Entering the US has become more fraught. Here’s what you need to know

There was a time when your average Australian tourist could holiday in the US and be reasonably confident they would be left entirely to their own devices to enjoy themselves, albeit with an eye to the country’s high crime and gun ownership rates.

Now it’s clear that zealous US immigration officials – ordered by the newly installed Trump administration to fully exercise their powers – can’t leave a traveller’s actual devices, in the form of smartphones, tablets and even laptops, well enough alone.

US Border Control officers in Washington. Entering the country is not as simple as it once was.Credit: AP

Concerning for travellers planning on visiting the US, reports have emerged that immigration officials have been subjecting visitors to what has become known as “enhanced vetting” – including searches of data on visitors’ electronic devices and added scrutiny of visa conditions.

Several official travel advisory services, including Australia’s Smartraveller.gov.au federal government-backed website, have been issuing upgraded warnings for visits to the US by its citizens.

Here is an overview of what you need to know and do if you plan to holiday in the US amid such a tense political climate. For starters, monitor Smartraveller and trusted media outlets for updates well before leaving.

US border authorities have broad powers to decide if you’re eligible to enter the country and will invoke them as they see fit

Earlier this month Smartraveller reminded prospective Australian visitors to the US that the country’s entry requirements are strict, even if you have a visa.

They can refuse entry for any reason under US law, so it’s “crucial” to be aware of entry requirements, whether you’re travelling on a visa or under the visa-waiver program.

Officials may inspect your electronic devices, emails, text messages or social media accounts

This can mean being detained at an airport for an indefinite period or, worse, in an immigration detention centre, before being deported (see below).

If you refuse to submit to a search of devices, Smartraveller advises that border authorities can deny your entry on that basis alone.

US authorities have denied that the motivation for such procedures is to look, at least in part, for anti-Trump sentiment.

Before going, consider the recent concerning border experiences of other travellers to the US

One young British woman was detained in a US immigration detention centre for 19 days while a Traveller reader was detained for eight hours while his devices were scrutinised.

The Australian citizen was then deported back to Australia after he was questioned about his supposedly unusual choice of flight route to the US.

His travel insurance did not cover the $15,000 cost of a cruise he was unable to take, with the cruise line refusing to refund his fare.

And, more recently, SBS News reported that Renato Subotic, head coach of the Australian mixed martial arts (MMA) team, spent 24 hours in a US jail after immigration officials detained him for a visa “mistake”.

On his way to a planned MMA seminar in the US, which he was prevented from attending due to his detention and ultimate deportation back to Australia, the 33-year-old says he was stripped, searched, fingerprinted, handcuffed and taken to a federal prison by US authorities.

Before departing for the US, consider leaving some or all of your devices at home

Experts quoted in the US mainstream media have warned that with enhanced vetting by US border officials now in full force, electronic items such as laptops, tablets and even smartphones are probably best left at home.

If you must take a smartphone, some experts recommend travellers leave their existing device at home and opt for a fresh, so-called “burner” phone – a cheap pre-paid device with no history of calls or content on it that could lead you to being detained or deported back to Australia by US border officials.

Waiting to purchase a burner phone until after you pass through US customs risks you not being able to contact anyone in an emergency or if delayed, but may potentially be viewed as less suspicious than carrying a brand new phone with no content on it at all.

Wait. There’s even more you should know about visiting the US

The vetting of devices isn’t the only issue of concern for travellers to the US following a highly controversial presidential executive order recognising the existence of only two genders – male and female.

European countries have warned its trans and non-binary citizens that they must indicate one gender on their immigration forms for entry to the US, and it must reflect the gender assigned at birth.

If you’re a loved one of a trans or non-binary person intending to visit the US, it may be worth checking that they’re fully aware of this new and strict requirement.

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