US Entry

I travel a lot to the US for work to NJ so usually into Newark of JFK. I've made a couple of pleasure trips to NYC for long weekends.

Never had a problem with CBP in the US though last trip into the US did get the asked the question 'Do you travel here a lot?'. Yes I do - and he could see that on his screen I am sure, and by the number of US stamps in my passport.

I explained I work for a global company, have team members in the US which is why I travel frequently. He was fine with that and stamped me through. Admittedly this was my 4th trip in 3 months.

Not been there since 1st week of Feb but may make two trips in May - one towards the end of May that has been booked for monhts for pleasure, and another that has just been sprung on me for work early May - I wondered what others experience of US CBP was and whether this is a common question now for frequent visitors and whether it causes any problems.

Your answer is pretty much what I say every time I enter the US, and I travel about twice a month every month. Once I've been pulled into secondary screening, which was most uncomfortable since I was travelling with the no. 1 on holiday, and I often get the comment "you travel a lot".

Without saying to much, I find it helps to keep the answers simple. Complex answers to the immigration officers can leads to difficulty, your's is accurate, precise, and to the point. I will use the same, or "meeting with my CEO", or "visiting a client" but note never say you are actually working, as in paid for work (which I don't anyway).

I travel there at least once per month, explain that I work for global company and that I have a worldwide role which means business and education meetings on a regular basis.The conversation then usually gets to the stock price of my company, and no further problems. If you do use the "w" word to them then you have to be careful how you phrase it, otherwise alarm bells will ring for them.

our immigration lawyer told us only answer a question as briefly as you can by using the example, if they ask do you know what time it is....say yes and not 'its 2.30' !!!!!!

frequency isnt the biggets concern ,more how long the trips are, so if most of your visits are just a few days you should be fine. by the way the VWP does allow you to enter on business under the classification WB and not WT but only to attend meetings and as Slinky says not under any circumstances for money. so a meet with the boss is ok,even clients.

Interesting you should raise this...

The frequency of my US travel varies -- it can be three times a year or twice in two weeks, depending on the patterns of my workload. I had never had a problem until a couple of weeks ago I visited Canada whilst already in the States, and on re-entering the US the guy in the booth seemed irritable and I was sent to the secondary screening area and quizzed. It was an upsetting experience and it took me totally by surprise. They seemed to have no understanding whatsoever of my work (which is a completely familiar thing in the USA and totally legitimate!).

I am travelling back twice in a couple of weeks' time and just hope I don't have to go through it all again.

AT - they seem to have a 'thing' with people who make short side trips to Canada (and I suppose Mexico) as it used to be (still is?) a popular and easy way of extending the 90 days WT visa. Not sure if they restart the WT clock or not these days though.

Also seems that the UKBA is cracking down on visitors to the UK making side trips to Europe near the end of their UK visa period, again as as a way of trying to extending them.

The question I was asked by CBP at ORD was 'when was the last time you were here' so I said 'a couple of years ago' which raised an eyebrow because I thought he meant 'Chicago' but he meant the US in general , seeing that I realised what he actually wanted and was able to say ' New York last year' which satisfied him. It was obvious he was looking at his screen as the only page of my passport he had looked at was the photo page.

[honey lamb]

I've made side trips to Canada over the last three years, once by air and the last two times at the land border. My main problem was entering Canada for the first time when I was quizzed up hill and down dale by the young lady in Immigration. The return wasn't a problem. There was pre-clearance at Calgary but it was pre-ESTA days and I had the green slip with my return date on it. The other couple of times were fine, the only question being asked of me last year was when was I leaving the US

AT - they seem to have a 'thing' with people who make short side trips to Canada (and I suppose Mexico) as it used to be (still is?) a popular and easy way of extending the 90 days WT visa. Not sure if they restart the WT clock or not these days though

Interestingly, when I was pulled aside last year, it was a side trip I made to Canada that was of particular interest to them. Seems that if this an issue for US immigration, those of us who do business would be advised to asks our company lawyers for advise on how to handle questions.

Interesting re Canada -- I have resolved to try to avoid doing a side trip in future. (OT but I do wish VS flew to Toronto...)

Over a history of 4 trips to the USA in the last 4 years, I have been secondary screened every other time on arrival. Due for one next time and will be especially interesting since we did a day trip to Vancouver on our last visit...

Had SSSS on departure from LHR the last 2 times as well.

As anyone who read my last TR will know I had an upsetting time entering MCO. I checked with someone in the know and was told that they have been told recently to ask more questions and not rely on the passport or screen in front of them to verify the person.

I am not a business traveller but am a regular visitor to the USA but only within my allowed visa time of course. I only have a day between my next visit so i can't say I am looking forward to immigration....

I agree with everyone else on here to keep your answers clear and simple.

Sunshine 8D

My last arrival into MCO - 8 March - was fairly painless. There was a queue but the CBP man at the desk wasn't difficult at all. Not nice - but not diffiult.

I travel to the US on an O1 visa. Flying into NYC and the CBP tends to be pretty quick. When I flew in to Orlando earlier this year as working there for a few weeks, the CBP hadn't seen an O1 visa before and went to town on it - loads of questions, checking things, wanted exact address of hotel etc. etc. Hadn't experienced that before, and even though everything is above board and completely legal, it still made me nervous.

I always go on the basis that I've nothing to hide so I have no reason to be nervous. I let them do their job so I can enjoy my holiday.

My partner was chosen for secondary screening on her first trip to NY. She said it wasn't a pleasant experience being the only female in a room full of strange looking people! Apparently she was chosen because she hasn't put her middle name on the visa waiver and there was someone with the same name that was wanted - so they said.

Thanks for the advice. I've made around 10 trips to the US in the past 18 months. None over a week - somtimes just 3 days, all for business apart from 1 and all into either Newark or JFK. Usually just get asked purpose of trip and how long are you staying.

Once asked when were you last here?

Last time was the first time I got asked 'do you travel here often' and concerned me that due to frequent trips I might start to get trouble.

Never been pulled for secondary. Once got the dreaded SSSS boarding pass from VS in Heathrow - random they said.

Since i've not been back to the US since early Feb hoping all will be fine as there has been a bit of a gap. The slight concern is that if the business trip comes off it'll be for 3 days and then 2 weeks later am back for a trip booked months ago for a long weekend in NYC for sight seeing.

Hoping going in as a tourist will be ok and they wont have a problem with doing that with so many business trips. The fact is on a business trip I never get to see the sights, and like NYC so want to do a bit of the tourist thing.

Since they don't have the old Visa waiver green counterfoil handed in on departure - I assume now the exit records must come from the airline. Surprised they don't do a passport scan on departure

Sorry, but what is ssss?

Sorry, but what is ssss?

Secondary Security Screening Selection.

I don't think they are doing it too much currently, in the UK

You have SSSS written on your boarding pass if you have been randomly selected, and when at the gate your hand luggage gets checked and sometimes a pat down. That's for the UK anyway.

[honey lamb]

Sorry, but what is ssss?

I haven't seen it in the UK but I've regularly had it in the US especially if I'm on a one way ticket and in the early post 9/11 that was a definite no-no! Also having a non-US passport didn't help. It has eased since then but we certainly served our time ii)