Going Through customs in US

The advantage of changing planes in Europe is that hour luggage is checked through all the way. When you change planes in the US, you have to retrieve your luggage at hour entry point into the US, go through customs and re-check it.

I agree with changing in Europe and putting off the rechecking of your luggage. Another thing that makes coming home simple is to sign up for Global Entry. With Global Entry you skip the lines at passport control and customs.

Customs (unless you have something to d e c l a r e) is just a walk through the "nothing to d e c l a r e" door. It is passport control (immigration) that takes the time. I don't have any recent experience with changing planes in Europe, so I'm not sure you can avoid passport control everywhere when you are transiting through. Where would the layover be? Still, my preference would be to change in Europe instead of NY or DC.

Far, far better to go through immigration and customs are the end of your flight. You go through immigration, get your luggage, go through customs, walk out of the airport and you are home. If you change in the US, you have to recheck your luggage after customs AND go through the whole security routine again. And if you bought anything in a duty free shop that is a liquid and in your carryon, then it has to into the checked luggage. Much simpler and easier to go thought immigration/customs at the end and not the middle.

In the past three years, I have missed two connecting flights because of back-ups at immigration and customs in the US. Even though I'm originally from the US, my experiences returning to the country via airplane have been uncomfortable enough for myself and my wife (if other allied countries treated US citizens the way the US government treats foreigners....) that I would almost rather take a boat across the Atlantic or not come back at all, rather than undergo that cluster-fudge again. I'm probably overly ranting, but the message is this... don't change planes in the US if you have a choice!

Stopover in the USA is OK only if you fly to Europe. Nancy is obviously talking about customs in Europe. It's much more serious and time consuming in US. You are questioned and your luggage is quite often x-rayed and sometimes searched by hand. When that happens, good bye your connection unless you have a long layover. On the way back from Europe I try to avoid stopover in US like devil cross.

It's not a good idea to state personal anecdotes as though they are hard fact that will or could apply to everyone. I have never missed a connection because of any kind of delay at Passport Control/Customs - on either side of the Atlantic. I have also never been questioned at length or had anything searched. Two days ago I did see the man in front of me in line get asked to step aside and wait (not sure why), but it was done in a way that did not impact the rest of the line in any way. During the many times I've passed through Passport Control and Customs on the U.S. side, I've seen probably thousands of passengers likewise go through in just a couple minutes, not counting the wait in line if there are several international flights arriving around the same time. Of course, I am entering as the holder of a U.S. Passport. If carrying a non-U.S. Passport or a Permanent Resident Card (aka 'Green Card'), the experience may be different.

If carrying a non-U.S. Passport or a Permanent Resident Card (aka 'Green Card'), the experience may be different. Green Card holders go through the US Passport line.

A holder of a 'Green Card' is a Permanent Resident but often not a U.S. citizen. It can take several years before a Permanent Resident may apply for U.S. Citizenship. Therefore, regardless of whether a 'Green Card' holder goes through the same line as U.S. Passport holders, the experience may be different.

Green Card holders move at the same rate as everybody else.

What Ed said. If Green Card holders underwent extra scrutiny they would be directed to the foreign visitor lines instead. They're not so they go through the speedier US Passport line.

I think the man in front of me 2 days ago was a 'Green Card' holder. I watched from as he handed his document (not a Passport) to the CBP agent. He was asked to step aside and wait. I went through in less than 2 minutes and passed him standing along the wall still waiting as I exited the area. His experience was indeed different than mine and the 10 or so other people in line ahead of us. He had a puzzled look on his face, as though he wasn't sure why he had been pulled out of line. Probably the same look I had for being pulled aside at my outbound airport security and scanned (arms, hands, clothing, carry-ons) with a chemical-detection wand checking for explosives.

As a wise person once said.... "...It's not a good idea to state personal anecdotes as though they are hard fact that will or could apply to everyone.... "

.....and The thing about quotes on the Internet is you cannot conrim their validity - Abraham Lincoln

So, if he was presenting some "documents" what makes you think he had a green card? My memory is that a green card holder presents a green card (not actually green) which is basically credit card sized, and their own passport. Not "documents".

I guess I am not as lucky or experienced as other travelers but I have missed a couple of connecting flights in the US because of slow immigration/custom lines. If I can arrange it, it is always immigration at the last stop. ......A holder of a 'Green Card' is a Permanent Resident but often not a U.S. citizen. ..... Is it possible to be both a US citizen AND hold a green card? I thought it was either or.

Holder of a green card is permanent resident of the USA but is not a citizen. When he becomes citizen he must return his green card and he can apply for US passport. Rose is obviously lucky when she does not see the difference between immigration and customs in US and Europe. And I am a holder of US passport and travel to Europe (and elsewhere) about twice a year or more so I can generalize.

"Nancy is obviously talking about customs in Europe." No, Nancy is not. I am talking about arriving back in the US. In all of my trips. coming back from Europe, Central America, or Asia, and arriving in Miami, Atlanta, and Chicago, I have NEVER had my bags examined, or been questioned at customs. Perhaps it is random, but I have never been delayed at customs or waited in line behind someone who was.

It is very clear that we should go through customs at the END of our trip! Thanks for all the great input...
also, Global Entry sounds interesting, I will look into it.

I've been checking into and thinking about Global Entry as well. In addition to the $100 non-refundable application fee, it's necessary to pass a rigorous background check and have an in-person interview with a U.S. Customs and Border Protection officer at one of only a handful of locations across the U.S., most of them at large metropolitan airports. The closest one to Tiburon is at SFO. I think it makes sense for people who travel a lot each year internationally for business or pleasure. For me, I've probably spent less than one hour on multiple trips in the past 3 years waiting in line to pass through Passport Control, and I don't consider it a huge inconvenience. I think I'd rather use that $100 for other travel-related things to enhance my next overseas holiday.