Immigration and Customs English: Common Questions, Clear Answers

Passport control feels stressful because the conversation is short, official, and sometimes difficult to hear. The good news is that the questions are usually predictable.

Your job is to answer truthfully and directly. Do not memorise a complicated story. Know your own itinerary and keep the documents that support it within reach.

The four facts to know

Before landing, make sure you can say:

1. Why you are visiting.
2. How long you will stay.
3. Where you will stay.
4. When and how you will leave.

A complete answer can still be short: “I’m here for a ten-day holiday. I’m staying at the Central Hotel, and I fly home on 18 May.”

Questions at passport control

“What is the purpose of your visit?”

• “I’m here on holiday.”
• “I’m visiting friends.”
• “I’m attending a conference.”
• “I’m travelling for work.”

Use the reason that matches your visa or entry permission.

“How long are you staying?”

• “Nine days.”
• “Until the 18th of May.”
• “Just under three weeks.”

“Where are you staying?”

• “At the Harbour Hotel in the city centre.”
• “With my sister. Here is her address.”
• “I have two hotels booked. This is the first reservation.”

“Do you have a return ticket?”

• “Yes. My return flight is on 18 May.”
• “Yes, here is the confirmation.”

Other questions can include “Is this your first visit?”, “What do you do for work?”, and “Are you travelling alone?” Answer the question asked; extra detail is not normally helpful.

A passport-control dialogue

Officer: What is the purpose of your trip?

Traveller: Tourism. I’m here for twelve days.

Officer: Where will you be staying?

Traveller: At the Riverside Hotel for four nights, then with friends in Bristol. I have the addresses here.

Officer: When are you leaving the country?

Traveller: On 22 September. I’m flying from Heathrow.

Officer: Thank you.

Traveller: Thank you.

Notice that the traveller is polite but does not fill every silence. A quiet officer is not necessarily an unhappy officer.

When you do not understand

Guessing is a poor strategy at a border. Ask for the question again.

• “Sorry, could you repeat that, please?”
• “Do you mean my address here or my home address?”
• “Could you speak a little more slowly, please?”
• “I’m sorry, I didn’t catch the last word.”

These are normal requests. They are better than giving an answer to the wrong question.

Customs: goods, food, and cash

Customs is about what you are bringing into a country. A declaration is an official statement about those items.

• “I have nothing to declare.”
• “I’m carrying prescription medicine for personal use.”
• “I have some packaged food. Do I need to declare it?”
• “Where should I declare this item?”
• “Here is the prescription from my doctor.”

Never use a phrase from a guide if it is not true. Rules for food, medicine, alcohol, tobacco, plants, animal products, and cash differ by destination. Check the official customs website before you travel.

Keep these documents easy to reach

• Passport and any required visa
• First-night accommodation address
• Return or onward travel confirmation
• Travel insurance details
• Invitation letter, if relevant
• Prescription or doctor’s letter for controlled medicine

Screenshots help when airport Wi-Fi is unreliable, but keep sensitive documents secure.

Practise with your real trip

Replace the example details with your own. Answer each common question in one sentence, then in two sentences. If you can do both, you will be ready for an officer who wants a quick answer and for one who asks a follow-up.