Immigration in Amsterdam
 

Going to Edinburgh, Scotland in 10 days. I am leaving from Minneapolis, to Amsterdam, then on to Scotland. Do I go through immigration in Amsterdam or Edinburgh? Then on the way home, I go through immigration in Minneapolis, right?:confused3

From my understanding you'll go through immigration in Amsterdam. First point of contact in another country is where you go through immigration, however because Amsterdam is not part of the United Kingdom you may have to do it in both places. On the way home you'll for sure have to go in the USA, but again since the UK and Amsterdam are two seperate entities you may end up having to go through both.......


Wow I just realized my answer is super vague. I'd guess I'd just prepare for both!

Both!

The only time you don't have to re-go through customs when flying within Europe is when within the Schengen. The UK is not part of the Schengen (most the rest of Europe is though).

If you fly back and go Edinburg-Amsterdam-Minneapolis you would go through customs and immigration in both Amsterdam and Minneapolis.

Give yourself extra time when you go through Amsterdam...the times I went through there were long lines....I try to avoid now.....:furious:

Now I am more confused then ever. I looked it up, and it looks like I do not go through immigration until I get in Edinburgh. They are not part of the Schengen. Now if I were going to a country that was part of that, then I would. I was hoping someone on here had gone from US-Amsterdam-Scotland. I guess we will just have to wait and see. I will let you all know how it was when I get back. Thanks.

You are correct - you will not go through customs/immigration in Amsterdam, as long as you stay airside (i.e. don't follow the signs to baggage claim as if you were ending your flight in Amsterdam). Since you stay air side and are not flying to a Schengen country, you will not go through passport control (the gates for the Schengen flights are all in the same area and you'd go through passport control on your way to the gate for your second flight, if you were going to a Schengen country).

This video may help - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WaPIB...ature=youtu.be

I have done the US-Amsterdam-Edinburgh route many many times (the latest trip in April).

In Amsterdam you do not go through immigration per say, but the gate will set up mini immigration-like stations just before boarding where you have to show your passport and answer a few questions. It's not the general mass immigration so you don't need to worry about your flight connection. After you go through this, you are then stuck in what is effectively a holding pen - it has toilets but nothing else- until the flight boards (usually only 15-20 minutes or so).

You will then go through immigration in Edinburgh, but it's a very small airport so the queues don't tend to get that long.

That's security - not immigration. You'd do the same even if you had arrived at the airport in a taxi that morning.

OK, I'll be more specific to clarify that it is not like going through security in the US. You do go through a security step which is similar to the US prior to this (before you get to your gate, when you switch terminals, or more accurately, satellites/branches/tentacles), but there is an additional step AT the gate before the Edinburgh flight where you hand over your passport to an immigration official who may or may not look it up on their computer and who will ask you questions which include some combination along the lines of the purpose of your trip, country of residence, citizenship (if you are like me and hold two passports) etc. Everyone goes through the same queue - it's not divided by EU passport holders vs non-EU. I've been through this dozens of times over the past decade +. You'll have the same process on the way back.

ETA: Actually, last time, security wasn't at the tentacle change. Last time, my flight was down a set of steps which shared about half a dozen gates and security was at the start of this with mini-immigration at the actual gate before the holding pen.

Okay, If feel a little better now. Thanks for the You-Tube Video. I am flying Delta for both flights. Does anyone know if the gates are far apart?

Are you sure it is Delta for the AMS-EDI flight and not a code-share on a KLM plane?

We just flew Delta in August and went thru AMS to EDI. The gates were not close but everything is well marked in English. You go thru 2 security checks between flights in AMS. It took about 40 minutes to make it to the gate to go to EDI. Our luggage was checked thru to EDI so we didn't have to claim it in AMS.

Good luck!! Just make sure you have plenty of time between flights.

AMS to EDI is a code share via KLM

I know that about KLM, but looking at my ticket, it says Delta, flight 9632. I just checked, and I do think it will be KLM, because it says "see delta.com
I have one hour 50 min. going over between flights. Coming back, I only have 50 min., so that one is going to be close. I am up front on that flight, so that will help. Thank you so much. I have never flown over seas. Been on a few crusies, but that was way back and totally different.

Yup, it is a code share flight.

http://www.flightstats.com/go/Flight...?&id=275905947

Scroll to the box about "flight information" and it shows you how other airlines (in this case Delta) market the flight (you'll see that Delta calls it Delta 9632).

It is a KLM flight. It say KLM Royal Dutch Airlines.thanks for the info.