Originally Posted by
Loren Pechtel
US outbound: There's no government check. To check in for your flight you will have to show your passport. If you were going to a visa-required country they would insist on finding a proper visa. My understanding is that Spain doesn't require a visa but since I've never been there I can't confirm. The airlines do this check because they don't want to get you there and have to haul you back because you weren't allowed in.
No Visa needed for Spain for US passport holders entering as tourists. Spain is also a Schengen member; once you're in Spain, you're free to travel to other Schengen nations without having to go through any immigration controls.
Spain inbound: Never been there but I would assume it's like everyplace else I've been. You will encounter a line of booths of some kind which you must pass between. You show your passport at the booth, you'll almost always get a stamp. (In over 50 international visits I have gotten through without stamps twice. Both times in Singapore and both times because something interfered.) There will in all probability be some piece of paperwork handed out on the plane that you fill out, this official will collect it.
There is a landing card and a departure card for Spain. Keep the departure stub for when you leave. Whether they collect it or not is another issue.
I've always found the landing card somewhat unusual since Spain is a Schengen Member - Wikipedia link about
:
Schengen
Most Schengen member nations do not have a landing card. Immigration is quite simple at BCN. When I entered at BCN last (Nov 07) they did have to bus us from our aircraft to Immigrations. There is construction going on at BCN and not enough overseas arrival & departure gates.
For Customs, just proceed through the Green lane unless you have something to declare. Chances are, you'll walk right through.
FWIW, I usually enter Spain via AMS. Both are Schengen nations, so I go through Immigrations at AMS and arrive as an intra-Schengen flight -- but on my Nov 07 trip, I arrived on an intl flight and entered at BCN.
Spain outbound: Never been there but I figure it's like most of the world. It will look very much like it did coming in.
Spain, like other Schengen nations, does have outbound immigration. Because of gate issue at BCN, sometimes they put international flights at domestic / Schengen gates. Technically one should go through exit immigration and get a stamp in your passport.
If you (the OP) don't go through exit immigration and depart at a regular gate, be sure to get an entry stamp upon arrival at EWR. I've always seen CO use an intl gate at BCN, likely because of security procedures for the non-stop to EWR.
US inbound: You fill out a customs card on the airplane. You get the line of booths as always. I have encountered various ways of handling it so I can't say if it's varied over time or by airport. My recent experience is the passport guy decides if you are going to get further inspection or not. You reclaim your baggage. If you have been selected for additional inspection you then get it. (Note: This is usually over agricultural issues, not that they think you're a smuggler. They can and will take prohibited foodstuffs but so long as you don't lie nor attempt to conceal things there is no penalty beyond the lost stuff. I have seen the woman in front of us get in trouble for "concealment" that I would have considered simply careful packing--she had stuffed stuff inside a shoe. Since she also had similar stuff not hidden I don't think she was actually trying to conceal anything. I do believe she knew the beef was not permitted, though.)
Note that in the US at least you always clear customs at your initial point of entry, you will have to recheck your baggage after this (your bags will already be tagged properly.) I would add an hour above and beyond normal connection times for customs.
The setup at EWR is efficient for US Immigrations and Customs. Chances are the OP will arrive into C, but there is another immigration facility over in the B concourse that CO uses as an overflow for some flights.
If you enter at B, you can re-deposit your checked luggage there & just hop on the AirTrain and take it back to terminal C.
If the OP clears in EWR C, you'll just re-deposit checked luggage, clear TSA security and off to your next gate.