Traveling To US: Be Ready to Have Your Phones Checked!

In the recent years, the abroad travel culture has increased a lot in India and particularly so in the Telugu state as well. Every month, we are witnessing thousands of students who are leaving to the United States from Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.

While the majority of them are for study purposes and better employment opportunities, there is a substantial amount of population that is travelling on tourist Visa as well.

The latest news is that the United States customs officials have the authority to search the digital footprint of our mobile phones and laptops and other electronic gadgets upon arrival in the United States.

Customs officers, especially in countries like the U.S., have the legal authority to search travelers’ electronic devices such as phones, laptops, and tablets without a warrant. These searches can be conducted at international airports and border crossings to prevent illegal activities like smuggling or terrorism.

Officers may inspect data, photos, emails, and even cloud storage if accessed during inspection. While some privacy concerns exist, courts have generally upheld these powers under border security laws. Importantly, it must be noted that the traveller must fully cooperate for the digital investigation that is done by the customs officer, and there are no two ways about it.

This is one of the crucial pointers that must be noted for international travellers in order to facilitate their commute.