<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by HeelLaw:
I have a relatively short connection in AMS...do I HAVE to go through customs there, or can I just sit on it and wait and do the whole thing in Italy?
If it turns out that I don't check luggage, and everything is on my person, does that change the answer?</font>
As far as I know, the only way to get from your arrival gate (where you arrive from the US) to the gate of your Italy-bound flight is by going through immigrations and customs. The good news is that unless there are extremely many people waiting, the whole procedure will only take a few minutes (it's much quicker than arriving in the US).
Whether or not you have luggage checked shouldn't make a difference in AMS, only at your final destination in Italy.
- Martin