioned truthfully. When asked by the Philippine
immigration officer before departing, Why are you going to HK? She answered
enthusiastically, To see my boyfriend in HK!
She wasnt allowed to leave. The immigration officer in the Philippines thought she was
going to stay there illegally. Also, one must never answer seeing a boyfriend when its your
first time traveling.
When I first arrived in LAX airport, I was jet lagged and hurting from a 14 hour flight from
Japan where I barely slept on the plane. When asked the customary question, Why are
you here?
I answered, To see my family and friends.
When he asked, Why is your visa issued in China?
I said, I used to work there.
The immigration officers expression remained nonchalant.
Which baffled me that I was given second screening by that officer. That had never
happened to me before in the US. I was getting nervous. The officer in charge of searching
my luggage was a huge bouncer looking guy. He looked at my things and then my I-94
customs form.
customs form.
Youre visiting family and friends right?
Yes.
Youre supposed to give them gifts. Why did you write $0 for the value of their gifts?
Because sometimes we dont give friends gifts when visiting! Use your common sense! I bit
my lip. Now was not the time to be a wise guy. So I wrote $20 in the value. He looked at it
and typed something in his computer and let me go.
I realized perhaps I was too vague in my answers which prompted the officer to give me a
second screening. Instead of answering visiting friends and family maybe I shouldve
said, Im visiting my Uncle Willo in LA and then visiting my friend Brett in Chicago and do
a road trip up north to check out the great lakes in Minnesota. Then fly to NYC to see the
Statue of Liberty. Instead of I used to work in China. I shouldve added my current work
status to dispel any suspicion I was going to look for work in the US. I used to work in
China but now Im the marketing manager of my familys plastic and retail business in the
Philippines.
But who knows anyway how immigration officers conduct their screening? It could also be
random or any kind of unfair racial profiling. In China, immigration officers stop any black
person they see and open their luggage. Whenever I used to cross the sea borders in China,
the officers search my luggage when they see I hold a foreigner passport.
Be careful of questions that trap you
Sometimes officers in developing countries probe you to look for loopholes they can use in
their power to keep you from entering or departing the country. Their reason is so you can
offer them a bribe. They just want money.
I noticed this immigration officer in the Philippines was looking for red flags in my
answers.
What type of business does your family operate?
What do you sell?
What are your responsibilities?
What type of plastic do you sell?
Questions which are awfully detailed and probing for my job. Luckily I do work in my
family business and was able to answer. I offered simple and concise answers that didnt
prompt him to ask for follow up.
Plastic retail and distribution.
Plastic and household supplies.
Customs took a lot longer in examining my suitcase and trying out all the gadgets
Customs took a lot longer in examining my suitcase and trying out all the gadgets
(fortunately, Captain America was laid aside). When they got to my Kim Il Sung pins, they
questioned me aside and grilled me on where I had found them (you can find the complete
story here (https://ksyu.wordpress.com/2012/06/18/being-detained-in-north-korea/)) to the
point I got scared and thought they were going to detain me.
When I promised I had no idea that the dear Leader shouldnt be bought as souvenirs and
threw them away, I was finally allowed entry into North Korea.
Show your return plane ticket, if necessary
Immigration officers often want you to show proof you will be exiting the country. In fact
most countries wont let you in unless you have an outgoing flight.
If prompted, you can show the ticket to prove you will be leaving the country soon. That
would increase the chances of the officer being more at ease with letting you in.
Other interesting questions Immigration had asked me:
Sometimes immigration officers ask peculiar questions Ive never heard of, especially in
developing countries.
When entering Vietnam, the officer asked me, Can you say I love you in Vietnamese?
When entering China, Were you shooting a film in Macau?
When entering India, Are you single?
The important thing is to keep calm and answer the questions that would satisfy the
immigration interviewer and allow you into the country.
For Filipinos looking for more comprehensive tips designed for Philippine
Immigration, check out my post Immigration Tips for Filipinos: A Guide to Philippine
Immigration. (https://ksyu.wordpress.com/2016/01/11/philippine-immigration-tips-a-guideto-philippine-immigration/)
Image Credit (http://bvinews.com/bvi/immigration-officers-friendlier-with-white-visitorsat-ports-of-entries-caller-claims/)
1.
14
Bathroom Inventions You
Didn't Realize You Needed 6
months ago huffingtonpost.com
Huffington Post
Posted in: travel | Tagged: border crossing, immigration, immigration questions, passport,
philippines, travel, travel advice, USA immigration, Vietnam, visas
When you approach the immigration officer in the Philippines and Singapore -do so
with a lot of confidence and smile (relax!). Attach your return ticket with the passport.
