Do I have to go through customs in Amsterdam for a connecting flight?

You will, however, go through immigration/passport control in Amsterdam. Unless you have an unreasonable delay, this should be plenty of time. As noted, you won't have to clear customs, but you will have to go through passport control and security.



Whether you need to go through customs in Amsterdam (Schiphol Airport) for a connecting flight depends on your specific route.

The key factors are: 1. Your final destination country. 2. Whether your journey started inside or outside the Schengen Area.

Here’s a simple breakdown:

1. You are connecting to a flight within the Schengen Area (e.g., Amsterdam → Paris, Rome, Berlin)

  • Yes, you must go through immigration (passport control). You will enter the Schengen Zone in Amsterdam.
  • You will NOT go through customs (where goods are declared) at this point. You’ll do that at your final destination.
  • Process: After deplaning, follow signs for “Connections / Transfer”. You will be directed to passport control (Schengen entry). After your passport is stamped, you proceed to the Schengen departure gates.

2. You are connecting to a flight outside the Schengen Area (e.g., Amsterdam → New York, London, Dubai)

  • No, you do NOT go through immigration or customs in Amsterdam.
  • Process: Follow the “Connections / Transfer” signs. You will remain in the non-Schengen transit zone and go through a security check. You then proceed directly to your departure gate for your onward flight.
  • You will clear immigration and customs upon arrival in your final destination country.

3. You are arriving from outside the Schengen Area and connecting to a flight outside the Schengen Area (e.g., Nairobi → Amsterdam → Toronto)

People Also Ask

The minimum required transfer time at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol is usually around 50 minutes. Please note, though, that if you travel to a non-Schengen country, you'll need to go through additional security checks, which might require more time.

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Do You Have To Go Through Customs During A Layover? Customs and immigration are usually required at the connecting airport for international flights. You don't always have to for domestic flights. In most cases, passengers on layover flights must clear customs and immigration at the first point of entry.

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KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, Schiphol's largest carrier, recommends a minimum connection time of 40 minutes for flights within Europe and 50 minutes for an international flight.

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Yes, a security check is mandatory when you take a connecting flight. This is because there is a time lag between getting off one aeroplane and getting on-board another to reach your destination.

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Allow enough time: Customs can be time-consuming, especially during peak travel periods. Make sure you allow enough time to clear customs and get to your connecting flight. As a general rule, it's best to allow at least two hours for international layovers.

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For international layover flights booked on one airline, two hours is often recommended to make your connection. For international flights on different airlines, the connection time will need to be even greater as you may have to change terminals between the two flights.

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When applying for an airport transit visa to Netherlands, you need to have the following documents:
  1. Standard required documents for a Dutch Schengen Visa.
  2. Proof of booked flight tickets.
  3. Proof of further travel. Valid visa, residence permit or passport for the next country after stopping in the Netherlands.


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You might have to go through customs during a layover, especially if your layover is in the Schengen Area (which consists of most countries in the EU). For example, if your final destination is Paris, France, but you have a layover in Madrid, Spain, you will actually go through customs in Spain, not France.

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It depends on how your ticket was booked. If your flights were booked under one ticket, your bags will be checked through to your final destination. If your flights were booked under separate tickets, you will need to collect your bags and recheck them before your connecting flight.

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Most of the time, your baggage will be automatically sent to your connecting flight. The only exception is if you're travelling on two separate tickets. In that case, your baggage will be delivered to baggage reclaim area. All you need to do is collect your baggage from the carousel and check it in again.

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You'll need to pick-up your luggage, then check it in again for the next flight. Top Tip: A wait at the airport between two connecting flights is called a layover. For more travel advice, check out our guide to dealing with a short layover.

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What is a good connection time? Travel advisers say there's a lot to take into account when booking connecting flights, but a general rule of thumb is 60-90 minutes between domestic flights and at least two to three hours for international itineraries.

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The recommended layover time for international flights is generally longer, as you will have to go through customs and immigration before boarding your next flight. In most cases, a 30-minute layover for domestic flights and an hour for international flights is considered a minimum, or short, layover.

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To put it simply, having a connecting flight means you will have to change planes. You will not be flying directly from A to B, but there will also be C. You will fly from A to C, and then from C to B. Sometimes there will be more than a single stop.

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If your itinerary was purchased as one ticket (as in: you have only one itinerary and one confirmation number), and the connection time was too short and you miss the second (or third) flight, you can rest easy, no matter what happens. The airline will simply put you onto the next available flight, free of charge.

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