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How To Handle US Customs Like A Boss (For US Citizens Only)
12-13-2011, 12:28 AM
Quote: (12-13-2011 12:22 AM)MiXX Wrote:
Quote: (12-13-2011 12:19 AM)Hencredible Casanova Wrote:
Quote: (12-13-2011 12:15 AM)MiXX Wrote:
Quote: (12-13-2011 12:13 AM)Hencredible Casanova Wrote:
Does it only apply to travel within North America?
Nope. You can travel to "carajo land" as we say in Spanish, it does not matter. I guarantee you'll love coming back home to USA/Canada after fucking your brains out in <insert exotic land of pussy paradise here>.
Mixx
Sweet. Just found the link for it. Here it is for anyone else who may be interested: https://goes-app.cbp.dhs.gov/main/goes
LOL, yeah I had already posted that link for you on post #11 above. ![[Image: lol.gif]](https://rooshvforum.network/images/smilies/new/lol.gif)
Haha damn. I missed that one. I'm looking at the application right now. So how is your experience with customs different since you've been a member? You just show them your club card and they don't ask questions?
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12-13-2011, 12:44 AM
Quote: (12-13-2011 12:32 AM)MiXX Wrote:
Quote: (12-13-2011 12:28 AM)Hencredible Casanova Wrote:
So how is your experience with customs different since you've been a member? You just show them your club card and they don't ask questions?
You got it! They see your "club card" give you a quick look, and they say "Ok, good-bye/go on"...NO QUESTIONS!! ZERO! ZILCH! NADA!
ALSO, YOU HAVE YOUR OWN SPECIAL (and mostly empty) GLOBAL ENTRY LINE!! Not same line with the rest of the "lower class scum who has no membership"
Mixx
So I've read the requirements, and it seems the program is better suited for business types who are constantly traveling back and forth from the US. To get into the program, you have to fill out an application online and pay a $100 non-refundable application fee. After that, you are subjected to an interview (where they take your fingerprints and a digital photo) and they also conduct a background check. If your application is approved, you can use the Global Entry kiosk at any participating airport for five years. You go to the kiosk, have your passport read electronically, put your fingerprint on the screen, and then you get a receipt that either instructs you to go to baggage claim or to a normal inspection booth.
Aside from not being comfortable at all giving up that much intel to big brother, I really don't see that program being worthwhile unless you're shuttling back and forth from the US constantly throughout the year. I tend to have sojourns for a few weeks in between trips, so I don't think it's the right program for me, but I appreciate the suggestion no doubt.
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12-13-2011, 01:09 AM
Ya'll don't know shyte about getting harrassed by border control. I can't count the number of times flown to the Middle East one a one way flight. I am "randomly" selected EVERY single time. The irony is I am cleared by the "guvmint" and am traveling on biz.
One issue now is a lot of agents are hardened combat vets. Gone are days of the old fat man you could jedi mind fuck. These new seasoned cats put me through the paces upon return from El Salvador. Enough to make some grown men cry. I trained hundreds of these little bitches and can beat them at their own game. The last agent was so pissed his face was red. I ended the convo with Semper Fi and a smile. Honesty though, it took a toll, being I went throug 3 levels of that shit.
Ex Army dudes aint got shit on me.
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12-13-2011, 01:11 PM
I just applied yesterday to the Global Entry program and already was asked to set up my interview. As far as giving up the "intel" to big brother, hell, I have done the security clearance thing so that Global Entry was nothing compared to that damn SF-86.
What I am bummed about is that Baltimore does not have a office and the only DC-area office is at Dulles airport (52 miles away and congested traffic). I rather drive to the Philly airport which is 80 miles away. I can go during the middle of the day and traffic is light.
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How To Handle US Customs Like A Boss (For US Citizens Only)
12-13-2011, 01:28 PM
Quote: (12-13-2011 01:11 PM)UrbanNerd Wrote:
I just applied yesterday to the Global Entry program and already was asked to set up my interview. As far as giving up the "intel" to big brother, hell, I have done the security clearance thing so that Global Entry was nothing compared to that damn SF-86.
