What happens at US immigration?

Question

Do they scan your passport, look at your visa waiver form and then ask you questions or just have a good look at you?

Im a UK citizen and travelling to the US on holiday. I have heard they are quite thorough with their checks.

What if you have criminal conviction from 6 years ago that you don't mention. Is it held on the computer screen they look at?

Answer 1

The US can scan drivers licences of Americans not of other countries (at least not of Canadians).

Some provinces in Canada have pictured medical cards and they can be used currently at the border (it is legal pictured ID) but they can not scan them. The information held within both cards is only accessible for the departs that distribute them.

Medical Cards can be swiped by doctors, hospitals and medical clinics. Licences by the police and motor vehicle authorities. No one else is able to swipe them in Canada.

So they are not able to be swiped in any other country in the world.

The new passports on the other hand can be scanned by any country in the world.

They are no more thorough than they are in England. In fact England has the best set up in the world the finger print machines at the airport. This is much more advanced than in the US.

Some countries have machines that read the retna of your eye.

Answer 2

Usually just have a look at you. All passports and travelers are run through the computer before you even arrive at the airport. If you haven't rung any warning bells or been found to be on the watch list they will generally just pass you through. Appearance matters here so dress nicely and be pleasant. They don't give people from the UK much static. Good luck

Answer 3

You queue up for ages, then hand over your passport, they look at your waiver etc.
May ask you a few questions - how long you are staying,prpose of visit etc.
Sometimes you get asked to go for a more detailed 'interview' in a side room.
Can be any reason they want really but my friend was called in as they had had several Paul Richardson's go through that airport the same day.

Answer 4

Many people I know have similar experience as I had. A surly immigration official will take your passport without a word and glance briefly at you, scan your passport. He will then tell you to press your thumb against a scanner to take your thumb-print. Then you will be told to stand in front of a camera which will take your photo. He will snarl out some questions like, 'Why are you visiting the USA?',' Who are you staying with?' and maybe, 'How long do you intend to stay?' My advice is to treat this all very seriously as they don't take kindly to any witticism. All this will usually be done with the grace of a graduate of Himmler's School of Etiquette. If you're lucky, you might meet one that flunk his finals.

Answer 5

They will scan your passport, your fingerprints and take a photo of you. They look at your immigration form and ask what you're doing in the US. Don't know what happens about the conviction though.

Answer 6

Due to terrorist threat a good number of precautions are taken.

Your personal baggage is screened and you have also to pass through an X-Ray machine.

Liquids of any type are not allowed to be taken into the cabin.
Knifes, nail cutters, scissors, cigarette lighters are also not allowed in the personnl baggage.

Answer 7

They scan your driver's license if you are US. Passports are not required in automobiles or foot traffic until next January.

Answer 8

they had me step to the side, They went though my carry on
bag item per item they checked my boots and me with a hand held metal detector. then they let me board my plane to leave the country.

Answer 9

your breaking there law if you dont disclose your conviction, the law is there to protect you and others, a price everyone has to pay to stay safe!

Answer 10

They check what type of color your skin is!!!

White=Pass

Brown=Deport

Black=Worse than deport. I can only imagine!