Narrative:

Upon entering ZZZ customs, after a flight from ZZZ2. I was told by the customs officer that they had not received prior notice of arrival. I pulled the carbon copy of my flight plan which was filed in ZZZ2 and pointed out 'ad cus' in the remarks section of the plan. The customs officer then went into his office and made a phone call. He returned and said he had spoken to ZZZ FSS, mr X said I had not filed any flight plan. I informed the customs officer that I had filed an IFR flight plan, had received a clearance from ZZZ2 tower, had been assigned a discrete transponder code, and had been in contact with ZZZ center and ZZZ2 approach ever since take off and throughout the entire duration of my flight. Upon hand off from ZZZ2 approach to ZZZ center, I asked center to confirm customs notification. I was told 'can do.' after this confrontation with customs, I the returned to my home base. I then contacted ZZZ FSS supervisor. He informed me that there was indeed a flight plan for my aircraft in their files. I requested that it be saved. I then wrote foia and requested the tapes for ZZZ center be pulled so I can verify my request to ZZZ center to advise customs. I have a home in ZZZ2 area and travel there frequently. My phone, is a fixed base cell and intercontinental calls cannot be made from it. I departed ZZZ2 at XA00. The customs office at ZZZ is not open yet. One hour prior to landing, I am too far from ZZZ to contact customs by air to ground radio. I am stumped as to how I can conform to the prior notice of arrival requirement if 'ad cus' is not complied with. At this point I don't know if I am being charged with flying through an ADIZ without filing a flight plan, or arriving in the country without prior notification. Since ZZZ customs is open daily from XA00 to XJ00 local time there is always an officer on duty and present. Since I come into that clearance point at least once a month, and have done so for over 20 yrs, I am a bit confused as to the brouhaha that arose on this occasion. I can't offer suggestions on how to avoid this problem, but would certainly appreciated instruction on how to avoid it on the future.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A PA32 PLT, RETURNING TO THE STATES FROM THE ISLAND AREA, WAS INFORMED BY A CUSTOMS OFFICER THAT THEY HAD NOT RECEIVED HIS 'PRIOR NOTICE OF ARR.'

Narrative: UPON ENTERING ZZZ CUSTOMS, AFTER A FLT FROM ZZZ2. I WAS TOLD BY THE CUSTOMS OFFICER THAT THEY HAD NOT RECEIVED PRIOR NOTICE OF ARR. I PULLED THE CARBON COPY OF MY FLT PLAN WHICH WAS FILED IN ZZZ2 AND POINTED OUT 'AD CUS' IN THE REMARKS SECTION OF THE PLAN. THE CUSTOMS OFFICER THEN WENT INTO HIS OFFICE AND MADE A PHONE CALL. HE RETURNED AND SAID HE HAD SPOKEN TO ZZZ FSS, MR X SAID I HAD NOT FILED ANY FLT PLAN. I INFORMED THE CUSTOMS OFFICER THAT I HAD FILED AN IFR FLT PLAN, HAD RECEIVED A CLRNC FROM ZZZ2 TWR, HAD BEEN ASSIGNED A DISCRETE TRANSPONDER CODE, AND HAD BEEN IN CONTACT WITH ZZZ CTR AND ZZZ2 APCH EVER SINCE TAKE OFF AND THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE DURATION OF MY FLT. UPON HAND OFF FROM ZZZ2 APCH TO ZZZ CTR, I ASKED CTR TO CONFIRM CUSTOMS NOTIFICATION. I WAS TOLD 'CAN DO.' AFTER THIS CONFRONTATION WITH CUSTOMS, I THE RETURNED TO MY HOME BASE. I THEN CONTACTED ZZZ FSS SUPVR. HE INFORMED ME THAT THERE WAS INDEED A FLT PLAN FOR MY ACFT IN THEIR FILES. I REQUESTED THAT IT BE SAVED. I THEN WROTE FOIA AND REQUESTED THE TAPES FOR ZZZ CTR BE PULLED SO I CAN VERIFY MY REQUEST TO ZZZ CTR TO ADVISE CUSTOMS. I HAVE A HOME IN ZZZ2 AREA AND TRAVEL THERE FREQUENTLY. MY PHONE, IS A FIXED BASE CELL AND INTERCONTINENTAL CALLS CANNOT BE MADE FROM IT. I DEPARTED ZZZ2 AT XA00. THE CUSTOMS OFFICE AT ZZZ IS NOT OPEN YET. ONE HR PRIOR TO LNDG, I AM TOO FAR FROM ZZZ TO CONTACT CUSTOMS BY AIR TO GND RADIO. I AM STUMPED AS TO HOW I CAN CONFORM TO THE PRIOR NOTICE OF ARR REQUIREMENT IF 'AD CUS' IS NOT COMPLIED WITH. AT THIS POINT I DON'T KNOW IF I AM BEING CHARGED WITH FLYING THROUGH AN ADIZ WITHOUT FILING A FLT PLAN, OR ARRIVING IN THE COUNTRY WITHOUT PRIOR NOTIFICATION. SINCE ZZZ CUSTOMS IS OPEN DAILY FROM XA00 TO XJ00 LCL TIME THERE IS ALWAYS AN OFFICER ON DUTY AND PRESENT. SINCE I COME INTO THAT CLRNC POINT AT LEAST ONCE A MONTH, AND HAVE DONE SO FOR OVER 20 YRS, I AM A BIT CONFUSED AS TO THE BROUHAHA THAT AROSE ON THIS OCCASION. I CAN'T OFFER SUGGESTIONS ON HOW TO AVOID THIS PROB, BUT WOULD CERTAINLY APPRECIATED INSTRUCTION ON HOW TO AVOID IT ON THE FUTURE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.