What I am bummed about is that Baltimore does not have a office and the only DC-area office is at Dulles airport (52 miles away and congested traffic). I rather drive to the Philly airport which is 80 miles away. I can go during the middle of the day and traffic is light.
Wow. That's a quick turnaround response time.
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12-13-2011, 03:32 PM
Two things I've noticed:
1. I think these fuckers keep a computer record of what happens in your entries so if you make a mild protest I think it actually makes it EASIER the subsequent times you enter. Like once I got pissed off they took me to secondary. They asked for a business card and searched my bag. I asked to speak to a supervisor. Told them in a nice way to fuck off because they weren't stopping any whites or females. After that I have never had any major problems with customs. Usually they ask my occupation and employer and that is it.
2. You should be sarcastic to them. Sometimes they ask stupid fucking questions like "Why would you go to Dubai" - I just reply that "Dubai gets something like 20 million tourists a year. You should go to Dubai and find out yourself". Most of these guys are just law enforcement meatheads. They are not properly trained and they don't have much knowledge of the world other than being instructed to ask this and that. If you act calm and sarcastic they probably won't delve deeper. Once I had some stupid as fuck black dude ask me in basically ebonics how I got enough money to travel and I just told him "work" and rolled my eyes. He let me go.
Anyway, I'm going back to the US after really long term travel, including going to many Mideast countries, and if they push it I'll just tell them to fuck off. I really don't want to deal with these meatheads. I have no problem with policing the border but no other country on EARTH behaves in such a police-state way, including many places that are actually in fact police states.
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12-13-2011, 05:37 PM
Quote: (12-13-2011 03:32 PM)nomadicdude Wrote:
Two things I've noticed:
1. I think these fuckers keep a computer record of what happens in your entries so if you make a mild protest I think it actually makes it EASIER the subsequent times you enter.
They do keep records. Also, they know who I am since I've submitted detailed complaints through the CBP's website. They documented my concerns and have always responded professionally. The last two times I came across the border, I had no issues at all. They know who I am.
Quote: (12-13-2011 03:32 PM)nomadicdude Wrote:
2. You should be sarcastic to them. Sometimes they ask stupid fucking questions like "Why would you go to Dubai" - I just reply that "Dubai gets something like 20 million tourists a year.
Very good point. There's many ways to respond to their questions aside from arrogance or silence. I think a combination of silence and sarcasm works best. When they ask a stupid question, just smile or laugh. I've actually done that before and they just moved on.
Quote: (12-13-2011 03:32 PM)nomadicdude Wrote:
Anyway, I'm going back to the US after really long term travel, including going to many Mideast countries, and if they push it I'll just tell them to fuck off. I really don't want to deal with these meatheads. I have no problem with policing the border but no other country on EARTH behaves in such a police-state way, including many places that are actually in fact police states.
Good luck. I returned from the Middle East only to get ZERO questions when I greeted the customs agent. You never know. I think the moral of the story is to know your rights and know that you don't have to answer anything and can be sarcastic or arrogant if you please.
For the highly mobile international players who are regularly shuttling to/from the US, the global entry program might be a good look, so long as you're comfy with big brother knowing your personal biz. Getting ahead of the rest of the passengers and moving quickly through the gate might be worth it for some.
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12-13-2011, 06:43 PM
I thought about this some more.
If they want to ask me facts, that's fine. Like where I was, how long I was gone, and the main nature of my trip (e.g. business). With the link you gave, I'm not convinced saying "business" or "pleasure" is setting yourself up to be trapped. I don't feel intruded upon when they ask me black and white questions. Maybe I should?
It's when they start asking things like why I went that I will probably resist on. I remember my last trip when the customs guy said, "You were gone for a year, wow. Why were you gone for so long?" How do you answer that in a couple words? That's something a friend in a bar asks me and would lead to a 10 minute conversation.
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12-13-2011, 07:12 PM
Quote: (12-13-2011 06:43 PM)Roosh Wrote:
With the link you gave, I'm not convinced saying "business" or "pleasure" is setting yourself up to be trapped. I don't feel intruded upon when they ask me black and white questions. Maybe I should?
