International customs question

[Anonymous]

When traveling internationally, do you have to go through customs that the layover airport or only the final destination?

[Anonymous]

I think it varies by country. But in Amsterdam, I did go through customs because I left the airport for awhile.

[Anonymous]

Usually not if you are just transferring and not ever setting foot in the country.

Exception is if the layover is connecting to another domestic flight. E.g. if you are flying DC to Glasgow and change planes in London, you will have to clear customs & immigration in your first port of call in the UK.

[Anonymous]

But for the Schengen countries (roughly Europe) flights between those countries are usually treated as "domestic" for custms purposes.

[Anonymous]

Depends on the airport. Narita you go though security, I can't remember if you go through customs , too.

[Anonymous]

Usually, there's a zone of the airport for people purely in transit. You can't access your checked bags and you can't leave the secured area.

[Anonymous]

Does anyone know about Charles de Gaulle?

[Anonymous]

CDG is a transit airport. Where are you flying to CDG from and where are you flying to?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:CDG is a transit airport. Where are you flying to CDG from and where are you flying to?

From the US to another EU country

[Anonymous]

You will likely clear customs in CDG, allow plenty of time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:CDG is a transit airport. Where are you flying to CDG from and where are you flying to?

From the US to another EU country

Then most likely you will go through customs and immigration at CDG but then you are done.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You will likely clear customs in CDG, allow plenty of time.

Shoot, I was worried about that

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You will likely clear customs in CDG, allow plenty of time.

Shoot, I was worried about that

If you are going to another Schengen country you will definitely clear in CDG, because your onward flight will be equivalent to a domestic flight here. But not all EU countries are Schengen countries, so look at the list. I did this recently and it was not a big deal, but transiting in CDG can be bad in any event.

[Anonymous]

I have often found at airports like Amsterdam, Madrid, Charles de Gaulle, that if you landed at that airport from the US that you do have to proceed thru sometime of customs to catch your domestic (ie. flight to Sevilla etc.) In Amsterdam it was often a small desk that they just checked your documentation. At Madrid it was a full blown customs experience. Long lines but moved fairly quickly - I seem to remember Charles de Gaulle was the slowest of them all - I thought we would miss our connection. Interestingly they kept scanning our boarding pass - basically kept tabs on our process through the lines - those that would miss the flight they expedited - those that they felt could make it you had to plod thru. We ended up getting to our connection with no time to spare which meant no bathroom, stop for water or food which when you are faced with an additional long flight was annoying. So yes, give yourself plenty of time between flights.

[Anonymous]

Wrong. If you're flying to CDG then an onward flight to another EU country (in the Shengen area.. most of them) you will clear IMMIGRATION at CDG. You will clear CUSTOMS when you retrieve your bags at your final destination.

CDG can be a mess when it comes to transfers to/from the US, so be sure to set aside a fair amount of time. Last time I did a Spain-CDG-Washington flight and it involved long lines to take an elevator down (no stairs) to wait for a bus, to go to the right terminal. Lines for all of it. Absolute mess.