Passenger Arrival/Departure Cards

[Foreigner]

Cards vary from country to country but Australia's cards have these questions:

On arrival: What is your usual occupation?

On departure: What is your occupation?

Are these used for statistical purpose or for other reasons?

 

[opusman]

Statistics presumably. Bureaucrats innately collect as much information as possible, whether they need to or not.

It would be nice to get rid of these cards, at least for outgoing. Surely all the important information is already known or provided by the airlines, and the irrelevant information is... irrelevant.

 

[aussiel]

Statistics presumably. Bureaucrats innately collect as much information as possible, whether they need to or not.

It would be nice to get rid of these cards, at least for outgoing. Surely all the important information is already known or provided by the airlines, and the irrelevant information is... irrelevant.

If you navigate the smart gate without too many issues, and are not profiled to be an at risk passenger, they don't police the deposit of the outgoing card in the box. I've travelled with a few people now that completely ignore/don't notice the box to drop them in, and carry the card with them onto the departing flight!

 

[Milefest]

I'd imagine it's for immigration offices to help determine whether you're travelling for legitimate reasons.

 

[Milboo]

If you navigate the smart gate without too many issues, and are not profiled to be an at risk passenger, they don't police the deposit of the outgoing card in the box. I've travelled with a few people now that completely ignore/don't notice the box to drop them in, and carry the card with them onto the departing flight!

Oh whoops! I completely missed this!

I wondered why they were still handing them out but having the Smart Gates in place.

 

[docjames]

I have been told by a couple of sources they are looking to do away with these cards (particularly outbound).

 

[Mattg]

I'd imagine it's for immigration offices to help determine whether you're travelling for legitimate reasons.

That's my reasoning as well. Occasionally I'm asked a follow-up question or two about my listed occupation, and when I am able to answer straight away they don't bother questioning any further.

 

[Tremere]

Just went through departments at MEL, with the outbound smartgates installed the cards just went into a glass box just before the duty free.
I'm guessing these cards will end up in the shredder.

 

[Boca68]

Just went through departments at MEL, with the outbound smartgates installed the cards just went into a glass box just before the duty free.
I'm guessing these cards will end up in the shredder.

Same here, noticed this the last few times! Don't think anyone does anything more than shred and/or bin them nowadays.

But, I know the moment I fill the form out as Mickey Mouse from Disneyland, I'll be pulled up....

 

[harvyk]

I'd imagine it's for immigration offices to help determine whether you're travelling for legitimate reasons.

Interesting theory, but how exactly could a card be used for that purposes beyond the immi officers gut feeling? Is there an occupation which should not be entered in? If I was "chief seal clubber" I would probably already know that entering that in as my occupation is likely to get raised eyebrows but "wildlife population control expert" is not, and thus enter in the latter (assuming you don't use the generic word "consultant" which I've used myself a few times).

The rest of the questions simply relate to which state you've spent time in and how long you'll be OS. Even stating 3 days to the US gave me nothing more than a "have fun".
The only question on there which is an actual question is the are you taking more than $10,000 out of the country, and even then a verbal would probably be ok.

I think it's purely for stats purposes, from an era when computers either did not exist or were not linked.

 

[Milefest]

Interesting theory, but how exactly could a card be used for that purposes beyond the immi officers gut feeling? Is there an occupation which should not be entered in? If I was "chief seal clubber" I would probably already know that entering that in as my occupation is likely to get raised eyebrows but "wildlife population control expert" is not, and thus enter in the latter (assuming you don't use the generic word "consultant" which I've used myself a few times).

The rest of the questions simply relate to which state you've spent time in and how long you'll be OS. Even stating 3 days to the US gave me nothing more than a "have fun".
The only question on there which is an actual question is the are you taking more than $10,000 out of the country, and even then a verbal would probably be ok.

I think it's purely for stats purposes, from an era when computers either did not exist or were not linked.

It wouldn't be the sole piece of information utilised by immigration officers to determine whether it's legitimate travel. It would help create a clearer picture for them, along with the other questions.

Inconsistencies with the passenger's reason for travel is a red flag for immigration.

I'm not ruling out that stats are probably another use for the passenger card though.

 

[harvyk]

It wouldn't be the sole piece of information utilised by immigration officers to determine whether it's legitimate travel. It would help create a clearer picture for them, along with the other questions.

Inconsistencies with the passenger's reason for travel is a red flag for immigration.

I'm not ruling out that stats are probably another use for the passenger card though.

With the current smart gate options, by the time they realised there was inconsistencies I could easily be on the other side of the world.

 

[Foreigner]

The arrival cards do serve some purpose because each of those are vetted after immigration but before exit.

 

[Milefest]

With the current smart gate options, by the time they realised there was inconsistencies I could easily be on the other side of the world.

That's true but those who are of high interest to immigration would unlikely be eligible for SmartGate. Like middle-eastern/asian countries.

 

[Deleted member 29185]

Not so relevant for Oz, but in PNG a smart gate is one of those rare things on a compound which operates by electricity rather than a 90 year old guy pulling it open by hand and than shoving it closed again by hand also. In an airport, the arrivals card is scrutinised by the immigration guy (provided of course that he is not picking up the grandkids from school at the same time your plane lands) and they use the "job" question to catch out those who have incorrectly declared "trainer" on their visa whereas they are actually a worker. Trainers are wanted to upskill the population, workers are taking a nationals job!

 

[Foreigner]

The Thai and HK arrival cards, also the UK landing card, don't seek usual occupation.

 

[Milboo]

Inbound, one of the uses is profiling of risk. On several occasions when I have been declaring items, they've flipped the card, commented on my occupation and let me out the express path.

 

[RickyT84]

I read from somewhere (sorry can't think of it on top of my head) that the departure cards are scanned and stored for record keeping purposes.