Say youre visiting friends and do some sightseeing in Singapore. When the officer in
the Philippines ask how you will fund your travel tell them with your money and your
friends combined (not exactly a lie since youll contribute a bit right?). If all else fails
show your boyfriends credit card but say its your friend.
Id recommend not saying your boyfriend is waiting at arrivals. Just stick to answering
questions but dont provide further information. I say that because my Japanese friend
had a horrible experience when she visited the US. She told the immigration officer she
was visiting her boyfriend. She was then escorted to another room for further
questioning.
Just have confidence and smile and act as if youve done this your whole life. Its all
about attitude. Hope this helps!
MONIQUE says: April 2, 2015 at 12:25 am REPLY
5. I made it! Just tell the truth!
Thank you!
on board now..
6.
13. Hi kate! Me and my friends (theres 5 of us) are planning to tour Dubai this October
since travel expenses are cheaper in this season. We will be accompanied by our
girlfriend who currently holds an employment visa there. Shell be coming here on the
22nd and leave on oct.2 with us. She will be arranging our papers before flying here.
What would probably be the problems we can encounter when we reach the IOs box?
KATE says: September 4, 2015 at 1:35 pm REPLY
Hi Picham, it all depends on your situation. Is it your first time traveling or you are a
seasoned traveler?
LESLYN says: November 17, 2015 at 1:51 am REPLY
14. hi po, galing na ako sa sg nung january. dis dec 5 babalik aq kasama bf q 1st tym nya po,
nd po ba kme ma off load? invitation ung gamitn nmen, bgay ng tta q xe dun xa work.
ano po kaya maganda gawin tnx
KATE says: November 17, 2015 at 9:53 am REPLY
Hi Leslyn. First off, shouldnt be a problem since you already have a record of going
and coming back from Singapore. As long as your boyfriend is with you when youre
interviewed by the immigration officer- it should be okay. The most important thing
is the return ticket. Show it to the immigration officer when you are about to be
interviewed to show you are both returning to the Philippines.
Who is sponsoring your trip yourselves or your aunt? If your aunt, it should say so
in the letter. By the way, could you spell out the words and not use your short cuts in
your comments? It makes it hard to read. Thanks!
LESLYN says: November 19, 2015 at 12:28 am REPLY
15. HI po, thank you po. yung tita ko po ang mag bibigay ng invitation, dapat po nakalagay
bf ko sa invitation? ano pa po dalhin namin requirements para hindi ma off load? our
ticket is december 5- 8, more tips. thank you
KATE says: November 20, 2015 at 11:51 am REPLY
Yes, include his name in the invitation letter. Be sure to show the return ticket. The 2
of you should try going together to the immigration officer. It wont be so bad for
him because he is going with someone who has traveled before. If youre unsure,
you can call the Philippines immigration hotline.
LESLYN says: November 19, 2015 at 12:29 am REPLY
16. hindi po ba ma off load bf ko kahit first time niya?
KATE says: January 9, 2016 at 4:49 pm REPLY
I do not think so. But I cannot answer for the officer.
PRABHAT says: December 13, 2015 at 12:45 pm REPLY
Thanks for dropping by Mylene. I have a comprehensive article with all the tips to avoid
being offloaded in the Philippines coming out soon that can help you with your
question. Ill be posting it in this comment next week.
As to answer your question, I dont think they will be suspicious as long as you can
show proof that you own that small business (business permit), your sufficient funds
(photocopy of passbook or bank certificate, etc) and your return ticket. If your aunts
sister in law in Brunei is paying for your expenses then you can show them an
invitation letter and her own proof of funds that she has enough to support your trip.
Update: Here is the article- A Guide to Philippine Immigration.
https://ksyu.wordpress.com/2016/01/11/philippine-immigration-tips-a-guide-tophilippine-immigration/
Good luck!
MYLENE says: January 9, 2016 at 6:49 pm REPLY
21. Thank you,maam Kate. Ill be looking forward in your article.
KATE says: January 11, 2016 at 12:32 pm REPLY
Hi Mylene,
The post about A Guide to Philippine Immigration just came out today. It is full of
tips from how to answer Immigration Officers questions and what documents you
need to prepare.
Check it out:
https://ksyu.wordpress.com/2016/01/11/philippine-immigration-tips-a-guide-tophilippine-immigration/
Hope that helps!
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