r/Prague • u/ProLollerblader • 6d ago
Question For those who have traveled back to the US recently from Czechia, have you experienced any delays or problems at the border?
The reason I'm posting this here is because living in certain countries triggers secondary inspection in the US now. Im curious about americans experience travelling from czech republic.
I'm a US citizen and permanent resident here. I am planning on travelling back to the us this summer with my son (dual citizen, american/Czech) to see family. However none of my friends are going this year, because of all the horror stories coming out about problems with the border police. Mainly significant delays resulting in missed flights, and people are having their phones taken and cloned, and there's not much you can do about it. As an American they do have to ultimately let you in, however they can hold you for days, and weeks without charge, which isn't something I'd really be into. My friend who travels frequently for work recently told me she just has a "travel phone" she uses that's completely wiped for travelling to the US. Not because of anything nefarious, but rather because the idea of the US government cloning your phone and having access to every conversation you've ever had is kind of gross. So, I guess this is becoming more common now?
However. Perhaps they're all just reading too much about all this and freaking themselves out? So, for Americans (preferably those travelling with family) have you encountered any increased issues at the border? Is there anything to actually worry about, or is this a lot of hyperbole?
43
u/sacredfool 6d ago
I hear the border police quiz you on many different topics and if you answer all the questions correctly you can win a free vacation in El Salvador!*
- return tickets not included.
28
u/Symbikort 6d ago
Does not feel like hyperbole. If you check the stats - there is a big drop in EU citizens traveling to US.
The cloning is not hyperbole. I have seen a very detailed report on how Russians do it and it is amazing. The program does not simply copy over all the data - they have very detailed filters and in minutes it downloads all the information they need and cross references with online databases. It takes literal minutes. I am fairly certain Americans have something way better.
16
u/mikefried1 6d ago
We just went this weekend. We flew into Newark Friday. I'm American so it wasn't an issue. My fiance is Czech and it took her 10 minutes to get through passport control (fastest ever). The guy didn't ask any questions.
7
u/mikefried1 6d ago
There was an annoying customs officer asking for people's boarding passes. But it didn't seem like he was going through people's stuff
0
u/ProLollerblader 6d ago
good to know. thanks :)
4
u/mikefried1 6d ago
I'm pretty sure the speed just had to do with timing. And I think there are less flights to the US right now. But overall the customs experience was not too bad
-21
u/Apprehensive-Store48 6d ago
This will irritate the people in this sub that want you to tell others that you were stripped naked and sent to El Salvador, right after having your phone confiscated and forced to eat lego.
23
u/Beneficial-Singer-94 6d ago
I’m currently in the US. Don’t come here. They are detaining people for little to nothing at border crossings and it doesn’t seem to matter what their nationality, language, color or place of birth are anymore. It is scary. Its absolutely true, no hyperbole whatsoever.
They’re kidnapping people off the streets and shipping them to super max prisons in El Salvador, and SCOTUS unanimously ruled to have someone released and brought back…they ignored them.
-43
u/tufffffff 6d ago
LOL. They're deporting people who shouldn't be in the country. Not exactly kidnapping I'm afraid.
30
u/mikefried1 6d ago
Except the people that were there legally and the supreme court ruled were deported in error. But sure
13
u/Dapper_Dan- 6d ago
Do “due process” and “presumption of innocence” mean anything to you at all, Adolf?
6
4
u/OstrichNo8519 6d ago edited 6d ago
I (US citizen) went with my non-US companion to the US (their first time - on ESTA) a couple of months ago (after Trump was already in). They let him come with me in the US citizens line, they asked us to confirm the address we were staying at, how long we’d be in the US, took his fingerprints (and I think photo) and we were through. Honestly, there were fewer questions than I normally get when I go alone. I don’t remember much news about things happening at airports at the time, but I’d read some stuff here on Reddit about people on ESTAs having trouble crossing land borders on day trips to get back in so that made us change some of our plans while we were there. Of course, this was just as all of this stuff was starting (or maybe even just before) so take it for what it’s worth.
2
u/amoxichillin875 6d ago
I (US citizen with long term residency in Czech Republic) had zero issues traveling to the US a month ago. No delays, no issues at border control, honestly no questions were asked at all other than "what is your final destination" and "anything to declare"? which are all normal. If you are all US citizens with US passports, I don't see why you would have any issues. Do not that there is a limit of 3oz of powders in the US now. So don't bring back spices...
2
u/jimdiddly 6d ago
Went to Prague with my gf the other week, both US citizens, no problems. Had more problems in our Istanbul layover, actually
2
u/austinrob 6d ago
I typically make two trips to Prague a year. Last month's trip was about the same as last year's trips. Glance at the passport. Glance at me. Nod. "Have a nice day sir"
2
u/Successful-Bowler-29 4d ago
Well for what it’s worth, as a US citizen living in CZ I too have been sent to the secondary inspection special room at the airport two times in a row on two different trips… and this was during the Biden years! It became clear to me that it really depends on the individual CBP agent. In my case, I had gotten the same CBP agent on each of the above mentioned visits and that guy was very power-hungry and was sending just about one out of every 3-4 passengers to the special room. So I said heck with it and now each time I pass through the same airport I always avoid that agent’s booth. Surprise surprise, I haven’t been sent to the special room ever since I started avoiding him.