I can understand if the "business or pleasure" question as addressed in that article may not have made a convincing case, but I suspect there is something to that question. The reason is because there was one time when I was re-entering the country on the tenth anniversary of the 9/11 attacks and vowed not to answer any questions. I stuck to my guns, but volunteered to tell the agent why I was refusing to answer questions. I explained how a particular experience in the past offended me, as well as my irritation at answering questions about the Middle East when I was returning to the US from Canada. Why should I answer questions about a trip that occurred earlier in the year when I already addressed that with customs when I returned from that trip? He persistently continued asking his line of questions until he finally got the picture that I wasn't going to answer any more, or so I thought. Then, after a couple of minutes of silence while his colleague was looking through my belongings and checking out some of my identification, he said "okay, now here's an easy one, business or pleasure?" I smiled and immediately thought of the article I sent you. I wonder why he asked that after all that time had elapsed. There has to be something to that question.
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12-13-2011, 07:20 PM
Quote: (12-13-2011 06:55 PM)nomadicdude Wrote:
Quote: (12-13-2011 06:43 PM)Roosh Wrote:
I thought about this some more.
If they want to ask me facts, that's fine. Like where I was, how long I was gone, and the main nature of my trip (e.g. business). With the link you gave, I'm not convinced saying "business" or "pleasure" is setting yourself up to be trapped. I don't feel intruded upon when they ask me black and white questions. Maybe I should?
It's when they start asking things like why I went that I will probably resist on. I remember my last trip when the customs guy said, "You were gone for a year, wow. Why were you gone for so long?" How do you answer that in a couple words? That's something a friend in a bar asks me and would lead to a 10 minute conversation.
If they ask me why I was gone so long I'll have plenty of sarcastic answers:
(1) I got tired of working 60 hours plus for The Man so that the top 1% can get even richer;
(2) There are more jobs in third world countries right now than the USA;
(3) I got tired of spending money dating unfeminine American bitches;
(4) I was too busy banging hot Asian and Latina chicks;
(5) I had to enter a special six month treatment program to deal with the undiscovered STD I got abroad
Great answers, especially numero tres.
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12-14-2011, 04:13 AM
NEXUS and co isn't worth being fingerprinted and retina photographed (!) just so you can save a few hours a month in your life if you travel that frequently to the USA. Unless that's already happened to you because of security clearances or something similar.
With these guys, you have to give them deadpan, generic, polite, I've done this a million times/i'm tired type useless answers, and they just let you through. Don't give them a reason to give you shit, because that's usually how it works.
Thing is that trips me up, what prevents these guys that assuming your identity documents are fraudulent (even if they check out in the database) and putting you in prison other than the tons of paperwork and PR backlash for them? I don't know.
As to "You were gone for a year, wow. Why were you gone for so long?" I would say I just went on a long vacation/backpacker trip. If they push further, say that americans don't do it often, but it's common with europeans and other places. If they comment on your small backpack, you say 'when you travel a lot, you learn to pack light.'. Just generic truisms like that. Thing about my answers too is that they would all be the truth for Roosh also, but say nothing significant. Try to give them the impression that you fit into their sorting boxes.
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07-30-2013, 03:59 PM
I applied for and was approved for the Global Entry card. Total time from application to approval was about 1.5 months. I even had some violations on my record (food related stuff), but I was still approved. Have not used it yet, but I will soon. This card also allows you to access TSA-Pre, which is a faster way of doing domestic security. They do take your finger prints, but the USG already has mine on record for other reasons, so I didn't give them anything they didn't already have. The "interview" is trivial, and they just ask you about your record where you answer yes/no. Takes about 15 minutes or less, assuming you have no issues. The gov't drone who does the interviewing wants to make it appear like they know what they're talking about, but they are largely dumbasses. They make it seem like they're going to check on other shit, but if you're conditionally approved, you're pretty much good to go.
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07-30-2013, 04:54 PM
Yeah. Menace's post is exactly right. The application process is not even close to what I've already had to do for work and none of the information they requested was anything I haven't given to the government already anyway.
