Connecting Flight + Immigration - When do you go through?

[Haley53]

My SO is in Dublin. He'll be connecting somewhere in the US before he gets on his final flight to SFO. Let's say he had a connecting flight in New York, even though his final destination is San Francisco. Would he have to go through immigration services in New York, or would he stay in the airport and then go through immigration services in San Francisco?

[snow_girl]

If he stays behind the security point in NY then he shouldn't be going through immigration until SF.

[mllebamako]

He will have to go through immigration and customs at his POE (point of entry). So in the situation you gave above, he would go in New York. That's why it's good to make layovers long enough when coming into the States, especially since the non-citizen line is usual quite long.
A few months ago, when I was flying back to the US, I had only a 2 hour layover in Newark (my POE). I thought I'd be okay since Newark is a smaller airport than say, JFK. Well, my plane from Paris was almost an hour late and then the immigration (citizen) line was HUGE!! Long story short, I missed my flight and had to go through ANOTHER city before making it back to see my family.

[Haley53]

Hm, okay, what I'm reading is saying that you can't go from coming off an international flight directly to your connecting flight, agreeing with you mllebamako... :/

But I also want to mention that Dublin airport has a U.S. Customs & Immigration thingie that I went through on my way home which prevented me from having to go to customs when I landed; I was treated same as a domestic passenger, so will it be the same for him too? Both things I'm reading https://www.lonelyplanet.com/thorntr...readID=1890279 and https://www.tripadvisor.in/ShowTopic...ty_Dublin.html are, as I'm understanding it, saying you go through preclearance in Dublin and therefore are treated as a domestic traveller when in the US?

[mllebamako]

If he stays behind the security point in NY then he shouldn't be going through immigration until SF.

Sorry, just saw your reply and I had to correct it. For Europe or most other places, this is true. But for the US, you have to go through immigration at your point of entry, your first airport stateside.

[Haley53]

I did find this response:

Might be some confusion here regarding "Immigration" versus "Customs", so I'll try to clear it up. (Or maybe it's just ME that isn't reading things right, so just ignore me then )

You will go through US "Immigration" in Dublin. That's the process to clear YOU for entry into the USA, making sure you have a proper passport, aren't on the lam, etc. Immigration has nothing to do with your luggage, which you will already have left with the Aer Lingus staff at that point. Immigration will also take your picture and a fingerprint.

Upon arrival in New York, you will claim your bags and go through Customs. This is where the US authorities are interested in what you are bringing in to the country..illegal items, items you need to pay duty tax on, illicit hams, whatever. In most cases they don't even open your luggage, they just take the stamped Form you recieved in Dublin and wave you through.

But my other question is, I didn't have to go through customs when I arrived in Dublin, only immigration, so would it not be the same for him? That he goes through immigration in Dublin? Why would he have to go through customs as well?

[Haley53]

The U.S. and Ireland entered into a preinspection arrangement in 1986.[9] Shannon Airport initially offered only immigration checks, with customs and agriculture inspections done on arrival in the U.S.—a procedure more properly known as preinspection. In August 2009, Shannon opened an addition to its preclearance facility that provided customs and agriculture inspections as well. The facilities at Dublin Airport, like those at Shannon, initially offered only immigration checks on select flights. In January 2011, a section of the recently opened Terminal 2 dedicated to preclearance opened with full CBP facilities. Both airports now allow U.S.-bound commercial flights that use the preclearance facilities to arrive at domestic terminals instead of international terminals, which in turn allows arriving passengers to leave airports upon landing without further inspection. Since March 2010, the Shannon preclearance facility is also available for use by private aircraft; the Dublin facility is only available for commercial flights. Note: In Dublin, the preclearance immigration facility is only available for U.S.-bound flights departing before 16.00. Passengers on later flights undergo U.S. immigration and customs checks upon arrival in the U.S.

I found this on Wikipedia but I also contacted the airport to make sure.

[lucybelle]

Anytime anyone lands in the USA from a foreign country they have to go through customs/etc. Lots of people AVOID flying through the USA for that reason, especially if they can't or don't want to get a USA visa. So if he's going from Dublin to NYC to California, he will do customs in NYC.

But for any other country (that I'm aware of) you don't have to do immigration/customs until you arrive at your final destination.

[Haley53]

That's even with preclearance being done at Dublin airport? :/

Thank you everyone for your help so far.

[lucybelle]

That's even with preclearance being done at Dublin airport? :/

Thank you everyone for your help so far.

Yup. Like I said, if you don't have a USA visa, you can't even transit through it. So lots of people book their flights through Mexico or Canada or Central America instead.

As soon as he lands in USA, he will go through all customs/immigration and have to pick up and re-check his bags and everything. He also MIGHT have to go through security again. Some airports have this and some don't.

[Haley53]

Argh, that goes against what I'm understanding is being said about Dublin Airport. >_<;;; I think it's this that's throwing me:

Both airports now allow U.S.-bound commercial flights that use the preclearance facilities to arrive at domestic terminals instead of international terminals, which in turn allows arriving passengers to leave airports upon landing without further inspection.

I know I didn't have to go through anything, but I also have a U.S. passport/am a U.S. citisen. :/ This is so confusing but thank you. Is there somewhere I could call that might also give me more information? Would I call the airline I'll be booking with, or would I contact more like the Dublin airport information centre?

---------- Post added at 01:41 PM ---------- Previous post was at 01:36 PM ----------

https://www.dublinairportt2.com/usemigration.php

I found this link also. :/ Am I wrong to be being thrown off by this? >_<

It's all saying tourists/travellers will be treated as domestic passengers on arrival.

[mllebamako]

No Eclaire, you're right on this one. I had never heard of "border pre-clearance" but I guess I've never flown from a country that uses it!

Here is the wikipedia article on it. And it looks like, since 2009, they do immigration AND customs for citizens and non-citizens. I wouldn't worry about it too much. Is there a particular reason why you are worried about this? If you really want to know for certain, I would call and ask the airline he's flying with.

[snow_girl]

Sorry, just saw your reply and I had to correct it. For Europe or most other places, this is true. But for the US, you have to go through immigration at your point of entry, your first airport stateside.

No worries, when I went to europe through the states I didn't have to go through immigration but thats probably cause I wasn't staying there.

[lucybelle]

Well I'm not sure about that. It makes me wonder though, if you arrive into the USA via Dublin and don't go through immigration, then you never get stamped in. Since from there it would be domestic and you wouldn't get stamped anywhere else either. Which confuses me. But, if you didn't have to go through anything, that means he wouldn't either. It's not specific to USA passport holders or not. If one person has to go through customs EVERYONE does. Call the airport in the USA to find out.

I would just prepare for time to do it. It's really not that big of a deal.

[Haley53]

I'm basically trying to figure out layovers, because I've been to the airports he could be flying out of, they're easy to navigate, etc., meaning I wouldn't mind a less-than-3 hour layover. However, if he's going to have to go through customs/immigration, then I want to think more about a 4-5 hour layover simply because then he'd have to re-go through security and depending on the lines, it can get absolutely and miserably insane. :P There's a difference in price and so I'm trying to compare prices (currently, longer layovers = more expensive) while also giving him enough of a layover, but that "enough of a layover" changes depending on whether he's cleared before he leaves Dublin or if he needs to rush through after his flight touches base.

I'll ring up the airport and see who they direct me to talk to. Thank you!