international travel

[cajinyank]

my wife and I are flying to venice in May. I haven't been to Europe since 1974 so I was wondering about the flights. We are leaving Nashville at 12:10 for Newark landing around 3 then leaving for vence around 6:30. what is the procedure. do we go thru customs in Nashville or Newark and then again in venice. Please inform me

[Clarea]

my wife and I are flying to venice in May. I haven't been to Europe since 1974 so I was wondering about the flights. We are leaving Nashville at 12:10 for Newark landing around 3 then leaving for vence around 6:30. what is the procedure. do we go thru customs in Nashville or Newark and then again in venice. Please inform me

You will only go through customs when you land in a foreign country.

 

They will make sure you have your passport in Nashville and Newark.

[klfrodo]

As Bob said,, everyone and their brother will visually verify the validity of your passport.

 

You will only go thru Immigrations when you arrive in Venice. Customs (if any) will be in Venice.

 

Enjoy the sites, people, and food of Venice. It's truly a remarkable city.

[voyager70]

Coming back you will need to clear customs at your first point of entry in the US, collect your checked luggage, recheck your luggage, and go through security before boarding your connecting flight, assuming you're not flying nonstop to Nashville. If you're connecting in EWR on your return, hopefully you have at least 2.5 hours. That airport is very large and very busy. That being said it's well worth any hassles to visit Europe. Have a wonderful cruise.

[cajinyank]

we are coming back thru Toronto and Montreal on air canada

[voyager70]

we are coming back thru Toronto and Montreal on air canada

 

You will be able to clear US customs in Canada. Once you get to Nashville you will simply collect your luggage and head home. Easy peasy.

[cajinyank]

thanks

[bobmacliberty]

When departing Venice for your return trip home, you may need to go through immigration and security in Venice. The immigration official may ask you how long you were in the country and the nature of your visit (business or pleasure) and then stamp your passport. I have not flown out of Venice and don't know this for certain, but it's common when leaving many countries.

 

You may also experience someone from the airline asking you questions as you are checking in. This seems to be a common security procedure now when flying to the US. Since you are flying through Canada, you may not experience this.

[Toofarfromthesea]

You will be able to clear US customs in Canada. Once you get to Nashville you will simply collect your luggage and head home. Easy peasy.

 

I've never come back in via Canada, but this is good to know for the future. Thanks for mentioning it.

[voyager70]

I've never come back in via Canada, but this is good to know for the future. Thanks for mentioning it.

 

You're welcome. Ireland also allows you to pre-clear US customs. Not sure if it's all airports but Dublin and Shannon for sure.

[Biker19]

When departing Venice for your return trip home, you may need to go through immigration and security in Venice.

You go through immigration only if you leave on flight out of the Schengen area. If you connect in Frankfurt, no, if like the OP fly to Canada, yes.

[SRF]

Leaving US - You will need to present your passport upon your first check in. And you will need to have it in hand when you board your international flight. You will typically only go through security at your departure airport. But some airports require you to leave the secure area to change terminals. Typically this occurs when you change airlines, especially if you change alliances (Star Alliance carrier to Sky Team for example).

 

Arriving Overseas - You will clear immigration at the final destination or your first point of entry into the Schengen zone (treated as a single country). So if you fly from US to London to Venice, you will clear immigration in Venice. If you fly US to Paris to Venice, you will clear immigration in Paris. Typically customs is only at the final destination.

 

You will likely have to go through security again.

 

Departing back to US - You will clear immigration and security, and possibly customs, at your departure airport. If you fly from one foreign country to another one, you typically will not have to get your bags, but you may have to go through security again. I recently had a trip where I did security 3 times. Guangzhou (security) to Paris (security) to Morocco (security) to African country

 

Arriving in the US - You will clear immigration and customs at the first US airport. You go through immigration, collect your bags, clear customs (not much these days), then recheck your bags if connecting. Then go through security again.

 

If you fly into Canada or a few other places, you will clear US Immigration and Customs in Canada and arrive in the US like a domestic flight. If you have a connection, you will just go to your next gate, like flying LAX - DEN - PHL.

 

These days, most places customs is a mere formality. Some countries do X-ray all bags and some do searches of some to many bags coming into the country. It all depends on the country.

 

If you are carrying something prohibited and get caught, it can get ugly and expensive. Better to declare and give it up if needed.

[steveru621]

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) air Preclearance operations in Canada do not operate 24 hours. While it is most likely the preclearance site will be operating you may have to wait until you reach the US.