What Do You Tell Immigrations Upon Entering The Country?

[Noesdeayer]

After hastily writing my 1st post on this topic,I'd like to clarify it a little.Really, I have not been asked to show my DNI outside of Argentina,not even in the U.S..In Costa Rica,Peru and,I think,Colombia when the airline employees saw that my trip ended in B.A. and that I did not have a flight out, they said that I needed one.I answered that I was a resident and I had my DNI ready for them to see..All of them took my word for it .Although,the Costa Ricans maybe glanced at the unopened document. Brazil only looks at their own tourist visa in U.S. passports. I guess I'm just so used to carrying both and presenting them together upon arrival at Ezeiza that i don't think about it.This strict adherence to travel regulations probably comes from the military gov't years when you needed a Certificado de Viaje from the Federal Pólice.

 

[natykerouac]

I was asked at the Mendoza airport my reasons for coming to Argentina, and that was just a one month vacation.

 

[glasgowjohn]

A few years ago I was joking with the Immigrations Official and I told hiom I was coming to meet my future mother in law

He asked with a smile on his office , " Do you want me to let you in or not?"

 

[natykerouac]

Another question-if I'm coming with plans of getting a student visa but am only coming on a tourist visa, should I tell them my intent of travel is studying? Or just lie and say it's a vacation..

 

[nlaruccia]

I think a good rule of thumb when dealing is don't offer extra information. Stay quiet and only ask questions. If you begin to elaborate you'll complicate things.

 

[Gringoboy]

^^^Excellent rule of thumb that is.
A bit like, never volunteer for anything if you're in the Army.

 

[Ceviche]

the best way is to be 100% honest to the immigrations officer.

 

[cbonanni]

As little as possible.

 

[syngirl]

I can`t tell you the number of times I`ve been behind someone trying to get into the States and their story just is crazy and gets more and more elaborate and backtracking on statements etc. And of course I`m just behind them thinking, yeah, you aren`t getting in.

Short, to the point, no need for elaboration, 100% honest to the immigrations officer would mean an awful lot of people on this board not being able to get in here (Hi, I have 3 laptops and an external HD, 10k USD shoved down my pants, a ticket to Montevideo I don`t plan on ever using, a years supply of razors, nutella, maple syrup, and some hot sauce, some proper bras with underwire and a luggage full of clothes that actually won`t fall apart the moment I wash them. Oh, and I also have a miscellany supply of Apple products that I`ll be selling on MercadoLibre -- but don`t you worry Senor Migraciones -- I`m going to be out of here in 90 days. I PROMISE.)

 

[Gringoboy]

You only have to open your mouth if someone asks you something, surely.
And even then, keep it brief.