When do I have to clear customs?

[fluffybunny22]

We are doing a Baltic cruise and air becomes available soon. We usually fly non stop so I'm not sure when I would need to claim my baggage and clear customs because we aren't doing non stop this time around. We will be transiting through Heathrow and continuing on to Copenhagen. On the way home we will have a lay over in JFK. Do I have to get my luggage and go through customs on my lay overs or just at my final destination? TIA.

[CruiserBruce]

In Europe, you almost always clear Customs (the far less complicated determination of clearing your personal property) at your final destination.

 

Immigration (or Passport Check, or getting you approved to enter a country) is almost always at your first stop. In the case of London, you may have to show your passport in both London and Copenhagen.

[fbgd]

1 hour ago, CruiserBruce said:

Immigration (or Passport Check, or getting you approved to enter a country) is almost always at your first stop. In the case of London, you may have to show your passport in both London and Copenhagen.

 

Gross generalization here.

 

Europe is split into Schengen and non-Schengen countries. In short Schengen is a common travel area that for all intents and purposes is akin to flying domestically in the US. If you are flying to a Schengen country and connecting within the Schengen area you clear immigration at the first stop and customs at the second stop. 

 

If you are doing it any other way it depends on the way your tickets were booked/airlines/stopping points. The UK is not a Schengen country and if you are flying US-LHR-CPH then you will only clear security at LHR, with both immigration and customs taking place at CPH.

[hallasm]

Outbound only passport/immigration in Copenhagen- your luggage will be checked through to Copenhagen.

Goin back immigration and customs will be at JFK - you’ll need to pick up you luggage in JFK  - go through customs and then deliver luggage at you airline counter just after customs.

Enjoy Copenhagen and you Baltic cruise.

[Zach1213]

4 hours ago, fbgd said:

 

Gross generalization here.

 

Europe is split into Schengen and non-Schengen countries. In short Schengen is a common travel area that for all intents and purposes is akin to flying domestically in the US. If you are flying to a Schengen country and connecting within the Schengen area you clear immigration at the first stop and customs at the second stop. 

 

If you are doing it any other way it depends on the way your tickets were booked/airlines/stopping points. The UK is not a Schengen country and if you are flying US-LHR-CPH then you will only clear security at LHR, with both immigration and customs taking place at CPH.

 

There will be a short passport check at LHR...many people on here, over the years, have confused this with immigration. Just before security (usually) at LHR, you'll have to show your LHR-CPH ticket and your passport. This is to make sure you have the proper documentation to entire the Kingdom of Denmark, but is not a formal immigration check by any means.

[waterbug123]

21 hours ago, hallasm said:

Goin back immigration and customs will be at JFK - you’ll need to pick up you luggage in JFK  - go through customs and then deliver luggage at you airline counter just after customs.

 

 

Not quite.  You're correct in that you'll clear immigration, get luggage, clear customs, then re-check luggage at first point of arrival in US, which is JFK in this case.  But you do not need to go out to the airline counter to do it.  Immediately past customs, there is a special luggage drop-off area.  It's not airline specific, so no need to look for any particular "airline counter."  Your bags are already tagged to your final destination (presumably, if your travel is all on one ticket) so you just walk up and turn them over to the staffer who will put them on the belt for you and go on your way.  Then you will clear security and go on to your connecting gate.