US immigration question
 

If I do BOM-EWR-PHX then do I have to pass through immigration in EWR or PHX? If it is EWR then what is the minimum amount of time I need to make the connection?

Also I read somewhere that if I do BOM-DEL-YYZ-PHX, I will undergo US immigration in YYZ. Is it true?

Basically I don't want the hassle of collecting my bags, going through immigration and having to check in again for the last leg of the journey.

You have to clear at your first port of entry into the US. So it would be Newark.

Clear passport control or whatever it's called, collect your bags, clear customs, drop your bags off (they should have been checked through when you dropped them off), clear security, and head to the next flight.

I would figure a half hour at the absolute minimum to get to the point where you drop off your bags, it could be a couple hours if lots of flights are coming in at the same time. I don't know if it takes people with non US passports any longer or not.

That is exactly what you will have to do. You go through BCP (Immigration and Customs) when you first land in the US, collect your bags, carry them through Customs, then recheck them. They usually have a recheck desk within the Customs area, right after you clear Customs.

It is actually rather painless. I've done it dozens of times.

I have never been to Toronto, but have heard you can clear US Immigration and Customs before your US-bound flight. Others can give you exact information.

Thanks for your response.

Also when I check in my bags after customs do I have to pay checked baggage fees? I only ask because my next segment is going to be a domestic one and most US legacy carriers charge for checked baggage.

No, just make sure they're already checked to your final destination (tags to PHX), so you're not really checking them again, you're just dropping them off with the baggage handlers after clearing customs.

joe

All one ticket? I really doubt it, but I will let others chime in here.

Ask the agent at your origin to take your bags straight through - although you'll have to claim them to clear customs, there won't be any need to go to another agent to check your bags. If you go to an agent at your international port of entry, then you'll be charged bag fees.

For those entering through YYZ, you clear US customs and immigration there. If you're connecting on AC, then you just clear US customs and immigration. If you're not, then you'll have to clear both Canadian and US. However, Canadian customs really won't care and will just waive you through. (That was my experience.)

If you're interested in the process of connecting through YYZ to the US, this site has helpful videos. The process does vary by terminal however.

http://www.airportwayfinder.com/wayfinders/yyz/

MCT (Minimum Connection Time) for International to International depends on your airlines because that determines which terminal or terminals you will use.

Published minimum connection times for International to International at YYZ (ask if you want the data for EWR):

Terminal 1 to Terminal 1: 90
Terminal 3 to Terminal 3: 75
Terminal 1/3 to Terminal 3/1: 120

This is how it works in the US. Domestic terminals don't have customs facilities at all, nor is there any isolation of anything but international arrivals areas. Without rebuilding the airports there simply would be no way to do it otherwise.

Your bag will actually be tagged to the final destination but you claim it at the first US airport anyway and then generally just drop it on a conveyor outside customs--I've never spent more than about 1 minute on this and that was when a machine was broken.

Thanks for the replies but I found a good price for BOM-LHR-PHX so that's what I'll be flying. First visit to LHR with a 7 hr layover so I get to experience first hand why LHR has such a bad rep amongst FT folk.

Just did the Europe-YYZ-US thing last week. I flew from CDG through YYZ to LAX. Arriving in YYZ we were not sent to canadian immigration but rather to a special baggage claim area for bags going on to the US. After picking my bag I went through US customs and then US immigration and rechecked my bag on to LAX. after that you are in the US side of the YYZ terminal never actually setting foot on true Canadian soil. When we arrived in LAX it was a regular domestic arrival no additional immigration. The US immigration and customs at YYZ was very quick and no lines when I went through there. If you do not fly through Canada but rather directly into the US you will clear immigration at the first point of entry to the US. The Canadian cities are special the major ones have US immigration at the Canadian airport rather than the US airport.

YYZ Intl arr to US transit >>> Different for T1 and T3.
 

Base on your info my guess is that you flew *A (UA AC) so your transit is within T1. T3 has a different international arrival > Transfer to US procedure which requires immigration and/or customs.

All *A flight use T1, AC's home(flagship) terminal. ST, OW and other flights uses the older T3. Home-field advantage at a cost.