By continuing to browse the site you are agreeing to our. New York's John F. Kennedy airport, which receives 14.6 million travelers arriving from overseas each year, and Miami International Airport, which gets more than 10 million international arrivals annually, are among the airports with the longest average wait time to clear passport control. Acceptance of U.S. Passport Applications. Athens-Clarke County Library does not take the passport photographs. 356, or email the Reference desk at refdesk@athenslibrary.org. Use alcohol in moderation and remain in control. To date, more than 72 million travelers have participated in the biometric facial comparison process at air, land, and seaports of entry. BTW, when listing what one must go thru at airport, do not use the word "customs" because that is not even a thing -- there is a desk one walks by, but the only people who stop are businesses that are bringing major merchandise in.. for the rest of us, nada. Charlotte,North Carolina 28227-8744. Its far better to be early than to risk missing your flight! Fortunately we had priority seats so our luggage drop off had no more than a 5 minute wait. Once the applications leave our facility, we have no control over the passport-issuing process. LockA locked padlock Fees are payable to the U.S. Ramsey Qubein is a freelance travel journalist covering hotels, cruises, airlines, and loyalty programs from around the globe. There is space at the bottom of the application for former names (maiden, married). Passport control had a long line up but it moved steadily and we were through in 16 minutes. Our valuable partnership with CLT continues to enhance the travel experience. We never have had to collect our bags as they are booked straight through. Lengthy delays have also been reported in Lisbon, Madrid, Milan, Brussels, and Lyon. The reason for these seasonal changes is simple its all about volume of travelers. The EU directive does not refer to domestic flights and those to Schengen countries. In 2019, last time I came, it was longer because a big jumbo jet from China came in same time but as u know, no tourism from china now. The officer may ask a few questions about your trip, but the process is swift because, as a Mobile Passport user, youll have a dedicated lane in 31 participating airports that expedites the line to complete the standard immigration and customs process. On the other hand, the Satellite terminal has two levels, one for arrivals and one for departures. Not consenting or withdrawing consent, may adversely affect certain features and functions. At both JFK, about a quarter of the returning US citizen passengers had to wait in line for more than 30 minutes before they cleared US immigration, and in Miami, a third of the passengers had to wait for that long! In an announcement, Athens International Airport Eleftherios Venizelos informs passengers that as of April 7th, 2019, the Hellenic Police will implement EU Regulation 2017/458 which requires systematic checks against relevant databases, for all European citizens travelling to/from Non-Schengen destinations., Tags arrivals athens International Airport countries departures non-schengen passport controls. The lounge is not accessible to passengers departing from Hall B and the Satellite Terminal. The app serves as a replacement for completing a traditional, paper customs Declaration form or using the Automated Passport Control kiosk when you arrive. U.S. Citizens Will Need to Register to Travel to Europe in 2024, Lufthansa Unveils New Cabins With Over-the-Top First and Business SuitesHeres a First Look, Need a New U.S. Passport? U.S. Customs and Border Protection is the unified border agency within the Department of Homeland Security charged with the management, control and protection of our nation's borders at and between official ports of entry. Flights to Schengen & non-Schengen countries; Passport Control, Flight Transfer Procedures, Terminals complex layout and TERMINAL Details: NOTE: If arriving by train at the Airport, follow signs to the Departures level of the Main Terminal.) Youll be glad to get out of one airport quickly, at least! U.S. travelers and foreign nationals who are not required to provide biometrics and wish to opt out of the new biometric process can simply notify a CBP officer as they approach the primary inspection point. *Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland are part of the Schengen Zone although they are not members of the European Union. Connecting Passengers at Athens International Airport. Although we cant offer any easy solutions to the passport control delays you may face in Europe, we do have a suggestion for your return to the US. If one parent cannot be present when applying for their childs passport, the parents consent must be notarized on either a Statement of Consent form (DS-3053), or in a separate notarized letter. Due to the possible increased waiting time for the passport, passengers traveling to non-Schengen countries are kindly requested to access the checkpoints of the Greek Police on time, in order to have the necessary time available to reach the Departure Gate for their flight, the press release notes. For now, Mobile Passport feels like a well-kept secret among international travelers. It may take you longer than normal to clear immigration and get out of the airport. There are many ways you can help, from volunteering your time to joining the Friends of the Library to making a financial contribution. April 2, 2019 USPassportHelpGuide.com learn about us! According to this press release, domestic flights, as well as those to and from inland Schengen still fall outside the provisions of this directive. IT IS A PRIVATELY OPERATED WEBSITE FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY, New Passport: How to Apply for a U.S. Passport. Those two minutes per traveler add up quickly, especially when you consider that just one arriving flight may contain 500 or more passengers! The officer took a quick glance and stamped the passports. You will be denied service if you do not supply the required documentation or adhere to U.S. Passport Acceptance rules and regulations. Expedited Services available for an additional $60. If your current married name is not shown on your current identification, you will submit your application, birth certificate or expired passport, and your original marriage certificate. Average wait times were all in excess of 20 minutes. CBP is expanding the use of facial biometrics at Charlotte Douglas International Airport to provide travelers a safe, touchless international arrival process that further secures and modernizes air travel, said Barry Chastain, CBP Area Port Director Charlotte. For more information, upon arrival at the Athens International Airport, feel free to contact AEGEANs representative in the blue waistcoat with the Connection Ambassador sign. It is a privately operated website portal for informational purposes only. Head must be between 1 -1 3/8 inches (25 35 mm) from the bottom of the chin to the top of the head. Please be advised that the Athens-Clarke County Library has no authority to modify time frames. If your passport was stolen, you need to contact Passport Services immediately. Hey and welcome organizedbag:-) You'll go through 'passport control' in Rome;-) Once in Athens, you'll simply retreive your luggage.. and if grabbing the dedicated Express X96 bus to Piraeus, I'd give the whole process a couple of hours minimum .. the bus is traffic dependent getting out to Piraeus.. can take as little as an hour.. or more . 356 for details). For flights to Europe, Atlanta and Washington-Dulles offer the smoothest re-entry to the United States. Udi Onyile contributed reporting. The month of November has the second shortest average wait times at passport checkpoints. The main purpose of the directive is to prevent any threat to the internal security and public policy of the Member States, including where such a threat derives from Union citizens. If your airport offers it, we highly recommend it. make the most of your time at the airport. Security Fast Track is a dedicated lane at the airport security control enabling you to reach your departure gate quickly. Customs is a thing but it relates to your goods, not you. I wouldn't travel with the bags of someone I didn't know well and trust. Download Now: Mobile Passport, Free, App Store; Google Play. Does Athens International Airport have a fast track service for security and/or passport control. Atlantas Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, which receives nearly 5 million international arrivals every year, has an average wait time of just 12 minutes! In the wake of the terror attacks in Paris in November 2015 and Brussels in March 2016, European governments have been increasing scrutiny of travelers. A certified birth certificate must also be presented when renewing a childs passport when the child is still under 16 years of age. However since you fly with the luggage, this might take a while, and you can take overall up to 40 minutes before you leave the customs. You must provide the ORIGINAL BIRTH CERTIFICATE, or a Certified copy (a copy with a raised seal), or an expired passport. Some non-US citizens are eligible to use the new checkpoint-expediting technologies. Athens airport has about 10 screening stations and is very efficient. Notable airports that are not on the list include Detroit, Las Vegas, and Charlotte, North Carolina. Citizens wishing to renew their U.S. passports which are less than 15 years old from the date of issue may pick up the renewal form at the library and then submit them through the mail. Jump to top This topic has been automatically closed due to a period of inactivity. Smaller airports have the advantage of receiving fewer passengers, but that doesnt always mean that theyll have shorter lines at passport control. Customs control will be available temporarily (from 26 April 2022 until 30 October 2022) also at Santorini, Mykonos, Ioannina (exception applies to flight OA160), Samos, Kavala, Kos, Chios, Mytilene, Zakynthos . Yes, connecting flights can be confusing and time-consuming, especially if you aren't on a domestic flight. Enter your booking code and your surname. Sorry, summer vacationers July and August are always the months with the very longest lines at passport control, no matter what airport you use. The app is free to download and enables you to submit your passport and customs declaration information via your smartphone instead of the traditional paper form. But, considering required interviews can be cumbersome to schedule and it comes at a cost of $100 every five years, its not for everyone. Online check-in will be available up to 3 hours prior to your departure. A Increase font size. I had to go through passport and customs,collect my checked bags, recheck them at the sky express airline counter, and go back through security to get to my domestic flight gate. That includes US citizens, as well as travelers from Canada, the United Kingdom, and Ireland. CHARLOTTE, NC U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) announcedtoday the implementation of biometric facial comparison technology to the Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT) as part of CBPs efforts to secure and streamline international travel. An official website of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Greek Police will conduct tougher passport