What's the point of hand-filled immigration forms?
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Whenever you enter the US, you are required to fill out Form 6059B, which asks for your personal details and whether or not you're bringing in any restricted goods. Whenever you are entering the UK, you are required to fill out a landing card and passengers entering Canada fill out an E311 Declaration Card. As far as I can tell the immigration officers usually completely ignore whatever details you wrote in those forms and simply scan your passport to enter your details into their computer. It therefore looks like a complete waste of time, as the majority of passengers have no goods to declare anyway and therefore the immigration forms get thrown away right after you get your passport stamp.
So what's the point of these forms/declarations? Why require absolutely everyone to fill them out? As a bonus question explain why car passengers are spared from this obligation and are instead asked verbally if they have something to declare.
customs-and-immigration paperwork
asked Mar 20 at 23:17
JonathanReez♦
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up vote
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Whenever you enter the US, you are required to fill out Form 6059B, which asks for your personal details and whether or not you're bringing in any restricted goods. Whenever you are entering the UK, you are required to fill out a landing card and passengers entering Canada fill out an E311 Declaration Card. As far as I can tell the immigration officers usually completely ignore whatever details you wrote in those forms and simply scan your passport to enter your details into their computer. It therefore looks like a complete waste of time, as the majority of passengers have no goods to declare anyway and therefore the immigration forms get thrown away right after you get your passport stamp.
So what's the point of these forms/declarations? Why require absolutely everyone to fill them out? As a bonus question explain why car passengers are spared from this obligation and are instead asked verbally if they have something to declare.
customs-and-immigration paperwork
asked Mar 20 at 23:17
JonathanReez♦
46.6k36213457
Comments are not for extended discussion; this conversation has been moved to chat.
– JonathanReez♦
Apr 13 at 2:04
add a comment |Â
up vote
8
down vote
favorite
up vote
8
down vote
favorite
Whenever you enter the US, you are required to fill out Form 6059B, which asks for your personal details and whether or not you're bringing in any restricted goods. Whenever you are entering the UK, you are required to fill out a landing card and passengers entering Canada fill out an E311 Declaration Card. As far as I can tell the immigration officers usually completely ignore whatever details you wrote in those forms and simply scan your passport to enter your details into their computer. It therefore looks like a complete waste of time, as the majority of passengers have no goods to declare anyway and therefore the immigration forms get thrown away right after you get your passport stamp.
So what's the point of these forms/declarations? Why require absolutely everyone to fill them out? As a bonus question explain why car passengers are spared from this obligation and are instead asked verbally if they have something to declare.
customs-and-immigration paperwork
asked Mar 20 at 23:17
JonathanReez♦
46.6k36213457
Whenever you enter the US, you are required to fill out Form 6059B, which asks for your personal details and whether or not you're bringing in any restricted goods. Whenever you are entering the UK, you are required to fill out a landing card and passengers entering Canada fill out an E311 Declaration Card. As far as I can tell the immigration officers usually completely ignore whatever details you wrote in those forms and simply scan your passport to enter your details into their computer. It therefore looks like a complete waste of time, as the majority of passengers have no goods to declare anyway and therefore the immigration forms get thrown away right after you get your passport stamp.
So what's the point of these forms/declarations? Why require absolutely everyone to fill them out? As a bonus question explain why car passengers are spared from this obligation and are instead asked verbally if they have something to declare.
customs-and-immigration paperwork
asked Mar 20 at 23:17
JonathanReez♦
46.6k36213457
edited Jun 28 at 2:23
asked Mar 20 at 23:17
JonathanReez♦
46.6k36213457
asked Mar 20 at 23:17
JonathanReez♦
46.6k36213457
asked Mar 20 at 23:17
JonathanReez♦
46.6k36213457
46.6k36213457
Comments are not for extended discussion; this conversation has been moved to chat.
– JonathanReez♦
Apr 13 at 2:04
add a comment |Â
Comments are not for extended discussion; this conversation has been moved to chat.
– JonathanReez♦
Apr 13 at 2:04
Comments are not for extended discussion; this conversation has been moved to chat.
– JonathanReez♦
Apr 13 at 2:04
Comments are not for extended discussion; this conversation has been moved to chat.
– JonathanReez♦
Apr 13 at 2:04
add a comment |Â
2 Answers
2
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up vote
8
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My understanding is that the forms primarily exist for two purposes:
For tracking. This is increasingly obsolete as records become digital, and while bureaucracy moves slowly, some of these forms are disappearing: eg. the US paper I-94 is long gone and Australia no longer has departure cards.
For making it easier to charge you with crime. For example, if you bring in drugs and state on your declaration form that you're not bringing in drugs, that's two offences right there, and it's apparently often easier to charge you with the bureaucratic violation than the actual contraband. (See also: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marihuana_Tax_Act_of_1937)
I do agree that the forms often seem pointless in practice: yesterday I dutifully declared I was bringing a meat product to the US, twice at that (Customs paper form and ESTA machine), and nobody even bothered to ask me what it was (jerky), much less inspect it...
answered Mar 21 at 3:33
jpatokal
109k17326482
1
You can charge people with a crime by putting up a sign like "If you cross this line with goods to declare, please fill out a form". That's how they charge people who cheat public transport systems which don't have ticket barriers. And that's how it works in the Schengen area.
