Connecting Flights Customs Procedure

What is the connecting flights customs procedure?

Do you have to go through customs on a connecting flight? The short answer is no, you don’t have to go through customs on a connecting flight, because you aren’t entering the country. Or, are you? It’s important to know what kind of connecting flight you have. Last but not least, these rules differ from country to country, and sometimes you have to go through customs on a layover too.

Below are 3 of the most likely scenarious.

This Is About Customs, not Security or Immigration (Passport Control)

Let’s not make a mistake on this.

These are three completely different things.

Here we are talking about customs, not security or immigration. Whenever people or goods enter or leave a country, customs officials check and control them. Customs officers make sure that everyone follows the rules and laws of the country. Customs is when you declare the goods and cash you are bringing into the country (if this is what the law asks you to do).

You can’t just bring 20 iPhones or 50,000 USD in cash without declaring that. Most likely these aren’t your personal iPhones for personal use, but you are conducting some sort of business by bringing them into the country. The same stands true with cash. This is what customs is about in air travel and aviation.

Speaking of security, yes, usually you have to go through security for connecting flights. In many situations, for every flight. Immigration? Mostly no.

Connecting Flights Customs Procedure

Here are 3 most likely scenarios.

1. You Have a Proper Connecting Flight

It’s a protected connecting flight booked from the airline.

In this case, you don’t enter the country. Let’s say, you have two flights with a layover in Dubai in between them. You arrive to the layover airport and go to the next boarding gate. You may have to go through airport security, but you don’t have to go through immigration (passport control).

In that’s the case, you don’t have to go through customs.

Unless, that’s the law. Or, this is your destination country (see the next point).

What is the connecting flights customs procedure? Mostly you don’t have to go through customs between flights on connecting flights.

1.1 You Have Arrived to Your Destination Country

You have arrived to your destination country.

The next flight’s destination is somewhere in the same country. In this case, there’s a high chance you will be entering the country. That means going through the immigration control and also customs control at the airport.

2. You Have a Self-Transfer Flight

In this case, it’s 99% that you are entering the country.

That means you’ll have to go through passport control. If you need a visa for the country, you’ll need a visa for this layover. And you’ll have to go through customs on a layover like this. Here you can read, how to tell if you have a self-transfer or not. It’s important to know this! More and more people travel with self transfer.

3. It’s Required by Law

Sometimes everyone have to go through customs.

If that’s the law in the country you are transiting through, you’ll have to abide by this law and go through customs between flights, despite the fact that you aren’t entering the country but just transiting through. And despite the fact that you have a connecting flight, not self transfer.

Do You Have to Go Through Customs on a Layover?

Most likely you don’t have to go through customs on a layover.

Unless:

1. that’s the law
2. you have arrived to your destination country
3. you have a self-transfer flight

What is your experience with customs on connecting flights? Have you ever been asked to go through customs during a layover?