My husband and I will be flying from SFO to CDG via Warsaw (WAW). Since both France and Poland are in the Schengen area, will we need to go through passport control or customs at CDG? I assume we will be going through passport control/customs in Warsaw but I seem to remember going to CDG from Frankfurt that going through customs again was not necessary. Or are there new rules? 2 months ago we arrived in Marseille from London and I was surprised to find that we had to go through passport control again. So now I am thoroughly confused. Will we need to collect our bags before going through customs/passport control in Warsaw prior to boarding our connecting flight to Paris?
Posted by
Edmonds, WA 🌨 ☂
11880 posts
The UK is NOT part of the Schengen zone, thus the process you had 2 months ago.
Posted by
OP
Berkeley, California, US
655 posts
Thanks, joe32F. I guess this shows why I need to verify any information I think I have on this site!
Posted by
Uppsala, Sweden
6977 posts
Wikipedia is also a pretty good place for fact checking. They have a good map of the Schengen area: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schengen_Area
Also, note that passport control and customs are not the same thing. Your passport is checked when you enter the Schengen area and when you leave the area, but usually not in the area (although it can happen).
Posted by
Basel, Switzerland
8889 posts
USA --> Poland (Warsaw) --> France (Paris)
Warsaw is where you enter the Schengen Area, so that is where immigration (passport control) will take place. No immigration in Paris.
"but I seem to remember going to CDG from Frankfurt that going through customs again was not necessary." - No immigration as they are both in the Schengen Area, no customs as they are both in the EU.
"2 months ago we arrived in Marseille from London and I was surprised to find that we had to go through passport control again." - Yes, because the UK is not and never has been in the Schengen Area.
"Will we need to collect our bags before going through customs/passport control in Warsaw prior to boarding our connecting flight to Paris?" - no, customs (luggage contents inspection) takes place at your last airport. Bags will go through to Paris, you will not need to collect them in Warsaw.
Your bags will have a different type of label on them so customs in Paris can tell your bags are from outside the EU). Those just coming from Warsaw are intra-EU so no customs.
But,customs is a random check only, 95%+ are not stopped, so no worries.
Posted by
OP
Berkeley, California, US
655 posts
Thanks, badger and Chris F. This is most thorough explanation I've come across yet as to when one must go through customs and/or passport control in Europe. So, many many thanks.
Posted by
Queens, NYC
571 posts
Your bags will have a different type of label on them so customs in Paris can tell your bags are from outside the EU
BTW, if you're curious about this, it's as simple as color stripes on the tag -- all bag tags for bags originating in the EU have green stripes running down the side, whereas bags that originate outside the EU don't have those tags. When you are in baggage claim in Warsaw take a look around -- once you know what to look for it's very evident!