controls at Athens International Airport also for EU citizens coming from or departing for non-Schengen countries. A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States. (And having flown two dozen domestic flights in the last two years, if there are delays or cancelations, arriving earlier is of no consequence.). Once youve indicated your arrival airport and airline, and submitted the form (the process takes about a minute), the app creates a QR code that you show to an immigration officer inside the airport. CBP is charged with securing the borders of the United States while enforcing hundreds of laws and facilitating lawful trade and travel. JFKs main competition, Newark Liberty Airport, is also an efficient option, with average wait times of 17 minutes at its passport checkpoints. If youre flying in to Sacramento, though, youd be better off pulling up Angry Birds instead of the Uber app youre going to be in line for a while. If you fly to and from airports outside the Schengen Zone, after passing through passport control, head to Gates A1-A23. All Rights Reserved. This is especially important if you are in a hot location, as there have been reports of passengers fainting in overheated, crowded airports! Dulles International Airport (IAD), Washington, D.C. 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Mineta San Jose International Airport (SJC), San Jose, Luis Muoz Marn San Juan Airport (SJU), San Juan, Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC), Salt Lake City, Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA), Seattle, Port Everglades Cruise Port (USPEF), Fort Lauderdale, Port of Palm Beach (USPBC), West Palm Beach. Greek Police will conduct tougher passport controls at Athens International Airport also for EU citizens coming from or departing for non-Schengen countries. document.getElementById("comment").setAttribute( "id", "a24597028e522881eb90104a9a28975a" );document.getElementById("hc2ab7a317").setAttribute( "id", "comment" ); Please check your inbox (or spam folder) to confirm and activate your subscription. (function(w,d,e,o,u,s,t){w[o]||(w[o]={},s=d.createElement(e),s.src=u,s.async=1, Reason for this is the implementation of EU directive 458/2017, which Greece implements with a delay of two years. Make sure that you have collected the right luggage by checking your baggage claim tags. "script","oiopub","https://thedelphiguide.com/mediashop/zones.js"); Greek Police will conduct tougher passport controls at Athens International Airport also for EU citizens coming from or departing for non-Schengen countries. That's why you might also see them walking around Schiphol Plaza, for example. Enter your booking code and your surname. Twenty minutes? When you fly in to any Schengen country in Europe, your passport will have to be checked against multiple databases of information, including Interpol records of lost and stolen passports. Athens Airport Contact Info Address: Athens International Airport "El Venizelos" SA, Spata, 19019, Greece Phone: (+30) 2103530000 (available 24/7) Fax: (+30) 2103530001 E-mail : airport_info@aia.gr To provide the best experiences, we use technologies like cookies to store and/or access device information. If youre not a US citizen, and you come from a country that does require visas to visit Schengen countries, this means that the visa you get for your visit to one Schengen country will also allow you to visit any other country in the zone. As well as border control duties, the Marechaussee also helps keep our airport safe. There are currently 31 airports and 4 cruise ports in the United States that have Mobile Passport lines. The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for anonymous statistical purposes. No one likes waiting in line, especially not when youve just disembarked from a long international flight. Official websites use .gov Passengers traveling to Non-Schengen destinations are kindly requested to allow for extra time at the passport control for the checks to be conducted by the Hellenic Police, the announcement says, adding that in order to accelerate the checks, it is advisable to hold a passport document rather than an ID card. The Library also accepts cash, personal checks (not starter checks), or money orders for the Execution fee. Here's how Mobile Passport works and what . Online check-in will be available up to 3 hours prior to your departure. Sacramento had the worst wait times of all the airports surveyed. Theres often no one else in the Mobile Passport line when I land at SFO [in San Francisco], says AFAR Senior SEO Manager, Jessie Beck, Thanks to this app, I typically clear customs in five minutes or lesssometimes faster than my friends with Global Entry.. ) or https:// means youve safely connected to the .gov website. Upon entering the terminal, follow the airport signs for "Arrivals," go through Passport Control (for non-Schengen arrivals), pick up your baggage and after customs clearance, exit from the Arrivals / All Users Area. Some airports are much better at getting US citizens swiftly processed through passport control than others! Is there any truth to this? If you are a naturalized U.S. Citizen you must provide your CERTIFICATE OF NATURALIZATION. Arriving at a busy time and would like to not have to spend a long time in passport control arriving in Athens. Line normally about 20 minutes. For all other states, you may contact the department of vital records for the State in which you were born, or go to www.vitalchek.com, or call 1-800-255-2414. Like Global Entry, Mobile Passport can only be used for arrival in the United States. You might think that November is a busy travel month because of Thanksgiving, but the majority of that travel is domestic, not international. So, many may wonder if they need to go through customs for their connecting international flight through Europe. 