what is enough time for customs?

Jennie You will clear customs in the country you arrive at not leave from. Customs and immigration is always this way.
When you return you will clear customs on the first place you land in ie Rome to Atlanta to Missoula you will clear in Atlanta as this is the first US landing.

EVERYONE confuses customs and immigration control and use the words interchangeably. THEY ARE NOT THE SAME !!!. Immigration (passport control) is where they decide if you can legal enter the country. They look at your passport, may ask a few questions, and they might stamp it. It is the first thing you will see and sometimes the line can be long. However, read the signs to make sure you are in the right line. Customs occurs after that. Sometimes two doors Nothing to and . Walk out the nothing to door. On our last two trips (Amsterdam, Madrid) we didn't even see the doors. Customs in Europe is practically non-existent. Returning to the US is far more difficult and time consuming. At your first stop in the US, again you first go through immigrations and the lines are generally pretty long and can be slow. From there you pick up your checked luggage that can be a real pain and slow. Go to US customs with your completed declaration card that was handed out on the plane - one per family. Again on our last two trips - New York both times -- we simply handed the card to the custom agent with no question as we walked out. In the past we have been quizzed about what was on the card. During our travels I keep a list of the items that we purchased so that it is easy to fill out the card. You will recheck your luggage. AND go through personal security prior to your connecting flight. Then you are home,

Missed the first part of your question. In Missoula your passport will be checked by the airline. Your name, middle initial if used, and date of birth must match to the letter. Your go through security in Missoula. In Atlanta you should stay in a secured area and will not go though security again. You should have a normal connection time of a couple hours. You have nothing to do. You passport will be checked again when you board the plane.

You won't have to go through security again in Atlanta on your way over, but it is a big, busy airport. The international flights depart from the last terminal. The concourses are well marked, follow the signs, and take the train to the international concourse. Coming back, if you're coming through Atlanta, you'll go through passport control first. Sometimes you breeze through quick, it depends on how many other flights are coming in when yours does. Then you pick up your bags, go through customs (you'll fill out the forms on the plane), check them back in (this is all assuming that you check bags), then go through security again.

Leaving from Atlanta is fairly efficient. The train between the terminals is quick (the International departures is the last terminal as stated above). A hostess on our domestic flight suggested walking in the tunnel between terminals- she does it to stretch her legs. We did not try it though

"You will clear customs in the country you arrive at not leave from. Customs and immigration is always this way. " Unless you're flying from Canada to the US where a lot of major Canadian airports have staff from US boarder services in the departure airports to simplify things for integration into US airspace.

What is enough time for customs? At least two, safer will be three hours. It depends how much they decide to bother you. I mean on your return to the US. In Europe I was never bothered by customs. On my flights usually to Prague I go through Immigration in Amsterdam (European Union). Checked luggage goes all the way to Prague where I don't go through Immigration (because both Holland and Czech Rep. are members of the European Union. But I go through Customs through the door Nothing to declare. Never was stopped yet. But few times I saw dogs sniffing suitcases.

"You will clear customs in the country you arrive at not leave from. Customs and immigration is always this way. " Also not true when flying from Ireland to the US. Immigration is taken care of in either Dublin or Shannon, before taking off for the US.

" Immigration is taken care of in either Dublin or Shannon, before taking off for the US." Customs is taken care of in Ireland now too. Them's Irish loves us mericans that much.

" Immigration is taken care of in either Dublin or Shannon, before taking off for the US." "Customs is taken care of in Ireland now too. Them's Irish loves us mericans that much." Is that a recent change? I'm planning my 3rd trip to Ireland this summer, and would love to be able to do both (especially immigration) at Dublin airport. Last time I went was in 2009, perhaps I missed the signs? Where would I look for immigration and customs? Thanks,
Barb

Ilja, you don't go through immigration in Prague because the Netherlands and the Czech Republic are both part of the Schengen Treaty zone. You have free passage without immigration within the Schengen zone. UK and France are both in the EU, but UK is not part of Schengen, so you do have to go through immigration going from the UK to France. Switzerland is not a member of the EU but it is a part of Schengen, so you would not have immigration going from Switzerland to France but you could have customs.

Leaving US is far easier than coming in. You should know which US city you come in first (including Canada), that's where you'll likely need at least 2 hrs.