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One of the most unsettling parts of international traveling is going through immigration and customs around the world. So how to mitigate any issues that one may get when entering another country? There are more passports and immigration than passports, and each is different - so here, it will only be possible to note some useful generalities about passing through immigration around the world.

This article will assume that the readers have an American or another Western passport. This article will not discuss getting visas - for that, read the tips for getting visas and extending visas. In foreign countries, there are always things tourists should know - like what they should not do in some conservative countries.

What To Expect At Immigration Control

An important part of going through immigration is to be confident and answer the questions directly and concisely (better to avoid volunteering information). Remember to always be on one's 'best behavior' at immigration - no matter how slow and frustrating it may be after a long and exhausting flight.

The most common questions an immigration officer is likely to ask are:

  • How long are you staying here?
  • Why are you coming here?
  • What are you planning to do here?
  • Where are you staying?

These are quite standard questions and are easy to answer e.g., the question "Why are you coming here?" can be simply answered, "tourism."

Some immigration is much stricter than others - e.g., the United States and Israel have reputations for being strict, while others like Serbia and the country of Georgia are generally quite relaxed.

It is also better to avoid any politics at immigration (like with a t-shirt with evocative flags/slogans) - e.g., Israel, Palestine, and Iran are sensitive topics in certain places. Plus, occasionally, if one has visited one country, one is automatically barred from visiting another. One example is, theoretically, if one has visited Israel, one can't visit Iran.

Also, note that the United States is visa-free (visa waiver) for most Western passports. However, if a traveler visits certain countries (Syria, Iran, Iraq, and others), they are prohibited from visiting the USA on the visa waiver program and require a tourist/business visa.

Related: How Much Of The World Could One See In A Year?

Potentially Needed Supporting Documents At Immigration Control

Generally, most Western passport holders don't really need supporting documents for most of the regular tourist destinations. However, there are always exceptions.

On the whole, the airline is unlikely to let passengers on board the airplane if one lacks any needed supporting documents needed for the final destination.

Examples of occasionally required supporting documents:

Examples of the above are that Uganda requires visitors to have a Yellow Fever Vacation, Kenya generally requires an onward ticket, and Seychelles requires visitors to have booked and paid for their accommodation in advance. Every country is different, so be sure to check the specific requirements of each (although Americans are unlikely to have any issues going to Canada, Mexico, or Europe).

Sometimes there are forms one needs to fill out where visitors need to put their address in that country (e.g., hotel address) and contact number. So it's good to have this sort of information ready and be prepared there may not be internet access on arrival.

Naturally, always bring a passport!

Related: What You Should Know About International Travel Advisories

Customs Is Normally A Bigger Deal For Island Nations

After one is through immigration, there are customs. For most holidaymakers, customs is not so important - it's more for controlling people bringing goods tax-free (like cartons of cigarettes from a place where they cost a dollar a pack) or other obvious things (like poached animals, firearms, and the like). Typically, none of this is particularly relevant to the average tourist.

But there are exceptions, with New Zealand and Australia being very stark examples. These are island nations, and their respective countries have evolved in isolation for millions of years. This means their ecosystems are very vulnerable to foreign species and diseases that could become established.

Australia and New Zealand have very strict customs and visitors need to declare any foodstuffs, wood, camping gear, dirty boots, or just about anything else that could be harboring unwanted bugs, seeds, wood maggots, etc. Be careful what one takes to these countries (e.g., wood carvings could be confiscated). Camping gear and dirty boots will be cleaned and disinfected by customs staff.

After one is through customs, one is free to roam about the country - have fun and perhaps brace for an impending culture shock.