FlyerTalk Forums - View Single Post - How long does it take to clear immigration at SFO
Old Feb 6, 2020 | 4:24 pm
  #6  
dhuey
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Originally Posted by lhrsfo
It was regularly between 2 and 4 hours last summer - including being held on the plane because the Immigration halls were overflowing. Over winter it's been 1-2 hours as long as you don't get a X on the piece of paper which the machine spits out. Baggage is always waiting for you but it's difficult to find as so much is piled up everywhere because it takes everyone so long to get to that stage.
(my emphasis)

It's taken me a few times to learn my lesson, but yes, unless you happened to have breezed your way through immigration, always check the removed bags near your carousel. I've had a few times where I waited, waited, waited, only to realize that by bag was parked maybe 50 feet away from me.
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