Customs at Fiumicino

[RTR 21-0]

How long does it take to go through customs upon arrival?  I’m booking a tour of the Colosseum afternoon of our arrival day.  Traveling in May and arrival time is currently 9:30 a.m. and has only changed once since booking last July.  Fingers crossed no more changes.  It’s a 3 hour tour and I’d like to start around 1 or 2 which is fine with tour guide or he suggested 3 or 4.  Trying to stay up to work through jet lag but by 6:00 they might find us sleeping on the arena floor 😂 

[Zach1213]

Customs is very quick. You just walk through a short hallway with your belongings and hope you don't get stopped 🙂

 

Immigration, I am guessing, is what you're interested in. My experience is that immigration at FCO can be all over the place. I've cleared before in two minutes, and I've cleared before in 30 minutes...both coming off the same flight, at the same flight, on the same day of the week. I would do a 2pm tour instead of 1pm just to be safe...should be fine unless you're substantially delayed. 

Edited February 13, 2023 by Zach1213

[RTR 21-0]

Thanks Zach1213!  Our first time flying internationally and we are clueless but learning lol.  

[CruiserBruce]

Immigration can take 30 or more minutes. Bag claim can also take 30 or more minutes, even after you have cleared Immigration. Customs takes a couple seconds...they use the Red/Green system in most of Europe. If you have nothing to declare, you go to the green door and out. Simple as that.

[FlyerTalker]

You don't mention your itinerary, which is the most critical information.

 

If you are flying directly into Rome, and that is your first point of contact with the Schengen Zone, then you will do immigration at FCO.

 

OTOH, if you are making a connection at a Schengen Zone airport, such as CDG, AMS, FRA, or MAD, then you will do your immigration formalities at that point, with none happening at FCO.   And FWIW, LHR is not in the Schengen Zone.

 

The devil is in the details, which are a bit lacking.

[RTR 21-0]

Directly into Rome.