Border Device Searches

Assume all your electronic devices will be searched. Refusing to unlock isn't really an option at border crossings. They might detain you or confiscate the device so be willing to lose it. I generally avoid traveling with electronics or do a factory reset if I do. Don't underestimate the significance of this and don't assume you have nothing to hide. Don't assume you won't get stopped, searched and interrogated either.

That's not enough: they can demand that you unlock the device at the border, including powering it on. If your battery is depleted, they'll give you a charger and wait. If you refuse, they can and will confiscate the devices. You can't outsmart them: for pretty much every major country, they're better at this than you are.They can do all of this even if you're a citizen. In the US, citizens (and, to a lesser but still meaningful extent, LPRs) cannot be denied entry to

Aren't they doing it already? I was under impression from news you must already provide them at border with password or unlock your device for inspection when asked.

If you do not provide Border Patrol with access to whatever they want, you do not get to enter the country. You have zero rights at a US port of entry.The best solution is what many US companies do for employees traveling to China -- a burner laptop & phone with no data on it.Provide some form of remote access to services, such as webmail.A two second google search will give you the answers you seek about what the CBP can do - <a href="https://www.cbp.gov/travel/

Same as people travelling to the US with encrypted devices: the border police have full discretion to ask you to do anything, and ban you from the country if you don't comply.

Ask a lawyer for that. Borders are some weird stuff in the law. You can also read https://www.eff.org/wp/defending-privacy-us-border-guide-tra...

This happened to me upon entering the US by air. I wasn't given a reason, it was declared a random check.I was asked if my device contained any contraband, like illegal porn or beheading videos.I had the option of handing over my passcode, or have my device confiscated and sent to a lab for cracking.As a non-citizen, I complied. The device was searched for about an hour out of my sight. Meanwhile, I was quizzed by another border agent.In hindsight, I realized that this gave acce

"Private" communication exists using the Internet. Sometimes your device is in custody because you are in custody for suspicions they already have. In which case, good luck. Other times your device is in custody just because you happen to be crossing a border, for example. In that case, having the device be actually locked might prevent you from being turned away at the border or even ending up in custody yourself.

Not OP, but of course. This is a realistic threat when traveling internationally and passing through customs. In most countries, if border security agents want to walk off with your phone for a while you can't refuse. Many organizations have a "devices that enter China stay in China" policy for exactly this reason.

When I worked for a large company and had to cross an international border that was considered risky (e.g. China) we were issued a special phone and laptop just for that trip. They were wiped after each use. If one was especially paranoid it doesn't seem unreasonable to destroy the devices after use.This way we could consent to search because the devices were blank. It's highly inconvenient and I hope the US doesn't turn into a high risk border.