SQTalk Poll: The friendliest Immigration officers?

[shortfinals]

jjpb3
SQ Talk poll: friendliest immigration officers?
« Thread Started on: Oct 11th, 2006, 02:46am »
So CGK , JPB and I were talking over the magnificent martinis they make at the Mandarin Oriental in London (I'm beginning to associate the watermelon martini with LON SIN Do's), and we arrived at the conclusion that immigration officers are, on the whole, a gruff lot.

Which brought us to the interesting question: in your experience, which immigration officers (i.e., at which airport) have been, on average, a notch above the rest in their friendliness / welcoming attitude?

My vote goes to the CGK (un-bolded font) officers who greeted me with a cheerful "Mabuhay" when my brother and I visited for a spell a couple of years ago, and who said "Paalam" with a smile when we exited the country.
« Last Edit: Oct 11th, 2006, 02:48am by jjpb3 »

shortfinals
Re: SQ Talk poll: friendliest immigration officers
« Reply #1 on: Oct 11th, 2006, 07:56am »
My vote goes to KUL (if you're a malaysian with a chip enabled passport)..... ah the joy of talking to a machine

cawhite
Re: SQ Talk poll: friendliest immigration officers
« Reply #2 on: Oct 11th, 2006, 08:48am »
I'll give the nod to SIN. Always welcoming IME

shortfinals
Re: SQ Talk poll: friendliest immigration officers
« Reply #3 on: Oct 11th, 2006, 08:58am »
on Oct 11th, 2006, 08:48am, cawhite wrote:
I'll give the nod to SIN. Always welcoming IME

Them too. Friendliest non-machine bunch around.

Shortfinals
Re: SQ Talk poll: friendliest immigration officers
« Reply #4 on: Oct 11th, 2006, 09:06am »
I've actually found a simple greeting to the officer in the local language helps defuse any tension somewhat. A sawasdee kaa/krap/g'day/kia ora/gruezi/wie gehts/bom dia/buenos dias/hola/oi/kamustaka goes a long way.

jjpb3
Re: SQ Talk poll: friendliest immigration officers
« Reply #5 on: Oct 11th, 2006, 09:15am »
on Oct 11th, 2006, 09:06am, shortfinals wrote:
I've actually found a simple greeting to the officer in the local language helps defuse any tension somewhat. A sawasdee kaa/krap/g'day/kia ora/gruezi/wie gehts/bom dia/buenos dias/hola/oi/kamustaka goes a long way.

We're not as mutli-lingual as you are, my dear shortfinals.
« Last Edit: Oct 11th, 2006, 09:16am by jjpb3 »

shortfinals
Re: SQ Talk poll: friendliest immigration officers
« Reply #6 on: Oct 11th, 2006, 10:18am »
on Oct 11th, 2006, 09:15am, jjpb3 wrote:
We're not as mutli-lingual as you are, my dear shortfinals.

que? pourquoi?

glam82
Re: SQ Talk poll: friendliest immigration officers
« Reply #7 on: Oct 11th, 2006, 10:47am »
The friendliest for me would be the immigration officers at Karimun Islands, Indonesia, but they were friendly because they wanted some money on the side...
« Last Edit: Oct 11th, 2006, 10:48am by glam82 »

KeithMEL1985
Re: SQ Talk poll: friendliest immigration officers
« Reply #8 on: Oct 11th, 2006, 2:31pm »
My vote goes to HKT.

SIN is a hit or miss, but efficient nonetheless.
MEL's officers are pretty polarised - either downright jerks or the friendliest people in the world.

Airlineslover
Re: SQ Talk poll: friendliest immigration officers
« Reply #9 on: Oct 11th, 2006, 2:42pm »
I will say KUL. They are really friendly. (Although I just went through KUL twice before)

I never see SIN immigration officers smile. Nor they reply my greeting in the past. Although they are efficient enough, but they are not friendly at all.

As for ADL, I experienced a very rude customs officer before and was very dissapointed with his action. Some will greet you with a smile and are very friendly, but not all.
« Last Edit: Oct 11th, 2006, 2:45pm by Airlineslover »

MadameConcorde
Re: SQ Talk poll: friendliest immigration officers
« Reply #10 on: Oct 11th, 2006, 3:41pm »
The friendliest immigration officers I have met are the ones in Papeete, Noumea and Rarotonga. Tonga and Western Samoa immigration was good fun. Fiji was easy too.

