How to deal with customs inquiries if you can't speak English when traveling to the United States

As the Spring Festival is approaching, many people plan to take their parents to travel to the United States. If most parents can't speak English, how should they deal with the customs inquiries? Let's take a look at it with me.

how to deal with customs inquiries if you can't speak English?

1. Seek help from Chinese translators

In recent years, there are more and more China tourists visiting the United States, and airports in many big cities such as Los Angeles are equipped with Chinese translators. When the customs staff starts to ask questions in English, they just need to smile and shake their heads, and show their passports or the small cards below that require Chinese translation, so that Chinese-speaking staff will help you.

　May I have a Chinese translator?

can I have a Chinese translator?

2. Prepare a written briefing

It is also a good choice to prepare an English briefing on your visit to the United States. The description needs to include all the basic information of passengers (name, passport number), the purpose of coming to the United States, the length of stay, travel itinerary and other information.

3. Frequently asked questions of US Customs and Immigration Bureau

Principles of dialogue with customs:

You don't need to speak perfect English, just be short, concise and understandable, and even answer with single words.

If there are any other questions, the US Customs will find someone who can speak Chinese to assist the passengers. When entering the big international airports like Los Angeles and new york, there are usually officials who can speak Chinese, so don't be nervous.

Let's take a look at the frequently asked questions of the US Customs ~ We must know the English dialogue sentences of the US Customs, and we absolutely regret not reading them!

purpose of going to the United States

question:

What is the purpose of your visit/ what is the purpose of your trip?

　What brought you to the US? /Why did you come to America?

　Business or pleasure? /Are you on business or pleasure?

Answer:

I am on a business trip./ I am here on business.

sightseing./Sightseeing

I am here to visit my friend./ I'm here to visit my friend.

I am here to attend my son's graduation ceremony./I am here to attend my son's graduation ceremony.

stay time

question:

how long will you be staying in the us? /How long will you stay?

Answer:

I will be here for 1 days./ I will stay for 1 days.

us address

question:

Where will you be staying? /Where will you stay

Answer:

I will be staying at the Sheraton Hotel at Los Angeles./I will stay at the Hilton Hotel in Los Angeles.

I will stay at my friend's place./ I will stay at a friend's house.

Travel itinerary

Question:

Do you plan to travel during your stay? /will you travel during your stay in the United States?

　Where do you plan to visit in the US? /Where are you going to visit in the United States?

Answer:

I will visit Los Angeles, San Francisco and Las Vegas./I will go to Los Angeles, San Francisco and Las Vegas.

holding cash

question:

How much cash do you have with you? /How much cash do you have?

answer:

I have 2, us dolls./I have two thousand dollars with me.

return ticket

question:

do you have your return tickets with you? /Can you show me your return ticket?

　Can you show me your return tickets? /Please show me your return ticket.

Answer:

Yes./ OK (and show the electronic or paper ticket reservation documents to the customs staff at the same time. )

luggage

question:

Do you have any food/meat with you? Do you have any food/meat with you?

　What do you have in your bag/ suitcase/luggage? What's in your bag/suitcase/luggage?

Answer:

No, I don't have any meat products./I don't have any meat products with me.

In a word, the purpose of the inquiry and inspection by the US Customs is to confirm the purpose of tourists coming to the United States and prevent dangerous people or people with high suspicion of staying in the United States. Therefore, passengers who have legal visas and just come to the United States need not worry, as long as they answer the staff's questions truthfully according to their own situation, they can enter the country smoothly.