Korean Job Discussion Forums

[JacktheCat]

How often do you "get pulled aside" by immigration?

You know the drill, you are going through immigration, the officer looks over your passport and says "can you step aside, we'd like to ask you a few questions."

It happens to me on a semi permanent basis these days. I guess I fit a certain profile. Young, male, flying on one way tickets, coming from questionable third world countries.
But no more so then American immigration. I am beginning to suspect that US Immigration has red-flagged my passport. Perhaps something to do with having visited Iraq, Afghanistan, Cuba, and Vietnam and other "evil" countries.

At least I haven't got the body cavity search yet.

[lush72]

Never here, but in Guam, for a reason I think is BS, my bags Always (100%) get searched when I go back to Korea. The reason? (I have been told this by the inspectors and other cauasians as well) is that koreans FREAK THE HELL OUT if their bags are inspected, often causing a scene, and being very disruptive. security must search X number of bags, so they look for caucasians that appear laid back.

Nice eh?

However, once back in korea, its another story. Its the koreans who get checked, and very, very, very, very often do scream, shout, pretend to faint, lie on the floor and cry, yell, curse and act like immature babies while getting checked.

[hellofaniceguy]

However, once back in korea, its another story. Its the koreans who get checked, and very, very, very, very often do scream, shout, pretend to faint, lie on the floor and cry, yell, curse and act like immature babies while getting checked.[/quote]

They freak out because they have something to hide.
You ever catch that show on korean TV at Incheon airport where customs is catching folks! Funny at times! Watches hidden up the arm sleeve! Not one watch but 5/6 watches! And then the idiot tells the customs inspector,"gee, I don't know how they got there!" Or these people bringing in ten thousand pills of viagra!
One guy has gold bars in his shoes! Customs has him walk through the metal detector and "ding a ling ring" they catch him! Ant the shocked look on his face like "who put those in my shoes!"

[edgellskiuk]

It could have been planted in his shoes when he took them off on the plane and he just didn't notice.

I have only been stopped once in Korea because I had purchased a duty free watch at amsterdam so my old watch was in my bag. I always get stopped when I fly back to the small local airpot I use in the uk. I know the 2 customs men there well now and I think they just do it for giggles.

[Toby]

Only once driving back from france on the tunnel, in a new car early ion the morning with another young man next to me. Been on a booze run. Car was laden down, sitting very heavy at the back.

Men with guns asked us a few questions, nothing exciting and then let us on our way.

That is the only time it has happened. Never in Korea. Yet.

[The Lemon]

[edgellskiuk]

Lemon

Do you give birth at the counter or is a pre-prepared baby ok?

[The Lemon]

Both are fine. But if it can be done at the counter, so much the better. Be sure to keep your passport wrapped in plastic.

[oneiros]

Once in Israel.

Never, ever answer the question "What is your purpose for visiting?" with "I'm here to work for a Palestinian organization."

[nev]

[Zed]

Once coming back into Canada from a trip to California/Tijuana. That was the only time. Nothing spectacular. They just looked through my one small pack.

[Swiss James]

never in Incheon despite coming in 6-8 times with no work visa (tip: write "Business" under purpose of visit), but I've been pulled over and grilled in Canada (Toronto) where I had to buy a 2 week work visa, and the US where they called the cops in England to make sure I wasn't a wanted man.

Strange thing, in the immigration office at JFK the guy was on the phone to Scotland Yard (UK Police HQ)- they obviously asked him for a description, so the American immigration guy who's standing 2 feet away turns to me and says:
"What do you look like?"
"Umm, I'm 6 foot tall, I have blue eyes.."

[Zed]

Were you lying?

[Swiss James]

well it might have been hard to fool the guy who was looking right at me-

I wonder what would have happened if I'd said "I'm an albino rastafarian with a peg leg and no hands" or something?

[dogbert]