3 ms·

If you're a US citizen returning to the US, you actually are not obliged to answer their questions. That said, this is a pretty grey area and they certainly do

• ptaipale 12y ago
  Right, that's nice to know. I'm not a US citizen though, so I think I really need to answer those questions - without a lawyer - unless I want to be put back to the next plane heading back where I came from.
  • coldpie 12y ago
    Basically, yes. It's an ugly situation and lots of people take the stance of never visiting the US because of it.
    • foldr 12y ago
      You can be subject to the same kind of questioning when entering any country. The only way to be sure of avoiding it would be never to travel abroad.
      • ptaipale 12y ago
        True. The questions on U.S. border may sometimes be a bit more strange and thorough than in other countries, to the point of obnoxiousness, but there are similarities in the immigration point to many countries. And there are some grounds for why it is like this in the U.S. - after all, U.S. is the top destination for illegal immigration. The visa and ESTA forms really should get rid of questions about whether I was involved in the crimes of Nazi Germany between 1933 and 1945. Snare me all right, but snare me with something more relevant today.