UK Border Question: where did you travel?

[can2]

UK passport holder here.
Most of the time I use the eGates and do not deal with the border force officers.
Recently when I was coming back with the family with a 6yo on tow, I was kinda bothered by the border officer asking where I travelled.

What is the legal basis of such questions for British citizens?

[JDB]

can2 wrote:

UK passport holder here.
Most of the time I use the eGates and do not deal with the border force officers.
Recently when I was coming back with the family with a 6yo on tow, I was kinda bothered by the border officer asking where I travelled.

What is the legal basis of such questions for British citizens?

Immigration Act 1971 Schedule 2 Para 2. I can’t see why you would be concerned about being asked such a simple question. It seems fairly self evident and appropriate that Border Force officers have fairly extensive powers necessary to execute their duties.

[Tony5896]

Same here last night coming back from Rhodes into Manchester, where from? How long? ..
With under 10 and wife travell8ng on eu passport.

[Tony5896]

@JDB I’ve never been asked my wife wasn’t happy but first time I remember anyone speaking to me I was made up 🙂

[ayearinmx]

I got asked “where have you been?” at Calais on the UK side of things coming back on the Tunnel… “all your life?” “all my life?” “in the last 6 months?” “on this last trip?”

depending on how i’m feeling… i either give a very detailed answer, involving my entire itinerary, or I just list the place I woke up in and drove from that morning. The information goes nowhere and is basically worthless, but they’ve obviously been told to ask it

[can2]

Thanks @JDB. I’m not concerned. Just bothered.
More so as I’d not face it if I was using the eGates.

Counting the days until my kid hits 10.

[can2]

And I’m still not sure how Sch 2 Para 2 provides a legal basis to question the previous travel for Brits.

It seems very tangential honestly.

[PIL]

Immigration authorities (all across the world and regardless of citizenship) can question you on where you have been prior to entering a country.

Having been to a few countries abroad, this is a fairly common question prior to allowing entry

[PeteM]

Of all the countries (and blocks of countries) of which I have passports, the UK is the only one that has ever asked me where I’m coming back from when showing a UK passport.

[can2]

@PIL, “can” doesn’t mean it has a legal basis. Notice I’m talking about UK passport holders coming home.

Rather than welcoming back a citizen, they act as if they have the right to deny entry.
They don’t.

Plus, ffs, you are holding my passport looking at the stamps.

[masaccio]

People seem to be assuming the person asking the question cares about the content of your answer rather than wanting to observe how you answer. Maybe Border Force are not trained well enough for that, but they’ve certainly been asking this question for decades.

[can2]

I know. And I want to know its legal basis.

[NorthernLass]

They can ask you whatever they want, it’s a free country, as they say! Your response is down to you. It does seem a bit pointless though, given, as you say, most people are actively encouraged to avoid any engagement with a human by using e-gates.

I’d love to know if you’ve ever entered the USA and asked their officials what right they have to question you 😂

The most pointless question I’ve ever been asked by a border official was “Have you brought any wine back with you?” when driving home from France about 20 years ago!

[masaccio]

Just because you know it’s your passport, how is immigration supposed to know that? Oh, you look a bit like a picture that was taken 10 years ago. Hardly foolproof.

I don’t think they can reasonably assume you are a British Citizen.

[PeteM]

How does asking you where you came from change that?

[JDB]

can2 wrote:

I know. And I want to know its legal basis.

@can2 – well clearly you are still very traumatised by the very upsetting and impertinent question you were asked which you also allege was probably unlawful. You need to write to the Home Office so that in future officers abide by the @can2 version of the law and say nada when a passenger presents themselves at immigration.

[masaccio]

NorthernLass wrote:

I’d love to know if you’ve ever entered the USA and asked their officials what right they have to question you 😂

Global Entry for the win! Minimal contact with humans asking random questions.

[PeteM]

Given they can’t really deny you entry, the only logical explanation I can think of is that if you say you’ve come from a dodgy country and you look/sound dodgy, refuse to answer, etc. they can ask their customs colleague further down the corridor to take a close look at your bags…

[nike85]

I always assumed it was just a dull attempt at being friendly. like when work colleagues ask “how was your holiday” and they don’t really care about the answer!!

[The Savage Squirrel]

Asking trivial questions is a standard way to assess all sorts of things such as manner and demeanour. There are also some fairly simple cues as to whether people are accessing memory or the creative side of the brain when answering.

If you ask similar questions all the time to lots of people then it does not alert the people you REALLY want to assess that such assessment is taking place on them.

It also seems a very strange thing to be so bothered about, but consider this: Your right of entry to the UK applies only once your identity has been established. Until then, they absolutely CAN deny entry pending investigation. Fake, stolen and doctored passports do exist. Checking that you can readily provide answers about recent travel that match your passport (and other records that may be available) would be an entirely valid way of helping confirm your identity, in the same way that they can examine your appearance.

I really wouldn’t test out your legal basis to refuse to answer theory. Pick the wrong officer and it won’t go well 🤣.

[NorthernLass]

They might just have been having a cack-handed attempt at being friendly. It must be very boring endlessly processing passports for a full shift.

I’m not sure I can remember when I last saw a customs agent, at MAN anyway! I don’t think they’re interested apart from pre-planned stings on folk taking a million quid to Dubai in a suitcase, or whatever.

[strickers]

Top tip when entering Australia, if you are asked if you have a criminal record answering that you didn’t realise you still needed one wouldn’t end well.

[executiveclubber]

@NorthernLass I did once ask US Border how long they kept my fingerprints to which he said “no idea, that’s above my pay grade”…

[BA Flyer IHG Stayer]

masaccio wrote:

People seem to be assuming the person asking the question cares about the content of your answer rather than wanting to observe how you answer. Maybe Border Force are not trained well enough for that, but they’ve certainly been asking this question for decades.

They are trained for that.

As you say it’s not the answer but how you react.

Literally those with nothing to hide will answer quickly and honestly.

If you start to show attitude then that elicits further questioning, and they aren’t just looking at you but any kids with you. Do they look uncomfortable/ worried? Are they being kidnapped from abroad / is that teenager just looking bored or are they scared because they are being people trafficked?

[NigelHamilton]

Borders Act 2007

2 Detention
(1)A designated immigration officer at a port in England, Wales or Northern Ireland may detain an individual if the immigration officer thinks that the individual—
(a)may be liable to arrest by a constable under section 24(1), (2) or (3) of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 (c. 60) or Article 26(1), (2) or (3) of the Police and Criminal Evidence (Northern Ireland) Order 1989 (S.I. 1989/1341 (N.I. 12))

So if you were decided to be clever and say ‘I’ve just come back from Amsterdam, and using my child as a decoy whilst I import my latest shipment’ you would find they have every right to detain you. And if you didn’t give a straight answer to the (perfectly reasonable) question – then you could be detained on ‘reasonable suspicion’