Is baggage claim before or after immigration?

Generally speaking, you collect your luggage after immigration (passport) control, but before customs control. However, if you are a transit passenger, you may not have to collect your baggage at all. This depends on which airport/country you are passing through and whether or not a change of airline is involved.

Do you pick up your luggage before customs?

You don’t need to pick up your luggage until the airport it’s checked through to, with one exception: You must carry it through US Customs when entering the US.

How do I collect my luggage at the airport?

Get to the baggage claim area before your bags do If you are in an unfamiliar airport with a large baggage claim area, there may be many baggage carousels. If you are not sure where to go, ask one of your airline’s agents, or look for a baggage carousel board that lists which carousel will have your flight’s bags.

Do you go through customs before or after baggage claim?

You can go through immigration without your luggage, but customs will be located after baggage claim. Do you go through customs before or after your flight? In most cases, you’ll go through customs and immigration after your flight first arrives in a new country, but there are exceptions.

Do I have to pick up my luggage at the airport?

At your departure airport, the bag will be checked through to your final destination, but even so, everyone must pick up and carry their bags through US Customs at their first port of entry, and then immediately drop them again at a special baggage drop just past the customs area.

Do you go through immigration at one airport and customs at another?

There are a few very rareitineraries in the US where you will go through immigration at one airport and customs at another airport. This is called progressive clearance. It’s generally used on itineraries which enter the US, making two or more landings, and then depart the US.

What happens after immigration inspection at the airport?

Cell phone calls are not allowed in the inspection area. The next step after immigration inspection is to retrieve your baggage, and the final step is Customs inspection during which your suitcases may be opened and checked. The following flow chart demonstrates the overall inspection process at a U.S. airport: