Customs
 

As this is our first time out of the US, please can you give us some help on what going thru customs will be like?

we are flying into gatwick from US
and then taking the train into Paris and then flying home from Paris into US.

When will we go thru customs?
what happens at customs?
what do we need to go thru customs?
Thanks
Melissa

Customs where? There or here?

Both

There's no US immigration/customs for leaving the US.

Arriving at Gatwick, you go through UK immigration, pick up luggage and go through the non-existent customs. [When entering most European countries, if you don't have goods to declare, you just walk out the green doors.]

When you take the Eurostar from London to Paris, you go through UK and French immigration (and again, basically non-existent customs) at Waterloo station. That's why you need go get there early - it's almost like a flight. Nothing when you arrive in Paris.

On the flight home, you go through exit immigration for France at Paris' airport. Then US immigration and customs at the first US port of entry.

On the planes, the flight attendants will hand out the required forms for you to fill out. Tell them you're US citizens, and they'll give you the required ones. Very simple stuff.

When you come back to the US, all you need to fill out is the customs form - one for the whole family.

Also, coming back through US customs is where they ask you about what you brought back to the US like booze, cheese, meat,food and gifts etc. We have always been waved through. As Rkk said , it is very simple stuff.

thanks
is there limis as to what we can bring back into the US?
Melissa

It is on the forms that they give you coming back. It is $400 us coming back, 1 liter of booze and 200 cigarettes or close to that.

Hi M,

>.. limits as to what we can bring back into the US?<

Yes. NO MEAT of any sort.

Foie gras is not considered meat.

$800 retail price of souveniers pp.

1 bottle of spirits. 1 bottle of wine per person.

However, just declare what you have. Customs duties are now so low, that most agents don't bother to calculate the duty.

((I))

Those limits are for duty free ($800 was correct).

Although I have heard of people being charged duty for going over the $800 limit, I have never heard of someone flying back from Europe being charged duty for excess alcohol.

I've brought back larger quanities several times, marked the amount on the form given to customs, and never been charged.

The first time, I asked about paying and the customs agent looked at me like I was stupid.

Keith

I think you have to bring in enough that they think you're going to resell it before they really start caring (that is not the law, of course, so if you get busted, don't blame me). I know I've brought back more booze than is allowed and they've never cared (and I was under 21 to boot). Just don't bring back drugs.

When we landed in London we had to walk through an immigration Control line to show our passports to an official. He asked how long we were going to be in the UK and the reason for our visit. He then stamped our passports and told us to enjoy our visit.

The same thing happened when we arrived in France. We had to walk through a line for non EU Citizens and show our passports to the official at the immigration counter there. Stamped our passports and wished us a "bonne vacances".

You'll only need to go through immigration in London since there are no controls between London & Paris because you will be traveling within the EU (somebody correct me please if I am wrong about that).

No big deal but you will have to walk through an immigration control and show your passport. So don't get spooked when you are directed to the "Immigration Control Lines"

Celticharper - Sorry but you're wrong on one point. There is passport control between the UK and France because while France is part of the Schengen common-travel zone, the UK is not. (It shares its own smaller zone with Ireland). So, one has to go through French immigration at Waterloo before boarding the train. [They did this on the British side so that you won't have 1,000 people arriving at Gare d'Nord all the same time.]

Also, I was wrong on one point though. At Waterloo, you won't go through UK immigration. UK, like the US and Canada, doesn't have passport control for people leaving the country.

Thanks, my memory was hazy and I couldn't remember if we went through two controls or only one. But now that you say that, I remember it was in both places.