Father-In-Law Entering on a B2 at LAX

[LBeachey 45]

Here was my father-in-law's experience yesterday, maybe a few lessons learned and one question.

We flew my father-in-law from Guangzhou into LAX on China Southern's A380. Due to a bunch of stuff going on with us we only bought a one-way ticket (less than half what a round trip normally costs) with the full intention that he will stay six months and go back, exactly how to be determined. This is his second visit here and so I honestly was not very worried as he got though customs last year relatively easily. He said last year that the immigration officer just grabbed another passenger to translate as my father-in-law speaks no English.

My wife and I drove to LA from Phoenix and arrived before the plane was scheduled to land but the flight was a little early so we got there about 15 minutes after he landed. I told my wife given the size of the A380 and based upon last year I figured it would take a good hour for him to clear customs. Well after no Baba after an hour and a half , my wife finally got a phone call from immigration (he had her number on him) inquiring asking her a bunch of questions including what was his name, who she was and how long we have lived in LA (we don't, we live in Phoenix) and why he was flying to only LA when we lived in Phoenix. The last question being I can't imagine my father-in-law successfully transferring planes in almost any US airport let alone LAX which for those unfamiliar is 8 separate terminals so the only option is for us to do the six hour drive there and back.

Finally they said he would be out in 20 minutes and after two plus hours he comes out. He had been taken to secondary inspection and been there for over an hour.

He said the original line he got in had had a Mandarin speaker who seems to have been pretty harsh. It appears the issue was not having a return ticket. My father-in-law also have a a couple thousand dollars in his wallet (much less than $10K) that is my wife's money that he had converted in US dollars in China. During the conversation, he brought out his wallet to show the officer my daughter's picture but I am sure the officer saw the money. In retrospect, I am sure the office is thinking my father-in-law could plan on disappearing into LA never to heard from again. He told my father-in-law that he would give him two months or he could get back on the plane back to China. My father-in-law said he needed longer which got him to secondary inspection.

Given this was his second trip, I expected no issues but never again will he come without a return ticket booked.

On top of that, they opened each of his bags and confiscated about 300 RMB of Harbin Sausage that he had brought for my wife and I don't think he declared it. Are you really not supposed to bring in meat into the US? I have never been stopped at all but I am a US citizen.

So I think my father-in-law was pretty shaken by the experience but he was focusing on the sausage. I told my wife to tell him I really don't care about the sausage but he did a good job as a two month stay would have have been an issue.

Made a long day even longer but we got home safely at 4:30 this morning and he is here, gets to see his granddaughter and I guess we will have to wait until we go back to China for Harbin Sausage.

[arken 4,197]

I do't see any wrongdoing from the Immigration Officer. A one way ticket on a visitor visa will definitely raise an alarm for those officers and it shows an intent that the visitor is not planning to return back.

And yes, we are not allowed to bring even a small piece of meat, fruits, seeds like that into the US. It's a fact that we bring those from our country coz we like those and don't declare at the custom. Most of the time we get away with that but if we get caught bringing those during random baggage check or during regular check up like your father's, they will make us throw those away and we would be lucky not to get fines.

[Boiler 45,951]

Seems he was treated very leniently.

[canadian_wife 1,827]

Agree, sounds like the officer was doing his/her job and your father-in-law was treated fairly, if not lucky. Not having a return ticket was a mistake. Traveling with lots of cash is a mistake, attempting to bring meat into the US was a mistake. Sounds like he was lucky to enter at all.

Lesson learned for next time. Enjoy your visit

good luck

[MADDEN 40]

I agree with the other posters that your father in law was treated very fairly.

You cannot enter a country on a visitors via with a one way ticket as this would imply that he wasn't planning on returning to his home country, as for the meat product, your father in law would of received a customs declaration on board the plane to fill out in his native language, this would of clearly stated that you MUST declare meats, fruits, nuts ect so the fact it was taken away from him instead of getting a fine, id say he was pretty lucky.

[Hypnos 6,578]

You cannot enter a country on a visitors via with a one way ticket

You actually can. It's not a requirement that someone who attempts entry on a B-2 must have a return ticket (you do need a return ticket on the VWP, however).

That being said, not having a return ticket is going to make CBP take a closer look at you, which you almost always do not want. Therefore a return ticket is a really, really good idea, but is not a requirement.

Edited October 24, 2015 by Hypnos

[Boiler 45,951]

To be very picky VWP requires proof of onward travel, but either way a good idea for a B and usually a return is cheaper.

If he knew he wanted to stay 6 months there seems little doubt as to his return date.

Travel Insurance scuppered my Parents long trips, became prohibitively expensive.

[LBeachey 45]

I appreciate the feedback. I sometime read threads on here and say to myself, "What are they thinking?". I guess this was my turn. Since I know our intent, I was blind to how this would look.

I actually feel better about this now as it worked out in the end.

[discoverusa 282]

When my mom was entering on B2 visa I wrote her a letter that she showed to cbp officer. She does not speak English too. In the letter I specified the purpose of her visit, address where she will be straying and my phone number. I also included details on her return flight and stapled to the letter the e-ticket confirmation page.

No problems at all.