That question again! Passport and Immigration at Munich if flying from Rome to U.S.?

[Minnesota Rookie]

Sorry to ask a question that has probably been asked a dozen times. I thought I knew the answer until this morning. We will be taking the Norwegian Breakaway on a Transatlantic from NY to Rome in May. We have to fly back from Rome, and one of our possible connections would be in Munich. Having missed our flight in Munich once in the past due to United flying in three hours late, I want to be extra cautious with making our plans coming home. Nothing spoils a trip like missing a connecting flight. I thought because we were leaving a Schengen country in Italy and coming into Germany which is also a Schengen country, we wouldn't have to go through immigration and passport. But this morning I found something which seemed to say that if you are either coming in from a non-Schengen country (we aren't) or leaving Germany for a non-Schengen country (we are in this case, headed back to the U.S.) you have to go through immigration and passport in Germany. Do I need to leave extra time in the connection to do all that? Can anyone help in giving some expert advice on the topic. Thank you, thank you, thank you! 

Edited December 5, 2022 by Minnesota Rookie

[Zach1213]

You will clear Schengen immigration at MUNICH. This is because the Rome to Munich flight is intra-Schengen and, as such, operates within the same immigration system, meaning passports aren't required. There will be plenty of people flying Rome to Munich who won't be leaving the Schengen zone, and thus won't need or have passports with them. EU/EEA citizens, for example, will likely just have their national ID cards with them for intra-Schengen travel. 

 

Since you are officially leaving the Schengen zone in Munich (to board your USA-bound flight), that is when they will check your passport* and you will officially exit Schengen-land.

 

It shouldn't take long. German immigration is usually very efficient (thorough, but efficient...so, Germany in a nutshell) and the lines aren't usually too long. Don't factor in too much extra time for this. 

 

* - they will check your passport when you check in at Rome airport, but this is for identity check and documentation check, NOT an immigration process. 

Edited December 5, 2022 by Zach1213

[Minnesota Rookie]

Thanks Zach. That is what I was led to believe this morning! OK, if we connect in Munich we will try to leave enough time to jump through the hoops. 

[Zach1213]

2 hours ago, Minnesota Rookie said:

Thanks Zach. That is what I was led to believe this morning! OK, if we connect in Munich we will try to leave enough time to jump through the hoops. 

 

You'll notice a lot of fairly short connections in MUC, even for flights that involve immigration and security re-clearance (like yours). Munich is just set up to be very efficient, and is. Connections that I would never try to make in other airports are generally no problem in Munich, so just keep that in mind. 

[hallasm]

MUC is probably the best airport in Europe for a transfer - not that big and vey efficient. 
But if your flight is three hours late again you’ll miss your connection anyway.

[em-sk]

10 hours ago, Minnesota Rookie said:

 But this morning I found something which seemed to say that if you are either coming in from a non-Schengen country (we aren't) or leaving Germany for a non-Schengen country (we are in this case, headed back to the U.S.) you have to go through immigration and passport in Germany. Do I need to leave extra time in the connection to do all that? Can anyone help in giving some expert advice on the topic. Thank you, thank you, thank you! 

 

Entering the Schengen region normal practice is for your passport to be stamped and to be stamped again when leaving.  They look virtually the same one have an arrow showing arrival the other an arrow showing departure.

 

The exist one they don't look that closely since your leaving the region.  That process is usually much faster.

 

[DCGuy64]

On 12/5/2022 at 5:40 PM, hallasm said:

MUC is probably the best airport in Europe for a transfer - not that big and vey efficient. 
But if your flight is three hours late again you’ll miss your connection anyway.

Thank you (and everyone else) for the posts. We are flying from the US to Rome to catch the Breakaway this November, and are flying THROUGH Munich. We only have 1 1/2 hours of layover and weren't sure if we'd be going through passport control there or in Rome. It's now clear it'll be MUC, which is fine.

[hallasm]

27 minutes ago, DCGuy64 said:

We only have 1 1/2 hours of layover and weren't sure if we'd be going through passport control there or in Rome. It's now clear it'll be MUC, which is fine.

Passport control/ immigration in MUC - might also be additional security check.

Luggage is checked through to Rome - 1 1/2 is sufficient time - in case of delay Lufthansa (assuming LH) will make sure you’re booked at a later flight. 

[CruiserBruce]

MUC is one of the most efficient airports in Europe...small, well designed. 90 minutes should be fine, if you are on time.

[DCGuy64]

42 minutes ago, hallasm said:

Passport control/ immigration in MUC - might also be additional security check.

Luggage is checked through to Rome - 1 1/2 is sufficient time - in case of delay Lufthansa (assuming LH) will make sure you’re booked at a later flight. 

Yes, we're on Lufthansa. I took a look at the MUC airport map and it appears LH uses Terminal 2 satellite (Gates K, L), so that's a plus.

[LuckyStar]

On 12/5/2022 at 12:38 PM, Zach1213 said:

 

You'll notice a lot of fairly short connections in MUC, even for flights that involve immigration and security re-clearance (like yours). Munich is just set up to be very efficient, and is. Connections that I would never try to make in other airports are generally no problem in Munich, so just keep that in mind. 

Well, this makes me feel better about the 1 1/2 hour layover connection in Munich from Genoa to Denver. I had stopped worrying about it.  I figure at this point, whatever happens, happens. 

[waterbug123]

The efficiency of the Germans is no joke.  If your itinerary was the other way around, connecting through FCO to get to MUC, that would be another story, LOL

[Zach1213]

On 9/22/2023 at 3:26 PM, waterbug123 said:

If your itinerary was the other way around, connecting through FCO to get to MUC, that would be another story, LOL

 

I would recommend a three year layover at FCO

[waterbug123]

3 hours ago, Zach1213 said:

 

I would recommend a three year layover at FCO

Funny, but true.