Not the ones in Honolulu. U.S. immigration officers always tend to think we are all entering the country to be illegal workers or terrorists.

I avoid the U.S. mainland as much as possible although I will never skip Hawaii as it is not the U.S. It is Polynesia, only stolen land by the U.S. from the native Hawaiians.

Now the easiest immigration has to be Paris CDG airport. They never seem to ask anybody questions and just stamp the passports and let people go through whether E.U. or not E.U. residents. Frankfurt, on the contrary, has heaps of immigration agents everywhere in the airport. Just have to go through them and show passports all the time.

« Last Edit: Oct 11th, 2006, 3:43pm by MadameConcorde »

9V-JKL
Re: SQ Talk poll: friendliest immigration officers
« Reply #11 on: Oct 11th, 2006, 4:56pm »
on Oct 11th, 2006, 3:41pm, MadameConcorde wrote:
Frankfurt, on the contrary, has heaps of immigration agents everywhere in the airport. Just have to go through them and show passports all the time.

I'm with you on this one. Once I had to prove that the passport was mine. They asked for other IDs to prove who I was on the passport.

glam82
Re: SQ Talk poll: friendliest immigration officers
« Reply #12 on: Oct 11th, 2006, 5:10pm »
on Oct 11th, 2006, 3:41pm, MadameConcorde wrote:
Not the ones in Honolulu. U.S. immigration officers always tend to think we are all entering the country to be illegal workers or terrorists.
I avoid the U.S. mainland as much as possible although I will never skip Hawaii as it is not the U.S. It is Polynesia, only stolen land by the U.S. from the native Hawaiians.


I agree totally with you, probably one of the most unfriendly and suspicious bunch of people. I get stopped everytime I get here and it has gotten to the point where I don't get anyone to pick me up from the airport anymore so that they do not have to wait for me.

jjpb3Re: SQ Talk poll: friendliest immigration officers
« Reply #13 on: Oct 11th, 2006, 9:17pm »
on Oct 11th, 2006, 4:56pm, 9V-JKL wrote:
I'm with you on this one. Once I had to prove that the passport was mine. They asked for other IDs to prove who I was on the passport.


Yeah those roving officers used to annoy me too. But fortunately, I've never been asked to prove that my passport was in fact mine.

[shortfinals]

MovieMan
Re: SQ Talk poll: friendliest immigration officers
« Reply #14 on: Oct 12th, 2006, 09:46am »
on Oct 11th, 2006, 08:48am, cawhite wrote:
I'll give the nod to SIN. Always welcoming IME

Totally agree with that, though after getting an Access card (which locals and residents can get) I don't even have to see an immigration officer on arrival in SIN.

My vote for the most UNfriendly ones goes to the US. But it's a crap shoot--you can get lucky and get someone who is very friendly and welcoming. More frequently, though, you do get the sense that they are doing you a huge favor by letting you into their country.
« Last Edit: Oct 12th, 2006, 09:48am by MovieMan »

cawhite
Re: SQ Talk poll: friendliest immigration officers
« Reply #15 on: Oct 12th, 2006, 10:56am »
on Oct 12th, 2006, 09:46am, MovieMan wrote:
...My vote for the most UNfriendly ones goes to the US. But it's a crap shoot--you can get lucky and get someone who is very friendly and welcoming. More frequently, though, you do get the sense that they are doing you a huge favor by letting you into their country.

Sometimes I feel like I'm being done a favour by being let back into my own country Seriously, most have been nice enough (IME) and then others, well... I'll never forget returning from a weekend in LON and the female US immigration officer conversation included her commenting I'd changed my hairstyle (passport photo at that time was 8 years old) and color (passport photo at that time was black & white so I have no idea how she made that determination).

I've been fortunate so far to really not encounter any truly unfriendly immigration officers anywhere, although certainly some have been less friendly than others. Thankfully very few have been memorable

JPB
Re: SQ Talk poll: friendliest immigration officers
« Reply #16 on: Oct 12th, 2006, 2:38pm »
The friendliest I have met was in Northern Albania. Flew to Macedonia and got a taxi down to the Albanian border where a work car met me but of course the car from work was late. So I walked accross the border and got chatting to the Albanian immigration officer. The whole conversation was in sign language as he spoke no english and I must admit my Albanian is rather limited. When my car finally showed up he gave me a great big hug goodbye.

tfung
Re: SQ Talk poll: friendliest immigration officers
« Reply #17 on: Oct 13th, 2006, 03:24am »
SIN arrivals immigration staff are usually quite cheerful... but I've never seen a smiling one at the departure stations....

