CBP questioning

[iranianspouse 0]

My spouse is an Iranian citizen who lives in a middle eastern country that has OK relations with the US. This is my third trip and something interesting happened as I flew out of the US this time. I was taken aside as I was about to board the plane by CBP and was asked the following questions

1)      Purpose of visit : Visit spouse

2)      spouse name

3)      spouse occupation

4)      How long

5)      spouse address

6)      spouse citizenship

7)      My Countries visited

😎      My social media handles

9)      How much cash I was carrying : 5000

10)   Is that all I have? Yes

11)   My address

12)   My occupation

13)   My phone numbers and email addresses

I truthfully answered everything, and even told them that I have already filed I-130 and all of this information is already on there. She wrote down all my answers on a notepad with a pen.

Now I am in a bit of a dilemma. We are having a wedding reception in a couple months, and I was carrying around 5000 USD for this purpose (I knew there is a 10K limit before I had to declare). The office simply asked was that all I had, to which I answered truthfully, yes. They did not ask or search anything in my bags. I did not volunteer why I had that much money on me, and she did not ask.

My spouse is Iranian, and Iran is sanctioned, but none of the money is going to iran (we will spend it for our wedding here) for things like wedding dresses, jewelry etc. I am trying to put as much of it as possible on my card, but jewelers, DJ’s, photographers here only take cash.  Is any of this going to be a problem?

To be fair, the questioning was extremely professional, and I never felt threatened. It was over in less than 5 minutes. I suspect, since it was my third trip to a middle eastern country that I don’t belong to, they just want to ensure Im not insane.

 

Am I being paranoid? Anyone else been through this? 

Edited November 21, 2018 by iranianspouse

[Khallaf 650]

29 minutes ago, iranianspouse said:

My spouse is an Iranian citizen who lives in a middle eastern country that has OK relations with the US. This is my third trip and something interesting happened as I flew out of the US this time. I was taken aside as I was about to board the plane by CBP and was asked the following questions

1)      Purpose of visit : Visit spouse

2)      spouse name

3)      spouse occupation

4)      How long

5)      spouse address

6)      spouse citizenship

7)      My Countries visited

😎      My social media handles

9)      How much cash I was carrying : 5000

10)   Is that all I have? Yes

11)   My address

12)   My occupation

13)   My phone numbers and email addresses

I truthfully answered everything, and even told them that I have already filed I-130 and all of this information is already on there. She wrote down all my answers on a notepad with a pen.

Now I am in a bit of a dilemma. We are having a wedding reception in a couple months, and I was carrying around 5000 USD for this purpose (I knew there is a 10K limit before I had to declare). The office simply asked was that all I had, to which I answered truthfully, yes. They did not ask or search anything in my bags. I did not volunteer why I had that much money on me, and she did not ask.

My spouse is Iranian, and Iran is sanctioned, but none of the money is going to iran (we will spend it for our wedding here) for things like wedding dresses, jewelry etc. I am trying to put as much of it as possible on my card, but jewelers, DJ’s, photographers here only take cash.  Is any of this going to be a problem?

To be fair, the questioning was extremely professional, and I never felt threatened. It was over in less than 5 minutes. I suspect, since it was my third trip to a middle eastern country that I don’t belong to, they just want to ensure Im not insane.

 

Am I being paranoid? Anyone else been through this? 

My husband is also from a Middle eastern country, I have been there 7 times, I have never been taken aside by CBP or asked any of the following questions.

 

I find it odd, but I would also be skeptical in your position, I am sorry you had to go through all that, and I don't know if this is only trip # 3 they would even care so much.

 

again I am sorry I wish I could offer my information as to why they would have done that.

[debbiedoo 2,339]

any of those questions are common. Paul has been asked similar occasionally when entering the US from canada.

 

they let you board the plane and depart, so obviously no problem as far as they were concerned.

 

i do get how it makes you nervous though, pauls only been questions a couple of times (on 40+ trips LMAO) and it always makes him shake!

[iranianspouse 0]

I get being questioned when attempting to enter usa. This is standard and happens all the time. What really concerns me is they called my name is i was waiting to board the flight. This has never happened before and i havent heard anything like it from members here.

[debbiedoo 2,339]

2 minutes ago, iranianspouse said:

I get being questioned when attempting to enter usa. This is standard and happens all the time. What really concerns me is they called my name is i was waiting to board the flight. This has never happened before and i havent heard anything like it from members here.

how else would they find you in an airport terminal?

