Written by jeff khoury
My wife and I are traveling to Europe. I’m tier three in Virginia, off probation, have the stamp on my passport, am a lifetime registrant, got a place to stay, tickets purchased, 21 day notice submitted. Here are my questions: what is customs like when returning through JFK? How long should my wife and I plan on being detained? Should I bring my phone with me to Europe? Should I send it home before I come home? The main objective is to be able to get through customs as quickly as possible. This is my first time traveling abroad since my crime occurred 18 + years ago. Thank You in advance!
I have never traveled back to the US so I can only speak to stories I have heard.
Don’t mail a phone.
Some people have had to have their stuff searched, others are just questioned. Some people have had an easy time while others haven’t. But you will be taken over for extra screening. There is an app though that you can use to let them know you are on the plane and I’ve been told that can speed things up upon arrival – i forget the name of it though. Something to do with pre-screening.