Customs

[MrsDH]

Can someone explain to me how customs actually works ?
Since I have never been on an international flight.....
How does it work leaving the US ? And returning to the US ?

I am flying out of Buffalo NY with a connection to JFK and onto Aruba.
( so from what I understand I do inbound Customs when we land in Aruba )

I dont understand the flying home part, we leave Aruba on a Sunday and Fly into Logan airport in Boston and then back to Buffalo.
So when do you do Customs ? Aruba before you leave ? Boston ? Both ?
Thanks !

[Arubalisa]

Originally Posted by MrsDH

what I understand I do inbound Customs when we land in Aruba

It is really just Customs officers who randomly pull folks aside to question them on the contents of their luggage. In 19 trips we have never spoken to an Aruba Customs officer.

You will go through Aruba Customs after picking up your luggage at the carousel in Aruba.

You will go through US Customs and Immigration in Aruba at the airport.

People often ask why it is suggested that you arrive at the airport three full hours prior to your flight's departure from Aruba. You need time to clear not only security, but U.S. Customs & US Immigration as well. Through in some time for duty free shopping and additional security, and well, you get the idea.
The good news is that you will only go through U.S. Customs & US Immigration at the airport in Aruba. When your flight arrives in the U.S. you will be deplaning just as you would from any domestic flight in the U.S.

Here is a map of the Airport in Aruba.




The Procedure You Will Go Through Is As Follows:

• Check in with your airline
• Enter the main building and go through Aruban immigration
• Go through Aruba Security/xray checkpoint
• Duty free shopping
• Retrieve you luggage to pack duty free purchases
• Take your luggage and go through US Immigration
• Place your luggage back onto the conveyor belt to be placed on the plane
• Go through second security/xray checkpoint (see map)

Once you have gone through US Customs and Immigrations you are for all purposes, back in the U.S. though yeah you are technically still in Aruba.

I dont understand the flying home part, we leave Aruba on a Sunday and Fly into Logan airport in Boston and then back to Buffalo.
So when do you do Customs ? Aruba before you leave ? Boston ? Both ?
Thanks !

When you get off the plane in the U.S. whether it is a connecting flight or not, you will be treated in the U.S. as an ordinary domestic flying passenger who is not involved with immigrations or customs.

In other words when you step off the plane in Boston, it will be no different than say, flying Florida to Boston.

[MrsDH]

Thanks for the AWESOME explanation ! I am going to print that up and carry it with me in the airport !!!

[sunscreen]

That's why we love this forum - great and timely responses.

[Arubalisa]

Originally Posted by sunscreen

That's why we love this forum - great and timely responses.

[sunnysmiles]

Originally Posted by Arubalisa

The Procedure You Will Go Through Is As Follows:

• Check in with your airline
• Enter the main building and go through Aruban immigration
• Go through Aruba Security/xray checkpoint
• Duty free shopping
• Retrieve you luggage to pack duty free purchases
• Take your luggage and go through US Immigration
• Place your luggage back onto the conveyor belt to be placed on the plane
• Go through second security/xray checkpoint (see map)

There were signs all over that we weren't supposed to open our luggage after it went thru Aruba security/prior to US immigration. I didn't understand why we couldn't if we had been thru security ourselves?! All I wanted to do was get a pen out of my suitcase but we were told we couldn't.

[Shnyda]

There is duty free shopping after you pass through US Customs in the AUA airport. The whole thing never made any sense to me.

The guys at AUA security told me once I had to dump out all my liquor - and kept a straight face for about a minute as I got infuriated - until they told me they were just joking. Bunch of characters!

[Andrea J.]

i am confused.
the duty free shops are before us customs at queen beatrix airport.
one carries their duty free purchases thru us customs.
upstairs, at the gates are small little kiosk vendors that sell souvenir stuff, nothing there that us customs would be interested in.

or did i miss something?

Originally Posted by Shnyda

There is duty free shopping after you pass through US Customs in the AUA airport. The whole thing never made any sense to me.

The guys at AUA security told me once I had to dump out all my liquor - and kept a straight face for about a minute as I got infuriated - until they told me they were just joking. Bunch of characters!

[Chadd]

Originally Posted by Shnyda

There is duty free shopping after you pass through US Customs in the AUA airport. The whole thing never made any sense to me.

Hush, too many of my friends and family expect me to bring back a bottle of rum.

[Shnyda]

Originally Posted by Andrea J.

i am confused.
the duty free shops are before us customs at queen beatrix airport.
one carries their duty free purchases thru us customs.
upstairs, at the gates are small little kiosk vendors that sell souvenir stuff, nothing there that us customs would be interested in.

or did i miss something?

Where we fly out of, I forget which Gate. Where Continental takes off from. There are DEFINITELY duty free stores. Liquor, cigs, perfume. I was depressed the last time because the main duty frees were open before customs, and the ones by the gate were closed. The smaller ones opened up just before our plane took off.