alt Hacker NewsI fly back to the US pretty often (I am a US citizen living abroad) and have declined every time. This is in SFO. They are generally fine with it. But most people won't risk it.
It's much, much more annoying in Ireland, where US immigration happens in Dublin (an affront to Irish sovereignty, but that's another matter) - so being delayed can mean missing your flight.
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The last few times flying back from EU through CDG, security funnels all US passports (and Brazil and South Korea maybe?) through a face ID gate for passport control. There was no signage communicating an opt out policy, although it’s my understanding that opting out is allowed. Flight connections have always been fairly tight though, so I didn’t press the issue unfortunately, and was unsure of the rules at the time. I opt out domestically, although it seems this is so infrequent they just have the camera scanner running as soon as you walk up, before you can even get close enough to request normal screening.
When I took a US ferry to Canada, Canada border officials were on the boat so we could do all the paperwork before we arrived.
some airports laid back. others like sfo must have an ongoing bust quota contest.
> (an affront to Irish sovereignty, but that's another matter
I’ll bite. Why do you think it’s an affront to their sovereignty? It’s entirely voluntary and it’s something the Dublin airport (and the dozens of other airports in Canada) actively seek out to get direct access to the domestic side in the US.
The US does not force any airports into these arrangements.