Immigration Procedures
 

Hi,

My flight on KLM is from Singapore and my final destination is Rome, Italy. I have a layover in Paris (CDG). Do I need to go through immigration procedures in my final destination (Rome) or will I have it Paris (first point of entry to Europe)? Does it make a difference if we get the Schengen visa from Italy or from French embassy? Kindly enlighten.

Cheers,
Noel

You normally go though passport control and customs at your point of entry into the EU, but you should check with KLM. A Schengen visa is good throughout the Schengen countries.

Assuming your Air France flight to Paris connects with an Air France or Alitalia flight to Rome (KLM does not fly between Asia and Paris, or between France and Italy) and that your luggage is through checked to Rome, you follow the "transfers" signs at CDG and walk, through immigration and security, to your ongoing gate while your luggage is transferred direct to the plane. At Rome, you merely collect those bags and walk off.

It's 99.9% certain that IS your flight arrangement.

Schengen authorities want you to get your visa from the embassy of the country where you'll spend most time. In your case, that sounds like Italy. Embassies understand that many tourists travel round, and have complicated routings to get to their destination, so aren't necessarily too rigid in insisting on the precise mathematics of whether you'll spend a day longer in France than in Germany, say.

But if you apply to a Schengen country you're not spending more or less most of your time in, your application might be delayed while bureaucrats talk to other bureaucrats. And, under some circumstances, talk to you.

<i>You normally go though passport control and customs at your point of entry into the EU, </i>

You go though passport control and customs at your point of entry into SCHENGEN. If OP travelled via the UK (EU member) then they wouldn't go through immigration, if they flew via Switzerland (not an EU member) they would

It's probably a codeshare flight with KLM flight number but operated by Air France.
Having just connected at CDG on AF flight (terminal 2E), you first follow everyone until you get to an area with a big departure board. Check your gate number for your Rome flight, and follow directions. You fist go through passport control, and then walk to your gate area where there is security check and then finally to your gate. You may have to catch a driverless train, but it will be made clear to you. Not the easiest airport for connections, with some misleading signs, so ask if you are in any doubt. The connection from leaving the aircraft took about 15 minutes, but it was at 5.30 am so a quiet time.

Thanks everyone for your responses.

regards,
Noel