When I was still 17, I flew into HNL Airport from MNL. I had adult material in my possession that I bought when I was in the Philippines. Customs happened to search me and suspected it was child porn (I insist it was not child porn, but just that Filipinos tend to age slowly and look younger than Americans. Because I was a minor, there were no charges brought against me. I went back and forth to MNL three more times without any Customs incident. However in 2009, Customs stopped me for questioning. How can I prevent being stopped for questioning again? It is embarrassing and I would like to not encounter this again in the future. Again I feel it is unfair -- what I had in my possession was not child porn, but was professionally made and purchased in the Philippines.
You are not very clear on what your current status is, or why you are traveling back and forth to Manila. The one sure way to avoid this type of customs incident is to become a U.S. citizen. If you are a green card holder, and have had your card for at least five years, you may be eligible to apply. If your offense was done while you were a minor, and is over five years past, it may be asked about, but a good lawyer would be able to guide you through to a positive result.
Meanwhile, use your common sense and avoid carrying pornography (or any other contraband) across international borders.
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