For the vast majority of passengers the immigration process only takes a few minutes, though lines can get long if many international flights arrive around the same time. Once you land, just follow the signs (and other passengers) to the immigration area.

The time you need for customs and immigration varies significantly based on the airport, the time of day, and your citizenship status, but you should generally budget at least 60 to 90 minutes for the process. While the actual "Customs" check (walking through the green or red channel) takes only seconds if you have nothing to declare, the Passport Control line before it is often the bottleneck. At major hubs like London Heathrow or JFK, peak hours can see waits of two hours or more. In 2026, many frequent travelers use "expedited" programs like Global Entry or Mobile Passport Control to bypass the longest lines in minutes. If you are booking a connecting flight that requires you to clear customs at your first port of entry, a layover of at least 3 hours is the "gold standard" to ensure you have enough time to collect your bags, clear security, and reach your next gate without stress.