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Ask HN: Are you finding it harder to enter the US in the last couple of months?

by kwar13 on 4/23/25, 4:53 AM with 19 comments

• by threeseed on 4/23/25, 5:05 AM

  The fact that even allied countries have updated travel advisories should indicate clearly that the US border control has become significantly more strict.

  So you should basically ensure everything is perfect i.e. scrub your social media presences, make your phone minimal but authentic, watch what you pack. And have all your documentation about your job offer ideally including someone they can call.

• by chris_wot on 4/23/25, 5:11 AM

  You need to watch out. We have had reports from Australians attempting to enter into the U.S. with valid Visas and were sent back after 8 hours of interrogation.

  The U.S. is not a place I would ever want to visit any time soon.

• by mickelsen on 4/23/25, 5:54 AM

  On a general note, so far the cases I've read about are often when their story deviates even a bit from their stated purpose of stay. So if you say vacation, you better show hotel reservations from start to finish dates, return ticket and all. If prompted to share itinerary, but you were also planning on attending some meetup or conference here, visiting an uncle there, maybe going to Mexico or Canada and then back, that's where it gets murky and they could get you.

  I read about a case once of someone tricked into answering a work e-mail, for their employer located in their home country while in the US for vacation, and for that they denied entry to this person. Honestly I'm not sure what I'd say in this case.

  It seems that points of entry used by the typical traveler that enters through them, are better as they are more familiar with the local situation. If you are the odd one there, you might get singled out as they try to make sense of your story. So I'd prefer entering through an international airport close to where I'm going, than say, by car from Mexico. For now, I'd avoid entering through the south by car, but I don't think the same applies up north.

  For your case specifically, threeseed already shared good guidance. Make your trip make sense to outer observants, don't offer them unnecessary avenues of questioning, and keep documentation and contact numbers at hand.

• by rootsudo on 4/23/25, 5:01 AM

  No issue, routine entry and exit via international airport. Always welcome home. My passport is littered with stamps, though. I would suggest though if you’re worried entering once and if possible bring minimal devices outside a cell phone or laptop. Canada to USA shipping, while not inexpensive is that expensive to get most things over.

• by theyknowitsxmas on 4/23/25, 6:23 AM

  Apply for Nexus and always have papers on you proving your employment situation, visa, even if you work out of a Canadian branch.

• by Gunnerhead on 4/23/25, 5:08 AM

  I’m a Canadian living in the US with an H1B. I’ve exited and returned to the US multiple times including after Trump and thankfully no issues despite my extreme anxiety each time.

• by bdamm on 4/23/25, 5:31 AM

  Personally no issue, but I cross almost every day so the agents know me.

• by seizethecheese on 4/23/25, 5:58 AM

  We seem to live in a world of nonstop media-induced panics. I always try to find source data.

  Filtering this for SF field office, it looks like 2025 is normal: https://www.cbp.gov/newsroom/stats/nationwide-encounters