SingaporeAir
Re: SQ Talk poll: friendliest immigration officers
« Reply #18 on: Oct 13th, 2006, 09:58am »
I find Singaporeans ones very efficient but most put on a neutral face unless you are really beaming with a smile and say "Hello" to them enthusiastically.

Bangkok's weren't great.

I find LHR ones quite good. They normally greet you properly and just wave you through (I have a UK passport).

Vietnam is the worst.

MegatopLover
Re: SQ Talk poll: friendliest immigration officers
« Reply #19 on: Oct 16th, 2006, 01:14am »
Nobody has mentioned HKG! I have usually found them fairly friendly and efficient, with the exception of the lady who stands at the front of the main queue yelling at people as to which counter they should line up in front of. As if we can't figure that out. The immigration officers at the desks, though, are usually pretty good.

In Bangkok, they're not particularly friendly. Odd, in my opinion, for such a warm and friendly country. I hate the way they staple the arrival/departure cards into my passport, though. Punctures the pages!

US officers are hit or miss, I've found. Some bark like dogs, others just say, "Welcome home."

At SIN, it's all about efficiency. Except when you get in line behind a family of Indians-- then you're in for a painfully long wait while the officer checks every detail in all of their documents.

I agree with SingaporeAir: Vietnam's officers were pretty scary, though I don't have much experience there.

jhm
Re: SQ Talk poll: friendliest immigration officers
« Reply #20 on: Oct 16th, 2006, 03:37am »
I can't remember much about immigration at SGN other than all of the officers had their caps on their desks (a show of authority perhaps) and what sounded like revolutionary music playing in the immigration hall!

HK customs and immigration can be a little too familiar. I remember passing through a number of years ago and being addressed in Cantonese as "fat boy"!

My experiences at PEK immigration have all been positive - no queues, all smiles and curiousity (although they've surely seen HK ID's and "return home" cards before ?), one or two questions and I'm through.

Savage25
Re: SQ Talk poll: friendliest immigration officers
« Reply #21 on: Oct 16th, 2006, 05:33am »
Thanks to the access card, I can't remember the last time I had to talk to a real immigration person at SIN - maybe 2002?

Out of all the US gateways I've been through (ATL, EWR, JFK, ORD, SFO), I've found SFO to have to most friendly immigration officers (both on entry and the ones standing by the US VIST Exit machines). Always smiling and incorporating a quick chat during the process.

jjpb3
Re: SQ Talk poll: friendliest immigration officers
« Reply #22 on: Oct 17th, 2006, 03:48am »
on Oct 16th, 2006, 05:33am, Savage25 wrote:
Out of all the US gateways I've been through (ATL, EWR, JFK, ORD, SFO), I've found SFO to have to most friendly immigration officers (both on entry and the ones standing by the US VIST Exit machines). Always smiling and incorporating a quick chat during the process.

I agree with you there. Plus, friendly staff directing you on what to do with your luggage after you clear customs and need to connect.

MANFlyer
Re: SQ Talk poll: friendliest immigration officers
« Reply #23 on: Oct 17th, 2006, 12:16pm »
on Oct 16th, 2006, 03:37am, jhm wrote:
I can't remember much about immigration at SGN

I'm afraid that as much as I adore the country itself, the immigration staff at SGN (and HAN) are a truly miserable bunch. Went through again on Saturday and they were the same as ever.

I know the US immigrations rightly get some stick but I've come into JFK twice this year and each time they have been fine (and quick). SFO has always been the same.

Entering Saudi Arabia is never a nice experience and Libya was horrible about 6 years ago. I had a huge argument on the way out of TIP when the idiot on the desk claimed it wasn't me on the Passport photo, in a 6 month old Passport.

Friendliest was probably Bali or maybe Jordan and I've had fun entering various Caribbean countries on occassion. The Changi staff are fine but are not too far either way. They are certainly efficient though.

