Interrogated by customs on flight out of Rosario. Why?

[Fiscal]

After waiting in line and passing security like everyone else, I flashed my passport to the customs official when it's my turn. A guy in a suit comes over, takes me out of the line, and makes me stand in a corner. I asked why. He says "Argentinians only!" very rudely and says "Brazilians here." I say I'm a gringo and he just ignores me. After another twenty minutes of standing in a corner alone, he directs me to a specific booth where the woman grills me on my entry and exit dates. She can't read the stamps correctly so I have to walk her through my entries and exists in EZE. Then she asks what my business is here, why so many exits and entries and I explain. She then randomly asks if my wife is Argentinian or "Mexican" which dumbfounded me. Like why is that relevant, and why Mexican of all nationalities (I do not have a Mexican accent or any native Spanish accent when speaking).

Never had so many problems trying to *leave* Argentina.

 

[Ceviche]

After waiting in line and passing security like everyone else, I flashed my passport to the customs official when it's my turn. A guy in a suit comes over, takes me out of the line, and makes me stand in a corner. I asked why. He says "Argentinians only!" very rudely and says "Brazilians here." I say I'm a gringo and he just ignores me. After another twenty minutes of standing in a corner alone, he directs me to a specific booth where the woman grills me on my entry and exit dates. She can't read the stamps correctly so I have to walk her through my entries and exists in EZE. Then she asks what my business is here, why so many exits and entries and I explain. She then randomly asks if my wife is Argentinian or "Mexican" which dumbfounded me. Like why is that relevant, and why Mexican of all nationalities (I do not have a Mexican accent or any native Spanish accent when speaking).

Never had so many problems trying to *leave* Argentina.

This can happen anywhere. Most airports have a special guy in plain clothes monitoring public in general. If this man finds your look/face/personality/dressing style/passport you hold unique to you or different from most others - he/she may redirect you for a 1:1 grilling. It can happen anywhere at any airport to anyone.

 

[Johnny]

This can happen anywhere. Most airports have a special guy in plain clothes monitoring public in general. If this man finds your look/face/personality/dressing style/passport you hold unique to you or different from most others - he/she may redirect you for a 1:1 grilling. It can happen anywhere at any airport to anyone.

All those in and out passport stamps will do it. Has happened to me multiple times.

 

[sergio]

You were flying from Rosario to a foreign destination? By the way, why did you use the term "gringo" which is not used in Argentina and is not exactly flattering when it is used elsewhere?

 

[Ries]

Actually gringo is a common usage in SoCal, especially by white people. Latinos there call them "Gueros", but aside from Beck, that hasnt filtered down much to the actual gueros.

My guess is that they just "randomly selected" you. They do that.

 

[nikad]

we don't say gringo when referring to Americans, people would most commonly use the term yankee ( shankee ) in Arg, that is probably why they thought your wife was Mexican. I was once pulled out of the line and directed to a small office when due to their scans not working properly it shot an alert that I was travelling on a duplicate/twin/fake passport....fun times.

 

[sergio]

Actually gringo is a common usage in SoCal, especially by white people. Latinos there call them "Gueros", but aside from Beck, that hasnt filtered down much to the actual gueros.

My guess is that they just "randomly selected" you. They do that.

Maybe common in southern California but not in Argentina which is where the incident occurred.

 

[Fiscal]

My wife's family uses gringo all the time. And my private teacher instructed me to use gringo, yanqui, estadounidense (long!). Is there a place where they don't use the term "gringo"?

 

[Fiscal]

we don't say gringo when referring to Americans, people would most commonly use the term yankee ( shankee ) in Arg, that is probably why they thought your wife was Mexican. I was once pulled out of the line and directed to a small office when due to their scans not working properly it shot an alert that I was travelling on a duplicate/twin/fake passport....fun times.

Weird. My wife's family uses gringo non-stop. Maybe it's region-dependent or it's just them.

 

[Fiscal]

You were flying from Rosario to a foreign destination? By the way, why did you use the term "gringo" which is not used in Argentina and is not exactly flattering when it is used elsewhere?

Yes I was on a flight to Panama.