Passport control/visa query

mhz

bit of background,
British Citizen, born in the UK, Parents born in Syria and lived in UK for 30 years, I have an Arabic name
On the Visa card that you fill on the plane I put nationality as British as I don't have dual nationality
Guy on desk asks nationality, I say British, he asks where I'm born, I say england, he asks what's my father's nationality, I say british. Still not happy and convinced he asks where my father was born, which is when I say syria, then he writes my nationality as Syrian on the Visa card in arabic.

Not that I have any problem, I was just wondering if this was normal protocol at all, people before and after who looked obviously english/of their nationality had no kind of questions.

I also didn't immediately say of my Syrian heritage as there is prejudice toward them from other Arabs these days, and since I don't actually have nationality I didn't feel the need.

Again just looking for someone's opinion if that seems normal l/needed at all

jonesMUFCforever

Were you visiting the USA?
If so expect this kind of treatment at US border controls - not nice I know but even with my surname I have been stopped more than once to be asked extra questions - I have no idea why and they have always let me in afterwards.
The worst thing you can do IMO is kick off and make a scene - that way you will be heading home on the next flight.

agrinnall

I think you need to clarify which country this was, the fact that the writing was in Arabic makes me think it's unlikely that it was US immigration, and "as there is prejudice toward them from other Arabs these days" seems to point to it being an Arabic country.

mhz

This is in Eygpt, I have visited the UAE and no questions whatsoever just a stamp in the passport for the visa and on your way, I've never been asked about my parents nationality in any other country apart from eygpt so far

eDicky

So the Egyptian immigration officer was modifying the landing card that you had already filled in.

You could view it positively - perhaps he intended it as a compliment by paying respect to your original heritage, instead of your being just another infidel Western tourist...

mhz

So leaving eygpt was the same thing,
As I was curious I thought I'd take it further, I asked why my father's name was needed as he is not me, then lovely lady immigration officer says are you embarrassed to be syrian. Obviously I am not, I said if my name was John Smith you wouldn't be asking the question and there is no need to edit my card because I'm simply entering into the card what my passport says. She then rings up my name to the desk for the sake of it and I go on my way.

Still not a clear reason as to why they are insistant on knowing my background, at this point I just want to understand the procedure more than anything.

mhz

So leaving eygpt was the same thing,
As I was curious I thought I'd take it further, I asked why my father's name was needed as he is not me, then lovely lady immigration officer says are you embarrassed to be syrian. Obviously I am not, I said if my name was John Smith you wouldn't be asking the question and there is no need to edit my card because I'm simply entering into the card what my passport says. She then rings up my name to the desk for the sake of it and I go on my way.

Still not a clear reason as to why they are insistant on knowing my background, at this point I just want to understand the procedure more than anything.

Voyager2002

I doubt if anyone using this board knows the reasons for the behaviour of Egyptian bureaucrats...


My guess is that their government likes to monitor people who are connected to countries that they see as being suspicious or possibly dangerous. Similar to India having different and far more demanding visa processes for British people who families migrated from Pakistan.

eDicky

mhz wrote: »

She then rings up my name to the desk for the sake of it and I go on my way.

Can you please clarify what she did?

mhz

She rings up and says my name and 'the syrian' in Arabic, and I guess nothing came up to my name I guess and in we let to go on my way.

Again clarify this has never happened to me in any other country, Cyprus Spain UAE even when coming back to the UK. Just strange procedure imo -within eygpt everyone is golden just at the airports I guess.

Archergirl

When we crossed the border at Taba several years ago they asked the origin of our surname and what job our grandfathers did, I didn't know so I just made something up. They asked other bizarre questions but I have forgotten them.