[iranianspouse 0]

Just now, debbiedoo said:

how else would they find you in an airport terminal?

No what i meant was i never heard of anyone being questioned as they are leaving the country.

[debbiedoo 2,339]

Just now, iranianspouse said:

No what i meant was i never heard of anyone being questioned as they are leaving the country.

They can question at any point. its not abnormal. nothing about any of this is abnormal. especially for having multiple trips.

 

 

[Cyberfx1024 7,980]

2 hours ago, iranianspouse said:

My spouse is an Iranian citizen who lives in a middle eastern country that has OK relations with the US. This is my third trip and something interesting happened as I flew out of the US this time. I was taken aside as I was about to board the plane by CBP and was asked the following questions

1)      Purpose of visit : Visit spouse

2)      spouse name

3)      spouse occupation

4)      How long

5)      spouse address

6)      spouse citizenship

7)      My Countries visited

😎      My social media handles

9)      How much cash I was carrying : 5000

10)   Is that all I have? Yes

11)   My address

12)   My occupation

13)   My phone numbers and email addresses

I truthfully answered everything, and even told them that I have already filed I-130 and all of this information is already on there. She wrote down all my answers on a notepad with a pen.

Now I am in a bit of a dilemma. We are having a wedding reception in a couple months, and I was carrying around 5000 USD for this purpose (I knew there is a 10K limit before I had to declare). The office simply asked was that all I had, to which I answered truthfully, yes. They did not ask or search anything in my bags. I did not volunteer why I had that much money on me, and she did not ask.

My spouse is Iranian, and Iran is sanctioned, but none of the money is going to iran (we will spend it for our wedding here) for things like wedding dresses, jewelry etc. I am trying to put as much of it as possible on my card, but jewelers, DJ’s, photographers here only take cash.  Is any of this going to be a problem?

To be fair, the questioning was extremely professional, and I never felt threatened. It was over in less than 5 minutes. I suspect, since it was my third trip to a middle eastern country that I don’t belong to, they just want to ensure Im not insane.

 

Am I being paranoid? Anyone else been through this? 

So this is your third trip to that country right, in how many years, and what country are you flying in to if you don't mind me asking? If you have a number of trips in a short amount of time then your name might have got flagged in the system as someone to check out. 

[iranianspouse 0]

5 minutes ago, Cyberfx1024 said:

So this is your third trip to that country right, in how many years, and what country are you flying in to if you don't mind me asking? If you have a number of trips in a short amount of time then your name might have got flagged in the system as someone to check out. 

Third trip. All in the past 6 months. First trip intro. Second trip marraige and honeymoon. Third trip visit. 

[Cyberfx1024 7,980]

1 minute ago, iranianspouse said:

Third trip. All in the past 6 months. First trip intro. Second trip marraige and honeymoon. Third trip visit. 

If it is the country I am thinking about then I am not surprised because this could be seen as sign of possibly money laundering. As long as you are well below the required amount of $10k then you will be fine, the $5k is fine. But what people try to do is $8k in one trip, $9k in another trip, $8k in another trip to try and get around the bank regulations. 

[iranianspouse 0]

Ok i guess I'm just being paranoid. I had never heard of anyone who was asked these questions as they were boarding a flight. 

[Ben&Zian 4,398]

This happens occasionally. I was stopped and questioned when flying to Amsterdam before boarding. Trust me they looked at me oddly cause Amsterdam was merely a layover to then go to Copenhagen, then after a week down to Africa. Similar questions though. How much money, for how long, why.. It happens.

[jskibo 588]

I travel the middle East and north Africa for work all the time. Four or five multi country trips a year.  

 

Normally I only get the extra search / questioning when I'm returning through Paris and have been in Cairo.  

 

Never been questioned leaving yet. 

[janet3 1,170]

8 hours ago, iranianspouse said:

Ok i guess I'm just being paranoid. I had never heard of anyone who was asked these questions as they were boarding a flight. 

I have been questioned a couple of times. Once on a trip to Rome three years ago (going on vacation by myself) and the last time was when visiting my fiancé last January (he’s from Algeria). I had the dreaded SSSS on my ticket on the way to Rome but the last time they flat out told me it was because I was traveling alone to Algeria. 

Both times on the way out of the USA.

I did not get the social media question....but the other questions were almost exactly the same.

Edited November 21, 2018 by janet3

[Ryan H 3,812]

Moved from IR-1/CR-1 Progress Reports to General Immigration-Related Discussion.