– JonathanReez♦
Mar 21 at 4:15
You don't need to do it twice at US airports - the customs form is for those ineligible to use a kiosk
– Coke
Mar 21 at 14:20
add a comment |Â
up vote
5
down vote
In the UK, there are situations where the landing card is recorded - a so-called coded landing. This happens when, above the date stamp, you get a "custom" rectangular stamp with the landing card number on it rather than the plain-text 6-month stamp.
This happens when there's been suspicions about a person they nevertheless chose to land, and always happens when a visa national is admitted for visa-free landside transit (until 23:59 the next day) as well as when a non-visa national is admitted for visa-free study for up to 6 months (short-term study).
As for the US, either the customs form or the APC/Global entry receipt has to be collected by the customs officer (for what purpose, I do not know) - hence the need to fill that one out.
answered Mar 21 at 1:33
Coke
48.6k789214
add a comment |Â
2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
up vote
8
down vote
accepted
My understanding is that the forms primarily exist for two purposes:
For tracking. This is increasingly obsolete as records become digital, and while bureaucracy moves slowly, some of these forms are disappearing: eg. the US paper I-94 is long gone and Australia no longer has departure cards.
For making it easier to charge you with crime. For example, if you bring in drugs and state on your declaration form that you're not bringing in drugs, that's two offences right there, and it's apparently often easier to charge you with the bureaucratic violation than the actual contraband. (See also: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marihuana_Tax_Act_of_1937)
I do agree that the forms often seem pointless in practice: yesterday I dutifully declared I was bringing a meat product to the US, twice at that (Customs paper form and ESTA machine), and nobody even bothered to ask me what it was (jerky), much less inspect it...
answered Mar 21 at 3:33
jpatokal
109k17326482
1
You can charge people with a crime by putting up a sign like "If you cross this line with goods to declare, please fill out a form". That's how they charge people who cheat public transport systems which don't have ticket barriers. And that's how it works in the Schengen area.
– JonathanReez♦
Mar 21 at 4:15
You don't need to do it twice at US airports - the customs form is for those ineligible to use a kiosk
– Coke
Mar 21 at 14:20
add a comment |Â
up vote
8
down vote
accepted
My understanding is that the forms primarily exist for two purposes:
For tracking. This is increasingly obsolete as records become digital, and while bureaucracy moves slowly, some of these forms are disappearing: eg. the US paper I-94 is long gone and Australia no longer has departure cards.
For making it easier to charge you with crime. For example, if you bring in drugs and state on your declaration form that you're not bringing in drugs, that's two offences right there, and it's apparently often easier to charge you with the bureaucratic violation than the actual contraband. (See also: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marihuana_Tax_Act_of_1937)
I do agree that the forms often seem pointless in practice: yesterday I dutifully declared I was bringing a meat product to the US, twice at that (Customs paper form and ESTA machine), and nobody even bothered to ask me what it was (jerky), much less inspect it...
answered Mar 21 at 3:33
jpatokal
109k17326482
1
You can charge people with a crime by putting up a sign like "If you cross this line with goods to declare, please fill out a form". That's how they charge people who cheat public transport systems which don't have ticket barriers. And that's how it works in the Schengen area.
– JonathanReez♦
Mar 21 at 4:15
You don't need to do it twice at US airports - the customs form is for those ineligible to use a kiosk
– Coke
Mar 21 at 14:20
add a comment |Â
up vote
8
down vote
accepted
up vote
8
down vote
accepted
My understanding is that the forms primarily exist for two purposes:
For tracking. This is increasingly obsolete as records become digital, and while bureaucracy moves slowly, some of these forms are disappearing: eg. the US paper I-94 is long gone and Australia no longer has departure cards.
For making it easier to charge you with crime. For example, if you bring in drugs and state on your declaration form that you're not bringing in drugs, that's two offences right there, and it's apparently often easier to charge you with the bureaucratic violation than the actual contraband. (See also: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marihuana_Tax_Act_of_1937)
I do agree that the forms often seem pointless in practice: yesterday I dutifully declared I was bringing a meat product to the US, twice at that (Customs paper form and ESTA machine), and nobody even bothered to ask me what it was (jerky), much less inspect it...
answered Mar 21 at 3:33
jpatokal
109k17326482
My understanding is that the forms primarily exist for two purposes:
For tracking. This is increasingly obsolete as records become digital, and while bureaucracy moves slowly, some of these forms are disappearing: eg. the US paper I-94 is long gone and Australia no longer has departure cards.
