When do go through customs

If you are a U. Despite how confusing it may sound, making a connecting flight in Europe is usually pretty quick and straightforward. The following is an explanation of how to make connecting flights in Europe and going through customs if necessary , whether the airport is in the Schengen Area or not. If the country you are transiting through is in the Schengen Area, the process is generally simple.

It goes like this:. What about customs? You will go through customs when exiting your destination airport, not when transiting. You may not even notice it. Many European countries are not in Schengen. However, for the most part, the process remains the same:.

Note: Airports are set up to make transit easy and efficient. This was before I had a Priority Pass membership , and so desperate for a good night of sleep before my connecting flight back to Chicago ORD , I booked a cheap Airbnb near the airport for the night. I ended up clearing customs, and I have a London entry and exit stamp in my passport to prove it. The most common exception to what I described above has to do with flights to the US, or when you land in a new country and connect domestically to a different city within that country.

You will have to clear customs and collect your bags at the first airport in the US that you land in. In this case, even though I was on a single Oneworld itinerary, I had to claim my bags in New York, recheck them and re-clear security for my domestic flight. There are a few cases where you might take an international flight to the US, yet land and simply walk out of the airport without going through customs.

You can find a full list of pre-clearance locations here. Make sure to keep an eye out for US customs pre-clearance facilities abroad. Terms Apply. Disclaimer: The responses below are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser.

Responses have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by the bank advertiser. If you plan strategically, it could result in getting through customs faster. Both of these tools are pretty handy. To avoid being the person who holds things up for themselves and everyone else, read on. We get that it might be hard to part with some fresh flowers or fancy fruit you bought in a foreign country, but many items like these are prohibited. The keyword there is most , so always double check, just to be sure.

There are also many things for sale elsewhere in the airport or near a land border that could cause problems. Seemingly harmless carrot sticks or an apple you bought for a travel snack could cause a bit of a problem when going through customs at the U. Customs and Border Protection Website. Therefore, honesty is always the best policy.

Each country allows you to transport a certain dollar amount of purchases across the border without paying "duty" — basically, a tax levied on purchases made or gifts received while you're abroad. Keep your receipts, or track how much you've spent at the very least. This way, you can prove whether you fall under the duty limit or how much you may be over the limit. Customs won't deny you re-entry to the country if you've visited a farm, but you may lose some time in customs while they clean your footwear to make sure you're not accidentally bringing any biological contaminants into the country.

However, customs people don't clean your boots for the fun of it. Invasive species and illnesses like foot and mouth disease are very real hazards. If you have visited any farms, admit it and accept the possible delay. Want to have an up-close-and-personal visit with a customs agent? Just whip out a camera and start taking pictures; it'll get their attention quickly.

If you'd rather have a quick and hassle-free experience, leave your phone and cameras tucked away until you're all the way through customs. If you want to make everyone else in the customs line turn green with envy, consider applying for the Global Entry program. Nevertheless, if you're accepted into the program and traveling through a major airport, your trip through customs boils down to a quick stop at an automated kiosk to confirm your identity and make any necessary declarations.

If your flight into the United States doesn't take you directly to your final destination, then you might have to retrieve your checked bags after passing through immigration and before going through customs. After that, you'll need to recheck the bags again before you catch your connecting flight. Check with your airline beforehand to find out whether you'll have to retrieve and recheck your bags or not. Be prepared to tell officials where you're staying in the country you're visiting.

They may ask you to provide the address of your hotel, so keep a copy of your reservation on hand. Sometimes they also ask you for proof of your departure ticket and date, so those copies need to stay in your carry-on bag as well.

Some travelers take being first in the customs line very seriously. It's true that if there's a long walk to customs, moving quickly can get you out ahead of the pack. Still, there's no need to turn a trip through customs into a race or a competition.

No matter where you end up in line, we guarantee that the experience will be more pleasant if you relax and enjoy the experience.