I will be arriving at LAX soon as an international tourist and I am a bit unsure what the CBP (Customs and Border Protection) process is like.
What should I expect when going through immigration and customs at Los Angeles International Airport? How long does it usually take, and are the lines very long for non-US citizens? I heard that CBP will ask questions about my stay. What kind of questions?
I live in LA and pick up friends/family from LAX all the time.
CBP officers are generally professional and efficient. The “strict questioning” people talk about is usually just normal border questions.
The real issue at LAX are the crowds when multiple international flights arrive.
Once you’re through, getting out of the airport (Uber, rental cars, etc.) can actually take longer than customs. The “People Mover” is still not ready. It’s a shame.
One of my friends got once in secondary and send back home because he admitted that he smoked weed in California. Which is Keagan on state but not federal level. People should be aware of these things and have enough proof of funds.
I heard these stories as well. I believe it happens everywhere in the US. Just watch the custom & boarder protection episodes on YouTube.
Definitely download the Mobile Passport Control (MPC) app if you can. It is free and lets you use a faster line at LAX.
Have your passport ready, answer the questions about where you stay and what the purpose of you travel is. Try to catch your luggage and to escape the airport somehow. Most people don’t run into trouble. Trouble starts once you have to go to secondary. That’s where they have doubts, check your phone and so on. So make sure that is clean.