Munich Airport Passport Control

I don’t know where it is but you can be sure there will be obvious signage. Follow the crowd. All roads lead to “Immigration/Passport Control”

We landed in Munich on our flight from London last September. I cannot describe where the immigration control point is, but as Norma suggests, you cannot avoid it. Just follow the directional signs, and the other deplaning passengers.

I do recall a long glass-enclosed elevated corridor leading there. It terminated in a small area which was very crowded, and somewhat chaotic as there were no defined lanes for the queue in the "non-EU" area. One just had to inch forward in the crowd. A large plane had arrived from Muscat just before us, and the immigration officers spent considerable time examining the passengers' documents and asking questions. If the people could not answer in either German or English they were turned away, apparently to await an interpreter.

We struck up a conversation with the Canadian couple next to us us the crush to pass the time, but it took about 45 minutes to get through.

Hi Christine, we changed planes in Munich a few years back, also on Lufthansa, returning from Italy (to the States). The exit 'flow' from your US outbound flight will take you right to Customs, as they control/contain traffic with restricted lanes.

Not sure when your flight arrives, but our early-afternoon arrival/connection had hoards of people all trying to clear Customs at the same time. They were fairly efficient in processing the masses, but what we thought was 'plenty of time' with a 90-min connection had some drama with us running to make the gate on time. All's well that ends well, but point being make sure to get to/thru Customs as quick as you can.

OP's query pertains to Passport Control, not Customs.

Thanks for these responses. Fortunately, we have three hours between flights, so we should have plenty of time (barring late arrival of course). When I am going to a new airport (for me), I like to have as much info ahead of time as possible. I'm sure the signs will be obvious and easy to follow. Looking forward to this trip....

We arrive in Munich from the US frequently, with two small kids and with no sleep. Signage is obvious and well-marked for passport control. If we can do it under those conditions, I'm sure you can too. The airport are specifically designed so that you can't screw up and enter the Schengen without going through passport control. Wait times are minimal as Munich is a fairly compact and small international airport.

Will you be continuing on to Barcelona on Lufthansa, or on some other airline? It might make a difference. Even on Lufthansa you will have to go through Schengen immigration at Munich, but you will stay in the same terminal (T2). Other airlines to Spain might use Terminal 1.

Passport control in Terminal 2 is located in the middle of the terminal, above the baggage room and the exit to the outside. You get off your plane and follow the crowd to passport control.

Thanks, Lee. My connecting flight is also with Lufthansa, so we will be in terminal 2. That should make things easier.

Thanks, Emily, I'm sure we'll be fine. I just happen to be one of those individuals who likes as much information as possible ahead of time.

I appreciate everyone's assistance.

Last March (2017) connecting in Munich from Barcelona to Chicago there was a long delay at the immigration check from Schengen to International; maybe 40 minutes wait. There were about 20 lanes but only 3 manned. This was about 9am.

Every time I've arrived at MUC T2, Munich has been my final destination, so I have gone from passport control directly down elevators to the baggage room, from which you go to the outside through customs.

Incoming passport control (Immigration) is on level 5, along with the international, H, gates. Level 4, below, is where the domestic (intra-Schengen) G gates are. Since I have never tried it, I don't know if you can go via elevators from the area outside passport control on level 5 directly to the 4 level, avoiding security, or if you have to go down the elevators to baggage recovery and out through customs, then back in through security. You might ask at passport control.

Lee, that's just the information I was looking for. I've looked at the maps on the Munich airport website and finally found passport control. It looks like once you get through immigration you can then go to gates H, L, or K (which is the one I think we'll need). Thanks very much for your help.