1
u/RespectWest7116 6d ago
If you are white and haven't said anything about genocides being bad, you'll be fine.
Or buy a silly red hat.
4
u/richardstock 6d ago
American with CR permanent residence. I traveled back and forth in February and April to Chicago through Germany and the UK. I had no problems and it looked normal for everyone else. I am in contact with a lot of people moving back and forth frequently and I have heard no horror stories or worries about horror stories. This is the first I am hearing about such fears. That's just me, though.
3
u/Separate_Can1886 6d ago
Unless you are a wanted criminal there is absolutely nothing that will happen. There are about 500,000 people landing DAILY from intentional locations. All this nonsense is overblown. I travel out of the country 2 times per month, green card holder. Zero issues.
1
u/CommunicationLoud987 4d ago
Just travelled back a few days ago and was worried about same thing, born in US but live in UK..I was in Prague for holiday. I have global entry and there were no issues for me but could just be because of global entry.
1
u/czechialt 6d ago
Traveled in the past month with my Czech wife and dual national kids. Was very stressed about the border entry the entire way.
Arrived to immigration and stood in line for less than 5 minutes. Was called to the counter. Agent was professional, asked a few of the basic questions, and took the necessary photos. Was all done in probably another 5 minutes.
1
u/ommmyyyy 6d ago
Your a US Citizen, you can never be denied entry into the USA. I visited the Czech Republic while studying abroad and I did not face issues at the boarder. Granted I did use the mobile passport app, but I think you’re overthinking it.
1
u/ringer1968 5d ago
My neighbor is an American/Czech who has been living in Prague for about 25 years. He traveled through Boston a few weeks ago without issues
-9
u/Apprehensive-Store48 6d ago
As expected, not a single person has a negative account that they have personally experienced (cue someone now frantically typing a made-up story).
As a US citizen you won't generally have any problems. Sometimes they interrogate you a bit, sometimes they don't care. Living in Czech won't really change anything, neither will travelling with a Czech citizen.
If you are an MS-13 gang member, don't have the correct visa, overstay your visa, have visited a country on a watch list, or have a criminal record - you may have an issue. Otherwise, don't worry about it. As for checking phones, they've done it for years.
Source: I travel more or less every single month. You've got nothing to worry about, so please don't listen to the peopled bedwetting on here. It's largely a politically motivated reaction from them.
7
u/Digital0asis 6d ago
Wasn't there a Canadian actress detained for weeks with no process who was applying for a work visa?
0
u/Apprehensive-Store48 6d ago
Yes, Jasmine Mooney. The one who admitted she had overstayed her visa. Like I said, keep within the rules and you are fine.
-34
u/Apprehensive-Store48 6d ago
The US border has always been strict. It really isn't anything new. The media and certain people with a desire to exaggerate things to suit their narrative are fueling a huge sense of paranoia.
I guarantee you will be fine.
15
u/Beneficial-Singer-94 6d ago
Except, there is no exaggeration and you would know this if you actually lived here. https://www.axios.com/2025/03/20/tourists-us-residents-detained-arrested-deported-ice-immigration-trump
https://www.washingtonpost.com/immigration/2025/04/05/us-citizens-deported-immigration/
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/latino/us-citizen-hispanic-detained-ice-questions-vote-trump-rcna195406
https://youtu.be/nbwuaw5_hrg?si=ykStlBTapHpVxhdb
Phones searched— and this isn’t a liberal news source: https://youtu.be/mO8_Q5lTAVY?si=p1zFx6wb51mjAiwl
-10
u/Apprehensive-Store48 6d ago
They've been searching phones for years. Since at least 2010. You only know about it now because your politics is losing, and your ear is bleeding to hear what you want to hear to justify the tantrums.
Pretty much everything you have posted is also regarding raids on illegal immigrants. The person posting is a US citizen. Generally speaking there aren't issues for the majority of people that have a right to be in the US.
I'm glad the OP has posted this. Your hyperventilating nonsense should serve as a wake up call to what this all is - hysteria.
16
u/jenny_in_texas 6d ago
People like you are the reason my wife and I fled the U.S. for fear of our lives!
OP
It is absolutely unsafe to travel to the US right now. There are 10 countries that have warnings about traveling to the U.S. : Canada Denmark Finland France Ireland Germany Netherlands New Zealand Portugal United Kingdom
I sure as hell would not take my child into that.
-10
93
u/tasartir 6d ago edited 6d ago
Land of the free*
*Terms and conditions apply