www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/world-us-canada-54267364
It works both ways.
My cousin (white) cannot have children and adopted two black children from Ethiopia who's parents were killed.
The adopted daughter (12 years old now and who was adopted at 4) was travelling with her adoptive grandmother (my aunt) to visit us.
Gatwick airport was not fun. Immigration treated my 78 year old aunt like a people trafficker.
The physically removed the girl, who was clinging to my aunt and interviewed her. They also interviewed my aunt. It was a most traumatic experience for both of them and undertaken in a hostile atmosphere.
The same thing happened on the return trip. It could have been handled better. She is a lovely young lady and will be welcome to visit again.
But of course everyone understands why it is done, and if they miss a real case then there will be hell to pay. I don't know what the answer is - do they randomly check same race families as well?
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>> do they randomly check same race families as well?
Yes, in all countries. And for me, a family of 4 with 4 different nationalities, and the children frequently flying with only one parent, it is often a nightmare and has caused me to be prevented from boarding flights in the past.
The most difficult time we were prevented from travelling was, funnily enough, in Gatwick. It was stressful and my daughter was very upset. The airline staff (American I think, though it might have been United) were unsympathetic, though not rude. Immigration staff could not have been more gentle with my daughter, and were at least polite with me.
It's an a***, but it's clear why it's done.
Choose one of the following;
1) 1,000 families given a hard time at random
2) 1 child kidnapped and delivered into some kind of slavery or abuse.
Which one do you prefer?
The rules are clear, the required documentation to prevent anybody needing to be interviewed or suffer any more than a "show me your documents please" is well known.
Follow the rules and problems are unlikely.
And with respect, I doubt very much it was a hostile environment, or that your 78 year old aunt was treated like a people trafficker. It was just unavoidably stressful with difficult questions to be asked.
I suggest you check out the required / recommended documentation and avoid these problems in the future.
FWIW we carry current, notarised permission from both parents naming and identifying the person the child is travelling with in three languages covering all our nationalities, stating the travel reason, destination and schedule with our contact details, the notarised copies of the children's birth certificates and our marriage certificate and of course all current IDs & passports. Even when one of us is with them.
In most countries these days they won't even let you on the flight without that lot, never mind through immigration at the other end. It tightened up a lot, a real lot, about 5 years ago.
I'd say that when we travel we are queried at least once per journey 90% of the time.
I guess since we are all of a similar race/colour, though not actually the same, it limits the opportunity for front page offence and scandal.
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Actually the rules were followed. Correct documentation was to hand, just not believed. I think the differences between the grandmother and daughter were too much to rely on documentation. The documentation was accepted on the departure side.
As I said, "of course everyone understands why it is done, and if they miss a real case then there will be hell to pay."
No one should have a real problem with the checking. It could be done better I guess.
The story was related to show it happens the other way as well.
When I used to travel to France on business in a bright red 3.2l V6 Audi convertible I was always stopped at customs. Without fail. They would always stop 2 other cars with me and park one in front and one behind. The poor so and sos always got searched because I was there. Sometimes I would try and pick who I got in the queue with so I knew who I would be pulled along for a bit of fun.
Last edited by: zippy on Fri 25 Sep 20 at 00:06
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>>Correct documentation was to hand, just not believed
I'd have to wonder why she was suspected of carrying forged documentation. That's not standard at all.
>>I think the differences between the grandmother and daughter were too much to rely on documentation
So they relied on conversation? No, I don't think so.
Because a young child and an elderly lady were of totally different race they suspected the lady of carrying forged documentation and treated her like a child trafficker??
I could not tell you how many times I have crossed an international border in my life. Not even just the times with my daughters - I'd guess around 100 with the girls. Been asked for documentation many times, been questioned a very few times, never been treated like that. And I'd guess I look more like a likely candidate than your ageing aunt.
Maybe you're not paranoid, maybe the uniformed authorities of the world really are out to get you and your family.
Whatever it is, I'd recommend finding out. You don't want that randomly happening whenever they travel.
Being checked by customs though, different matter. I couldn't smuggle if I wanted to. I'm always getting checked. I had a customs officer girlfriend once and even she wouldn't tell me much beyond the fact that apparently I look like "the wrong kind of nervous".
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>>So they relied on conversation? No, I don't think so.
I have no idea. Perhaps they checked records, made phone calls or perhaps Occam's Razor suggests something more simple, they had an expert re-check the documentation.
I don't honestly believe there is any larger conspiracy outside clear corruption experienced years ago.
>>I look like "the wrong kind of nervous".
I have been given a very similar reason for a search before flying to the USA from Gatwick - after passing through security!
Quietly pulled aside by armed cops and told I looked very worried.
I was, I was sweating bricks - I really don't like flying and was having a bad episode of bad pre-flight jitters and on checking myself in the mirror looked white as a sheet.
I also suspect the curled charging cable that I didn't realise was hang out the back of my backpack didn't help.
All sorted within 5 minutes and they were exceptionally polite and fetched me a glass of water to help re-hydrate me.
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>>Perhaps they...............
I do think that they sometimes kick the tyres just to see. And also that sometimes they are trying to grow the experience of a junior member to do a few extra checks and/or similar.
It's the treatment that your Aunt got which surprises me.
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Travelling with kids who are not your own can be an issue too.
Some years ago my daughter, then still a minor, had been to Paris with her boyfriend's family. As I'm sure I've said before we knew them long before either of us had kids and there was absolutely no issue on our part.
When she presented at the juxtaposed border controls at the Gare du Nord questions were asked as to why surnames differed. She and the boyfriend were both articulate near adults and his parents are professional people; together they were able to explain to the authorities' satisfaction. It was though suggested that in future she should have a letter of permission from her parents.
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Charitably one could assume that their actions were principally out of concern for the child.
In the event of child being kidnapped the media/enquiry would rightly ask the question "were immigration asleep on the job".
They should in any event behave with courtesy!
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>>They should in any event behave with courtesy!
Indeed they should and in my experience considering my extensive international travel with children, they do.
Still, I guess nobody is 100%.
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Trans-racial Adoption - Accused of Kidnapping - No FM2R
