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Passport Control

I am leaving the USA and arriving in Paris -Charles de Gaulle Airport this Friday. I have no checked luggage. Do I have to go through passport control and if so, where is it? I cannot find it on their web site. Thank you

Posted by
8166 posts

You will see the signs in English and French; follow all the other Americans on the same plane headed that way.

Posted by
4071 posts

When you deboard your flight, read the posted signs as they are also in English. Whether you have checked baggage or not is irrelevant because passport control is before baggage claim carousels.

Posted by
8059 posts

Is CDG your first stop in Europe, or at least in the Schengen zone?

If so you can't avoid it, just keep moving toward the exit/baggage claim and you will run into the crowd, standing in a seemingly endless line, that is passport control.

Posted by
8889 posts
  • Immigration (passport control) is the check on people, whether they are allowed into the country and if so for how long.
  • Customs is the check on goods, whether they are allowed into the country and if any taxes need to be paid on them.

So yes, you will go through passport control when you land in Paris. Having no check luggage is irrelevant, it is you they are checking.
And don't worry about finding it, you will be routed via passport control before luggage reclaim. There is no route avoiding it. If there was, all the illegal immigrants would go that way.

Posted by
8556 posts

You don't need it on their web site -- you cannot get off the plane and enter the terminal without being herded through immigration; you won't have to find it, you just follow the crowd. Get in the line for non-EU passports. All is clearly marked.

Posted by
5837 posts

As others note, follow the crowd. Here's what you need to know about CDG immigration:
https://easycdg.com/passenger-information/immigration-passport-paris-cdg-airport/

Do you have to go through Immigration/French Border at Paris-Charles
de Gaulle airport ?

ENTERING OR LEAVING FRANCE & SCHENGEN AREA TO/FROM NON-SCHENGEN
COUNTRIES

Example : New York to Paris (and vice versa)

– You must clear passport control. There are two queues at passport
control : one for European Union (EU), European Economic Area (EEA),
British and Swiss nationals, and a second for all other nationalities.

TRAVELLING WITHIN NON-SCHENGEN COUNTRIES

Example : London to Delhi via Paris-CDG (and vice versa)

– When travelling between countries that do not adhere to the Schengen
Agreement there is no passport control nor visa needed. If you need to
leave the transit area to pick up baggage and check-in, you must clear
immigration, please ensure that you comply with entry & visa
requirements.

Posted by
5510 posts

Of course you go through immigration. Can you imagine if people were just let in with no check?

Having or not having baggage has nothing to do with it.

Posted by
337 posts

Hi
There will be two waiting lines.
1 Those with European Passports (SCHENGEN) and
2 Everyone else (NON SCHENGEN).

Follow the signs, and be prepared to wait....

Posted by
5510 posts

Actually, it’s those with EU passports and those without EU passports. Schengen has nothing to do with it.

Posted by
8889 posts

Actually, putting my super-pedantic hat on, It is EU + Schengen citizens (either/or) who get to use the express system.
Citizens of non-EU Schengen countries also get to go through the EU express line (Norway, Iceland, Switzerland), as do non-Schengen EU countries (Bulgaria, Cyprus, Ireland, and until Brexit, UK citizens).

And the reason? Because EU/Schengen citizens have freedom of travel. No time limits, no need to stamp passports, national ID cards accepted. Just an ID check only to prove they are EU/Schengen citizens.

Posted by
8556 posts

And if you fly business class or first, you will get an expedited immigration line regardless of nationality.