Flying eight hours overnight from Cincinnati to London Gatwick, Craig was still rubbing sleep from his eyes as we waited by the baggage claim for his suitcase. “What took you so long to pass through U.K. customs?” I asked as we watched bags roll past on a conveyor belt.
Grinning sheepishly, Craig replied, “They almost didn’t let me into the country.”
“What?!” I exclaimed. “I’ve never had any problems getting through Passport Control in this airport!”
“True, but I didn’t think to bring our travel plans with me.”
For anyone who has traveled outside the U.S., you may be beginning to see why the British customs officers were giving Craig a scrutinous examination as he tried to enter the country. For those who are feeling a little bit “out of the loop”, let me explain a few quirks about British customs officers.
With the recent rise in terrorist activity, the United Kingdom has tightened its borders and has adopted a more rigorous screening policy for travelers to enter London from a foreign country. As a popular tourist destination, millions of international travelers pass through British passport checkpoints each year, thus making England vulnerable to terrorist activity. In an effort to better control who enters and leaves the country, long-term visitors (e.g. international students) are required to obtain U.K. visas, and short-term tourists must answer a string of questions concerning their destination, purpose of travel, and expected departure.
Since I had obtained a student visa before leaving the U.S., the U.K. customs officials would usually just flip through my passport, ask where I was studying, and stamp my visa while
waving me through the turnstile. For Craig, however, the process was not so simple:
Customs Official: “What are you doing in the U.K.?”
Craig: “Visiting my girlfriend who is studying here.”
Customs Official: “Where is she studying?”
Craig: “At the University of Surrey.”
Customs Official: “Where are you meeting her?”
Craig: “At the airport.”
Customs Official: “Where are you staying while in London?”
Craig: “At a hostel.”
Customs Official: “Which hostel?”
Craig: “Uh….”
Being the natural event planner in our relationship, I had spent weeks making hostel reservations, buying plane tickets, and planning travel schedules before Craig stepped on a plane in Cincinnati. Taking for granted that I would have our confirmation emails and schedule printed out upon his arrival, it never once occurred to him that he should pack a copy of his travel plans in case I wasn’t at the airport to greet him when he arrived in London.
Though this scenario was never a concern for the two of us, the U.K. customs official lectured Craig for another 15 minutes on a very valid point. When meeting someone in a foreign country, always bring a copy of your travel plans (hotel reservations, important phone numbers, etc.). If, for some unforeseen reason, I was unable to meet Craig at the airport, he would have no idea where to go or how to contact me upon arriving in London. Arriving in a foreign country for the first time can be overwhelming enough when you know where you are going… and I’m sure that it would be even more ridiculously stressful if you became completely lost after hopping off the plane.
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