Mixx was totally right on this one. With Global Entry you are shuttled through customs in no time.
With TSA pre-check, you can go through a speedy and dedicated security lane that doesn't require you to take off your shoes, belt, or laptop out of your bag. You just walk through a standard metal detector, not one of those invasive body scan ones. I've showed up to the airport with a flight leaving in 30 minutes and have made it right on time with the program (I already had my boarding pass on my mobile phone and didn't check any bags).
TSA pre-check only works for domestic flights, except when you are flying to a domestic hub to connect to an international flight. The departing and arriving city have to be in the US for it to work.
However, what I do in those connecting flight situations is go to the line anyway and use my mobile boarding pass for them to scan and they will tell me that it's not coming up (because my final destination is an intl' city) so they open up the velvet rope dividing their line next to the front of the regular one, so that way I get to the front of non-TSA line which saves me time instead of just showing up in the regular line at the end and waiting.
The program is $100 and good for five years so I think it's worth it for most folks.
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07-30-2013, 05:40 PM
I travel 2-3 times a year internationally. Your experience will largely depend on the airport. LAX is the worst airport in the world regarding customs and immigration. Yes you can refuse to tell them anything but those fuckers will purposely try to fuck with you and your life. They are real government thugs that get high on their power. I was detained for over 8 hours with no reason,they fuck with you by keeping you in a cold room for hours and then do strip searches, taking your fingerprints..etc. Five guys walked in the detaining room and started shouting at me..all that psychological torture to break you down! If you complain later ( and I did) they have a system in place assuring you won't be able to prove anything! Oh they also confiscated my things like Camera ( saying I could have used it to take pictures of children) without any probable;y cause ( they don't need one). They took all media cards, laptop...again - it could be used in a crime statement.
They take notes about anything you said upon your entry..even things from 10 years ago. LAX is a good airport to set them up for a lawsuit if you are connected with the right legal representation.
San-Diego, Miami are probably the friendliest and most respectful of your rights.
Philadelphia, NYC airports - you'll get some questions but I usually tell them the reason I traveled to Ukraine ( or Thailand) was to get laid and party ,because I am sick and tired of dealing with American women!..
You can request all your records from CBP through FOIA...and they tell you on their website it will only take 30 days to get them - complete lie! They will take minimum of 3 years IF you get anything at all, oh and they will never return any of your confiscated stuff. Again- if there are any lawyers out there, maybe it is grounds for a lawsuit?
After years of telling them " non of your business" I get directed to secondary every time and searched every time. Obviously, a guy who gets searched every time will try to smuggle some drugs at some point..right?..lol That's government agency for you at its finest!
Bottom line : be prepared if you dare to excersize your constitutional rights. Encrypt your media and hard drive of your laptop ( you should do it anyways against theft). Know that they will copy your cell phone memory and sim card. They will run all your names and phone numbers from your cell phone through a data base ...If you really want to fuck with them, put some names from FBI top 10 wanted and their fake phone numbers in your phone..lol..
Mail your media and your hard drive to yourself - it can be taken away.
Don't answer any questions regarding your income - they are fishing for tax evasion, foreign bank accounts..etc
Be prepared to shut your mouth and say nothing when they stage something like " oh we found out this is not your passport and you are being arrested"...They will lie to you to make you talk. Keep silent is golden - they can't use anything you said or come up with a reason for their unlawful actions!
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07-30-2013, 06:38 PM
Wayout, were you questioned after an extended absence from the US? I have never had anything even remotely close happen to me, but I have never been gone for more than 3 weeks.
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07-30-2013, 09:53 PM
One thing you don't want to do if you're in a rush is tell them you're in a hurry. The damn pricks a) don't care if you miss your flight and would likely even get a kick out of it and b) possibly think it's suspicious. A TSA agent asked me how I was doing, I told him been trying to get home for a week and trying to catch my flight that's about to depart. The asshole says, "that's nice, if you could just step into this line for me." He made me get my bag scanned a second time. Good thing they didn't find the coca leaf tea I brought back from Peru.