[MovieMan]

From WSJ: Visitors Decry US Entry Process

Visa Rules, Other Mandates Remain Unpopular Abroad, Travel-Industry Poll Finds

WASHINGTON -- Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice promised nearly a year ago to put a friendlier face on the American travel experience to help improve the U.S. image overseas. So far, foreign travelers aren't getting that impression, according to a survey by a group that seeks to pressure the government to take steps to boost travel to the U.S.

Funded by a multimillion-dollar travel-industry campaign called the Discover America Partnership, the survey found that foreigners, by a 2-1 margin, view the U.S. as offering the world's worst experience when it comes to obtaining a visa and entering the country. The Middle East, Asia and Africa all scored far better than the U.S.

Continued at: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB1163...026-email.html (This link is free for seven days.)

[globetrekker84]

Visa Rules, Other Mandates Remain Unpopular Abroad, Travel-Industry Poll Finds

Continued at: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB1163...026-email.html (This link is free for seven days.)

Yeah because whenever you think of happy Americans, you immediately think of Condi Rice. Have you seen that woman smile? I sure haven't seen a picture of that.

Back on topic. As for friendliest...um...probably Bali after the attacks. They were quite welcoming.

Least friendly: U.S. and U.K.

[d_exmen]

MANFlyer
Re: SQ Talk poll: friendliest immigration officers
« Reply #23 on: Oct 17th, 2006, 12:16pm »
on Oct 16th, 2006, 03:37am, jhm wrote:
I can't remember much about immigration at SGN

I'm afraid that as much as I adore the country itself, the immigration staff at SGN (and HAN) are a truly miserable bunch. Went through again on Saturday and they were the same as ever.

I went through Immigration at SGN twice a month for the last 2.5 years and they never change. The worst part is that the Custom Agents always and I mean ALWAYS try to extort money from Vietnamese Expats or Viet Kieu. Especially the grand parents generation...

[Singapore_Air]

Oh we used to give them US$10 but we don't give them money anymore.

Furthermore, we have friends who have connections who somehow manage to bypass all security and collect us so we can use the aircrew immigation queue which is nice.

But yes, miserable bastards. They also use Windows 98!

[YK@HKG]

IMHO, Changi's staffs are the friendliest.

Most of the US immigration officers are pretty unfriendly to me

[globetrekker84]

Most of the US immigration officers are pretty unfriendly to me

I think their mantra is: "Don't be friendly. If you're friendly, then the terrorists have won."

[YK@HKG]

I think their mantra is: "Don't be friendly. If you're friendly, then the terrorists have won."

I must have had the most FIN numbers in their system since every time I enter the US, they couldn't find my finger print record and asked me to re-register to save time

[Savage25]

I had another great experience entering at SFO again last week - the immigration officer and I had a running conversation on how best to prepare for the GMAT while we went through the motions

[Lobster]

I do think SFO is the best place to enter the US, I have never had a problem entering there.

I think I have found somewhere worse than the US though, Israel. The immigration officers are unbelievably miserable. I think they must train them to be this miserable as I can not believe they can find so many people this miserable naturally.

[YK@HKG]

I do think SFO is the best place to enter the US, I have never had a problem entering there.

On the contrary, the officer handling my case 3 mths ago had a black face throughout...(and he's a Chinese) . He kept looking suspiciously at me...and I was kept there for about 40 mins. Enough said...I am always the last to collect my luggage when I visit the US

[taipeiflyer]

IMHO, Changi's staffs are the friendliest.

Most of the US immigration officers are pretty unfriendly to me

Second to last time I was flying into LAX, I got diverted by security to a visitor line, because it was much shorter. The lady directly in front of me was carrying a Taiwan passport and in her mid-50's. The immigration officer greeted her by saying: "Nee hao, what countries have you visited before coming to the United States?" To which the lady stared back at him blankly. He then said, "NEE HAO, what countries have you visited prior to coming to the United States?" Again, the lady obviously had no idea what the guy was talking about. So this time the agent is screaming at her, "NEE HAO!!!!!!!! What countries have you visted prior to coming to the United States?!?!?!?!" Feeling bad for this poor lady who was getting a most unwelcome introduction to American "hospitality," I politely asked the officer if he might like me to translate what was being said, to which he looks back at me and says coldly, "She understands what I'm saying, she's just playing dumb!" I was infuriated by this guy's arrogance and ignorance. After much delay, she was finally allowed to pass.