For making it easier to charge you with crime. For example, if you bring in drugs and state on your declaration form that you're not bringing in drugs, that's two offences right there, and it's apparently often easier to charge you with the bureaucratic violation than the actual contraband. (See also: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marihuana_Tax_Act_of_1937)
I do agree that the forms often seem pointless in practice: yesterday I dutifully declared I was bringing a meat product to the US, twice at that (Customs paper form and ESTA machine), and nobody even bothered to ask me what it was (jerky), much less inspect it...
answered Mar 21 at 3:33
jpatokal
109k17326482
answered Mar 21 at 3:33
jpatokal
109k17326482
answered Mar 21 at 3:33
jpatokal
109k17326482
answered Mar 21 at 3:33
jpatokal
109k17326482
109k17326482
1
You can charge people with a crime by putting up a sign like "If you cross this line with goods to declare, please fill out a form". That's how they charge people who cheat public transport systems which don't have ticket barriers. And that's how it works in the Schengen area.
– JonathanReez♦
Mar 21 at 4:15
You don't need to do it twice at US airports - the customs form is for those ineligible to use a kiosk
– Coke
Mar 21 at 14:20
add a comment |Â
1
You can charge people with a crime by putting up a sign like "If you cross this line with goods to declare, please fill out a form". That's how they charge people who cheat public transport systems which don't have ticket barriers. And that's how it works in the Schengen area.
– JonathanReez♦
Mar 21 at 4:15
You don't need to do it twice at US airports - the customs form is for those ineligible to use a kiosk
– Coke
Mar 21 at 14:20
1
1
You can charge people with a crime by putting up a sign like "If you cross this line with goods to declare, please fill out a form". That's how they charge people who cheat public transport systems which don't have ticket barriers. And that's how it works in the Schengen area.
– JonathanReez♦
Mar 21 at 4:15
You can charge people with a crime by putting up a sign like "If you cross this line with goods to declare, please fill out a form". That's how they charge people who cheat public transport systems which don't have ticket barriers. And that's how it works in the Schengen area.
– JonathanReez♦
Mar 21 at 4:15
You don't need to do it twice at US airports - the customs form is for those ineligible to use a kiosk
– Coke
Mar 21 at 14:20
You don't need to do it twice at US airports - the customs form is for those ineligible to use a kiosk
– Coke
Mar 21 at 14:20
add a comment |Â
up vote
5
down vote
In the UK, there are situations where the landing card is recorded - a so-called coded landing. This happens when, above the date stamp, you get a "custom" rectangular stamp with the landing card number on it rather than the plain-text 6-month stamp.
This happens when there's been suspicions about a person they nevertheless chose to land, and always happens when a visa national is admitted for visa-free landside transit (until 23:59 the next day) as well as when a non-visa national is admitted for visa-free study for up to 6 months (short-term study).
As for the US, either the customs form or the APC/Global entry receipt has to be collected by the customs officer (for what purpose, I do not know) - hence the need to fill that one out.
answered Mar 21 at 1:33
Coke
48.6k789214
add a comment |Â
up vote
5
down vote
In the UK, there are situations where the landing card is recorded - a so-called coded landing. This happens when, above the date stamp, you get a "custom" rectangular stamp with the landing card number on it rather than the plain-text 6-month stamp.
This happens when there's been suspicions about a person they nevertheless chose to land, and always happens when a visa national is admitted for visa-free landside transit (until 23:59 the next day) as well as when a non-visa national is admitted for visa-free study for up to 6 months (short-term study).
As for the US, either the customs form or the APC/Global entry receipt has to be collected by the customs officer (for what purpose, I do not know) - hence the need to fill that one out.
answered Mar 21 at 1:33
Coke
48.6k789214
add a comment |Â
up vote
5
down vote
up vote
5
down vote
In the UK, there are situations where the landing card is recorded - a so-called coded landing. This happens when, above the date stamp, you get a "custom" rectangular stamp with the landing card number on it rather than the plain-text 6-month stamp.
This happens when there's been suspicions about a person they nevertheless chose to land, and always happens when a visa national is admitted for visa-free landside transit (until 23:59 the next day) as well as when a non-visa national is admitted for visa-free study for up to 6 months (short-term study).
As for the US, either the customs form or the APC/Global entry receipt has to be collected by the customs officer (for what purpose, I do not know) - hence the need to fill that one out.
answered Mar 21 at 1:33
Coke
48.6k789214
In the UK, there are situations where the landing card is recorded - a so-called coded landing. This happens when, above the date stamp, you get a "custom" rectangular stamp with the landing card number on it rather than the plain-text 6-month stamp.
This happens when there's been suspicions about a person they nevertheless chose to land, and always happens when a visa national is admitted for visa-free landside transit (until 23:59 the next day) as well as when a non-visa national is admitted for visa-free study for up to 6 months (short-term study).
As for the US, either the customs form or the APC/Global entry receipt has to be collected by the customs officer (for what purpose, I do not know) - hence the need to fill that one out.
answered Mar 21 at 1:33
Coke
48.6k789214
answered Mar 21 at 1:33
Coke
48.6k789214
answered Mar 21 at 1:33
Coke
48.6k789214
answered Mar 21 at 1:33
Coke
48.6k789214
48.6k789214
add a comment |Â
add a comment |Â
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Comments are not for extended discussion; this conversation has been moved to chat.
– JonathanReez♦
Apr 13 at 2:04