My son and I are arriving at Heathrow at 10:30 in the morning, and since he has a USA passport and I have a British one, we will be going through different custom lines. My question is, since we have to take a National Express coach, and have to book ahead. How much time does it usually take to clear customs.(if nothing out of the ordinary happens?)
Posted by
Basel, Switzerland
8889 posts
Customs doesn't take any time at all. You both go through the same place for customs. Customs is where they check the contents of your luggage. You just walk through the Green Channel, and only random checks are done.
What takes time is immigration (passport control). The EU immigration queue (through which you will go) can take from 5 to 30 minutes, and in exceptional cases up to an hour. The non-EU queue (through your son will go) is a bit slower, say 10 to 45 minutes usually.
The sequence is:
Get off plane - walk through lots of corridors - immigration (separate queues for EU and non-EU citizens) - luggage pick-up - customs - out to the public arrivals area.
Posted by
Truro, NS, Canada
3941 posts
I've been lucky and once went in and it seemed almost empty and had a ten minute wait...I also once had an hour + wait as the queue was just beyond the (what do you call it?) the spot where the barricades start for you to queue in(?) - it's really a crapshoot with how many other planes are arriving and how many immigration officers are working...usually we arrive from our overnight flight around 9-9:30am...I find about 25-40 min or so is the norm...
Posted by
Oxford, United Kingdom
5466 posts
There is no need for you to go through separate lines. You may be allowed to go together through the EU line, but you can certainly go together in the other.
Posted by
OP
usa
11 posts
I really appreciate everyones help with my query about customs,Thankyou all so very much!!! Maureen W.
Posted by
California Central Coast
97 posts
My wife has a U.K. passport and I have a U.S. and I'm allowed to go through the EU line with her. Don't know if it would be different with your son.