At a port of entry in the United States 🇺🇸, CBP officers usually want to hear answers from the traveler who is being asked. Even if you arrive as a married couple, inspection is still personal. That means a husband generally should not answer for his wife, and a wife should expect to speak for herself about her identity, travel plans, and visa or status.
Couples who get this wrong can face longer questioning, a move to secondary inspection, or officers suspecting coaching or hidden facts.
What to expect from CBP inspection (and why spouses get separate questions)
CBP inspection is the screening that happens when you land at an airport, cross a land border, or arrive by sea. The officer’s job is to confirm a few basics fast: who you are, why you’re coming, how long you’ll stay, and whether you can enter under the law and the visa rules you claim.
Even when you’re traveling together, officers may direct questions to one spouse at a time. They can also separate spouses for questioning, which is common and not automatically a sign of trouble. The point is to check that each person can explain the trip in their own words.
For a plain-language official overview of inspection and entry, see CBP’s travel guidance: Know Before You Go (U.S. Customs and Border Protection).
Before you travel: 1–3 hours of preparation that reduces stress at the airport
Most problems start when couples try to “help” too much at the booth. A little planning can keep the conversation calm and short.
In the day before travel:
– Agree on the basics: purpose of visit, where you’ll stay, how long you’ll stay, and who paid for the trip.
– Keep details simple and consistent. You don’t need a speech.
– If there is a Language Barrier, decide in advance who will ask for permission to help with translation if it becomes necessary.
Right before landing or arrival:
– Remind each other: the officer may speak quickly, and the wife should answer first, even if the answer is short.
– Avoid joking, arguing, or correcting each other in line. Officers notice tension.
According to analysis by VisaVerge.com, many secondary inspections begin after couples unintentionally create the impression that one person is controlling the answers, even when the trip is honest.
Primary inspection: usually 1–5 minutes, sometimes longer
Primary inspection is the first conversation at the booth. It often lasts a few minutes (1–5 minutes), but it can stretch if the officer sees something that needs a closer look.
What the officer may ask:
– “What is the purpose of your visit?”
– “How long will you stay?”
– “Where will you stay?”
– “What do you do for work?”
– “When was your last trip here?”
What the wife should do:
– Answer directly, in her own words, even if it’s basic English.
– Keep answers factual. If the question is about her, she answers, not her husband.
– If she doesn’t understand, she should say so. Silence and guessing can look worse than limited English.
When a husband may help: permission-based translation for a real Language Barrier
The most common acceptable reason for a husband to help is translation due to a genuine Language Barrier. This is especially common for elderly travelers or spouses who only know basic English.
A safe way to do it is short and respectful. Example phrasing:
– “My wife is not comfortable with English. May I help translate?”
When CBP officers allow this, the help is usually limited to:
– Translating the officer’s question into the spouse’s language.
– Translating the spouse’s answer back to the officer.
It is not a license for the husband to replace her voice or add new facts.
Even when translation is allowed, the officer may still:
– Ask the wife to confirm key points with a nod or short words.
– Direct the question back to her again.
– Decide to separate the couple if the officer feels it’s needed.
When help can backfire: behaviors that raise red flags in minutes
CBP is trained to watch for patterns that suggest coaching, misrepresentation, or concealment. A husband can create problems quickly if he steps in without being asked.
Avoid these common mistakes:
– Answering every question when the wife can speak “reasonably” in English.
– Interrupting after the officer looks at the wife or directs the question to her.
– Giving long, rehearsed answers that sound like a script.
– Correcting the wife in a way that seems controlling.
– Volunteering extra details that the officer did not request.
A simple example shows the difference.
Acceptable:
– Officer: “What is the purpose of your visit?”
Wife: “Visit… family.”
Husband (after she answers): “We’re visiting our son for tourism,” only if the officer allows help or the wife is clearly stuck.
Not recommended:
– Officer: “Where will you stay?”
Husband (interrupting): “At my son’s house.”
If the officer wants the husband’s answer, the officer will ask him.
Secondary inspection: 30 minutes to several hours, with separate questioning possible
If the officer wants more time, you may be sent to secondary inspection. This can feel alarming, but it can happen for many reasons, including routine checks, unclear answers, or a need to verify details.
What happens in secondary:
– You may wait while officers review records or ask more questions.
– The wife may be questioned alone, and the husband may be questioned alone.
– Officers may check that both accounts match on basics: dates, address, and purpose.
How to act:
– Stay calm and polite. Anger and sarcasm can make the situation worse.
– Keep answers short and consistent.
– If you used translation in primary, ask again before continuing: “May I translate for my wife?” Don’t assume it carries over.
Elderly, medical, or anxiety situations: how to ask for help without taking over
A second set of situations where limited help may be allowed: when the wife is elderly, has medical issues, or is extremely anxious or confused.
If that fits, the husband should still ask permission and keep help narrow:
– “My wife is very anxious and is having trouble answering. May I help translate or clarify?”
If the officer declines, respect that choice. The officer can still require the wife to answer directly, or can separate the couple. The goal is support, not control.
A step-by-step script couples can follow at the booth
Couples often do best with a simple “order of speaking” that respects how CBP officers run inspections.
- Greeting (10 seconds): Stand together unless told otherwise. Hands visible. Documents ready.
- Wife answers first (1–2 minutes): Even if it’s simple English, she speaks first.
- If she struggles (5 seconds): Husband asks: “May I help translate?”
- Translate only (1–2 minutes): Husband translates questions and answers, without adding new facts.
- Confirm (10–30 seconds): Wife confirms with short words or nods if asked.
- Stop talking (immediate): When the officer finishes, don’t keep explaining.
This approach keeps the focus where officers want it: the traveler’s own statements, with translation used only when needed. It also signals respect for the process, which can matter when time is tight and the line is long.
Key takeaway: Let the person being inspected speak for themselves. Use translation only when genuinely necessary and always with permission. This reduces delays and the risk of being sent to secondary inspection.
CBP inspects travelers individually; spouses should not answer for one another. The wife should speak first and answer directly. Spousal translation is allowed only with officer permission and must be limited to conveying questions and answers. Interrupting, rehearsed responses, or correcting a spouse can trigger secondary inspection or longer questioning. Preparing agreed, consistent facts before travel—purpose, duration, location, and payment—reduces delays and the risk of additional scrutiny at U.S. ports of entry.
