Travel expert Mark Wolters warns holidaymakers against saying certain phrases at passport control that could land them in hot water with immigration officers
Travellers are being urged not to say one ‘fun’ phrase at passport control(Image: Getty)
Holidaymakers are being warned against uttering a ‘fun’ six-word phrase whilst going through passport control. A travel expert cautions this is because you could land yourself in serious trouble with immigration officials.
Mark Wolters, from Wolter’s World, has visited more than 80 countries throughout his travels. He now shares his expert advice for people who find themselves venturing across the globe.
In a recent video, Mark highlighted that travellers must avoid making jokes when passing through international borders.
He explained: “‘I’m going to stay here forever, I love your country’. That sounds like a fun thing to say to the passport control officer when you come into a country, but I want to tell you, that is something you don’t ever want to say when you come across a border.”
He emphasised that you shouldn’t “joke around” when at passport control. He encourages travellers to respond to them “politely”, reports the Express. He continued: “Don’t add in the dad jokes.
“I know for me, my go-to when they’re like, ‘What are you going to do here?’ I’m like, I’m going to help the British economy by spending lots of money.
“Yes, it’s a good dad joke but it’s best to be like, ‘I’m here for tourism with my family’. That’s one of those things, you have to realise those passport and those border officers aren’t allowed to have humour, they’re there doing their job.”
Mark explains that border force officers are stationed there to ensure the “wrong people aren’t coming in”, which means it’s unwise to mess about. He suggests you can make your “life easier” by staying composed and courteous.
Mark cautions there are certain phrases you should “never” utter at security. He continued: “You don’t ever say the word bomb, you don’t say human trafficking, you do not joke about drugs, you do not joke about overstaying, like, ‘I want to stay here forever’.
“You do not say any of those things because those are the trigger words where they go, ‘Oh wait, we need to do something’. Even if they know you’re joking, they don’t have a choice.”
The specialist also recommends people keep their passport out until they’ve cleared security. He mentions he’s frequently witnessed travellers packing away their documents and wandering off, only to be summoned back by passport control.
He stated: “If you’re putting your documents away before they feel it’s right, they could think, ‘Oh this person’s nervous, they’re trying to get away quicker’. That can lead to other questions, so just wait until they dismiss you.”
Holidaymakers are also advised to ensure they’ve got their accommodation sorted. He notes that arriving without lodgings arranged can frequently trigger “more questions” and raise concerns about trafficking.
“I sent my itinerary to myself, so we can say, ‘Oh we’re staying at the Marriott Amsterdam on this street here’,” Mark elaborates. “That makes it a lot easier because that’s one of those typical questions they might ask, so it’s good not to be vague.”