What to answer CBP at airport while re-entering home country?

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As a (native-born white male) citizen, I find that CBP officers rarely ask the purpose of my trip. (If they do ask, you can even refuse to answer under the fifth amendment, although that is probably not a good idea.)

The answer you should give depends on something you have not disclosed in your question, which is whether you will be doing any work while you're on the trip. If the purpose of the trip is even in part to visit the freelancers to discuss things related to your business then it doesn't matter whether you consider them "more as friends," because they are still also your employees, and the purpose of your trip is still at least partly business. Some options for your response, depending on the circumstances, include:

  • "business"
  • "mostly vacation, but I also had some business meetings"
  • "vacation"

As noted in a comment, however, the answer is probably not too critical. Because you are a US citizen, you cannot be denied entry. If you answer in good faith, you will probably not be prosecuted under 18 USC 1001. On the other hand, if the officer thinks you're being evasive, you could very well be selected for secondary customs screening, which could include a thorough search of your possessions.

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