Security/Customs/Immigration when Transiting Schengen Countries
 

I have some upcoming travel and realize I've never encountered travel like this before, so questions regarding re-clearing security, claiming luggage, and clearing both immigration and customs

Some examples of flights include:

• TLV-ZRH-FRA (flying from non-EU/Schengen to Schengen/EU via Schengen/non-EU)
• TLV-FCO-MXP (flying from non-EU/Schengen to Schengen/EU via Schengen/EU)
• TLV-LHR-BCN (flying from non-EU/Schengen to Schengen/EU via non-Schengen/EU)
• TLV-LHR-MAN (flying from non-EU/Schengen to non-Schengen/EU via non-Schengen/EU)

And the same for the reverse.

Can someone point me to either a thread or website that discusses these types of flights?

• When do I clear passport control in the different cases?
• Do I claim my bags at the same time as clearing passport control or at final destination?
• If I claim my bags at the final destination, how does that work for customs issues?
• Are all Schengen and EU countries considered 1 "secure zone" (a la the USA)?

Thanks in advance

Clear passport control in ZRH, FCO, LHR and LHR, respectively for the trips from TLV.

Clear customs for checked luggage at the final destination airport. This assumes the trips are on a single ticketed PNR.

Clear passport control on the return in ZRH, FCO, LHR and BCN, respectively, for reverse routings to get back to TLV.

All Schengen countries are generally considered a single secure zone for security screening purposes, but the UK always requires non-UK/IRL CTA passengers to reclear security screening at UK transit airports even as some EU Schengen airports do not require the same for transit passengers coming in from the UK/IRL CTA-originating flights. In other words, various Schengen countries may be fine with trusting UK/IRL security screening as being of the same secure zone as Schengen, but the immigration (and sometimes even customs) layout at the airport may make for different security screening treatment than for Schengen-Schengen transit passengers.

If I've cleared passport control at my first port of entry, how does that work with customs? Meaning, I assume I'll be coming off the plane with people who don't need to clear customs - how do they differentiate?

(Regarding customs - is it for any international flight or for any flight from non-EU to EU? Meaning, would FRA-LHR need to clear customs?)

At EU airports, there are generally three exit lanes from the baggage hall for customs:

• Green - nothing to declare
• Red - items to declare
• Blue - intra-EU travel not subject to customs

If you originate within the EU your bag tags will have green stripes on them to indicate this. Naturally, green stripes mean you use the blue lane to exit. :D

zrh, fco, BCN, lhr.

Luggage is checked through to final destination where Customs occurs, you will pass through security checks at all the intermediate airports

Never noticed before! I assume that the green stripe is only if you originate in the EU AND your destination is in the EU? Because I don't recall ever getting a green stripe and I've originated in the EU before (just never on an EU-EU flight)

Even on the return, such as BCN-LHR-TLV?

Even on the return, yes, if speaking of BA/IB.

Yes, thanks for the correction.

When checking in my bags at an EU airport, I have sometimes gotten the green striped tags for my U.S.-bound non-stop flight from the EU.

I see green-striped and purple/red-striped bags bags arriving on my baggage claim belts at US airports of entry, including at such airports such as MSP and DEN.

When your first port of departure is in the EU you should always get the green striped baggage tags. Doesn't matter where you are flying to.

Sjoerd, I thought that what you wrote was correct but on my last international trip from PRG to ORD (with a stopover in JFK) on DL, the green stripes were not on the baggage tag. Is this because it was on DL (a non-European airline)? I actually was thinking about how if my flight was cancelled and I had to reclaim my bag, it would likely then not allow me to go through the blue exit (although some European airports, which I think may include PRG seem to combine the blue and green lanes together).

I don't remember getting green stripes on flights originating in the EU from both EU and non-EU airlines (LY, BA, LX, SN to name a few)

I think the way it works is that intra-european flight paxs must get a green stripe. Airlines may also give non-european flight paxs a green stripe if they wish to allow them to only stock one type of bag tag print stock and use the same printers for both types of flights. DL does not care and just use their baseline bag tag print stock from back home as they do not operate 5th freedom flights in Europe.

One of my friends is traveling on KL from PBM to AMS and then on a different ticket directly on CX from AMS to HKG and MNL. How can she travel with 2 checked bags if she doesn't have a Schengen visa? She cannot pick up the bags and check them in again In AMS right?

Moderator's Action
 

Schengen transit, connections and visa requirements are generally discussed in the Europe forum.

For indexing and future search purposes, please follow this thread as it moves there.

TWA884
Travel Safety/Security co-moderator

Theoretically you clear customs for your hand luggage at the EU port of entry, and for your checked luggage at the final destination. The theoretical part is because you will have hard time finding customs officials when transiting through most EU airports.
https://ec.europa.eu/taxation_custom...r_en#controles

Years later but when departing the EU to a non-EU destination, I have never gotten a green stripe.