immigration queue

Meaning

An immigration queue is the line of people waiting to have their passports, visas, and entry documents checked by border control officers upon entering a country. This is typically the first major line travelers encounter after landing on an international flight. The term is neutral and widely used in British and international English, while American English often uses 'immigration line'.

Examples

• The immigration queue was incredibly long because three flights landed at once.

  The immigration queue was incredibly long because three flights landed at once.

• Make sure you have your landing card filled out before joining the immigration queue.

  Make sure you have your landing card filled out before joining the immigration queue.

• There is a separate immigration queue for citizens and residents.

  There is a separate immigration queue for citizens and residents.

• We spent almost two hours standing in the immigration queue.

  We spent almost two hours standing in the immigration queue.

• The officer directed us to the fast-track immigration queue.

  The officer directed us to the fast-track immigration queue.

Common Mistakes

• ✗ I am waiting in the passport control tail.

  ✓ I am waiting in the immigration queue.

  'Tail' is not used to describe a line of people waiting in English. Use 'queue' (UK/International) or 'line' (US).

• ✗ You must pass the immigration queue before collecting your baggage.

  ✓ You must go through the immigration queue before collecting your baggage.

  'Pass' on its own sounds unnatural here; 'go through', 'clear', or 'wait in' are the standard verbs used with 'immigration queue'.

Related Expressions

Practice

• After landing in London, we had to wait in a massive ___ for passport check.

  💡 The line where border officers inspect your passport.

  Show answer

  immigration queue

• Please join the back of the ___ if you do not hold a European passport.

  💡 Two words, starts with 'i' and 'q'.

  Show answer

  immigration queue