US Customs - "One-Stop" procedure for arrivals without checked bags

Thanks for the tip. Hope it works for us at JFK this fall. Customs in NYC is NO fun and anything that can make it easier and quicker is great.

A lot of airports are using automated customs now. Because of a few bottles of ETOH I had to check luggage upon my recent return from Europe. However, at the automated check-in station in Seattle I scanned my passport, answered the 5 questions, snapped my pic and had the printed form from the machine in about 60 seconds (didn't matter if you had checked luggage or not.) Then you turn it in to a person and they verbally ask if you have anything to declare and send you on your way. Whole process, including waiting in line for the automated station, until I was on my way took maybe 3-4 minutes. I am a big fan of traveling light and rarely check luggage, but there was no way I wasn't coming home without a few samples of excellent French and Portuguese concoctions! I would sure like to see a lot more of the automated customs though.

To really save time (and be guaranteed TSA pre-check status every time you fly), apply for the Global Entry Card. It costs $100 (one time fee, I think), and is good for 5 years. You get to use special, self-check-in kiosks at immigration on return to the USA. Easy and fast. I haven't had the chance to use it since we got ours, but hubby has. But the pre-check has really saved us time and hassle on our multiple domestic flights.

Oh my, now something else to be concerned about. Although I am going over with a carryon, coming back we are over our weight limits and will have to check our bags (we have to go from Naples to Rome, before flying to Detroit). We have a 2 hour window between landing and our flight back home. So...I wonder how long it will take us, and I hope we won't miss our flight.

I just got back from Germany two weeks ago and SFO had the same electronic processing, but we still had to stand in the regular line and get our passports checked again from the person at the counter. Then our customs form stamp verified by another individual after that, then the customs form collected when departing the area with your luggage. Did nothing to speed up the process.

I've never had trouble with Global Entry, with carryon or with tons of checked baggage. 2 minutes at the kiosk and never more than 2 minutes with the customs guy.

I agree with brushtim, got back yesterday to SFO from FRA, an eleven hour flight, lots of people. It didn't seem the process was speeded up at all by using machines. I waited. But I got that stamp in the passport, very obliging of them.

it seems like different cities have different processes. In Seattle (and I have used it 2-3 times there) you get a little form after you do the automated step. The lines to actually see customs agents are very short because they just take your form, ask if you have anything to declare and let you in. Your passport etc. is checked by the machine. Hope other cities figure it out too!

We also returned to SFO a few weeks ago; and, as dedscribed by a couple of posters above, we went through the automated process followed by the regular in-person check by an immigration officer. We then had to pass through a customs line, where we handed over the usual declaration form. I'm glad to see I'm not the only one left wondering how the extra step speeds up anything.