2023 Rick Steves' Europe, Inc. | Terms of Service | Privacy Policy. The lounge is located in the Non-Schengen area of the Departure Hall on Level 2, Non-Schengen (International) flights only. And waited. Our passport staff will go over the documentation and fees you will need to bring with you. Its a surprisingly small and efficient airport for such a major destination. Can I change or add services to my flight after booking? Baggage claim is what took time. When you first use it, you must upload a headshot and enter your passport details (its as simple as scanning your passport page). There are specific customs restrictions for passengers entering Greece from any country outside the Schengen Zone (Extra Schengen), Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Iceland and Norway. If you fly from and to airports within the Schengen Zone, head to Gates B1-B31. If you fly from an airport outside the Schengen Zone to a destination within the Schengen Zone*, after passing through passport and security control and claim your baggage, head to Gates B1-B31. In Athens airport I saw very few lines of any note and 3 hours is more than enough. Mobile Passport Control, (Mobile Passport)which CBP launched in 2014, is a free app that lets travelers use a dedicated, and often shorter, customs line in U.S. airports and cruise ports. in Athens, or only the odd man out? The wait time report recommends that if youre flying to Asia, youre better off returning to Seattle than to any airport in California. The top two airports which receive the highest number of international arrivals also have some of the longest wait times for passport control. Consenting to these technologies will allow us to process data such as browsing behavior or unique IDs on this site. Since September 2018, CBP has leveraged facial biometrics to prevent more than 650 imposters from illegally entering the United States by using genuine travel documents that were issued to other people. Passport control in ATH is fast, if you're from a non-visa country Greeks don't seem to ask any questions except "how long you gonna stay". t=d.getElementsByTagName(e)[0],t.parentNode.insertBefore(s,t))})(window,document, The odd man out will likely have to get his bags in Athens, clear customs there, and check in for the flight to Mykonos as if he was originating in Athens. Your email address will not be published. Please call 706-613-3650 to set up your appointment. Pre-Covid, I found that arriving 3 hours early to a European airport resulted in having to wait 90 minutes just to check one's luggage! CBP officer at Charlotte Airport uses. However, we still recommend that you arrive early for your flight just in case the security delays have extended to Schengen-area flights. Immigration/Passport Control is where you get your passport stamped. This allows you to opt for whichever line is shorter once you reach border control. If your current married name is shown on your current identification, you will submit your application, birth certificate or expired passport. When you plan your next international trip, you might want to think about the airport experience when you choose your flights. National databases containing information on stolen, misappropriated, lost and invalidated travel documents. General Measures What general precautionary measures are in place? Although airlines have tried to warn passengers to arrive hours early for their flights, many travelers are not getting through the lines in time to board. Thank you in advance to all seasoned travelers for helping me figure out logistics for my trip (we leave in 9 days!). Paris-Orly, Schipol Airport in Amsterdam, and Palma de Mallorca airports have been named the worst offenders, with travelers waiting as long as four hours to clear passport control. For a lost passport, you must also submit the form DS-64, Statement Regarding Lost or Stolen Passport.. Customs, for those not declaring anything, is just a walk through. They are required to follow all Federal rules and regulations with no exceptions. Make sure you have the necessary travel documents and that your hand luggage does not exceed the baggage allowance of your fare, in order to avoid extra charges. One traveling companion has heard (and is now insisting) that we must arrive at the Athens Airport 4+ hours ahead of our flight back to the US (in July) due to extraordinarily long lines and prevalent airport strikes in Europe. This enhanced process using facial biometrics only takes a few seconds and is more than 98 percent accurate. You can also download a Passport Renewal Form here. 4 is overkill at Athens. The Mobile Passport app is available for iOS and Android devices and can be downloaded from the app store. New Yorks John F. Kennedy airport, which receives 14.6 million travelers arriving from overseas each year, and Miami International Airport, which gets more than 10 million international arrivals annually, are among the airports with the longest average wait time to clear passport control. Mobile Passport Control is now available at 24 major international airports in the US. In addition, CBP looks forward to partnering with stakeholders at other international ports of entry across N.C. to implement Simplified Arrival.. According to a press release of the Athens International Airport, the new checks apply to all EU passport holders traveling to or from countries that are not members of the Schengen Convention. If you are planning a European vacation to any of the countries in the Schengen area, you are likely to encounter delays at the airport. Top honors for speedy passport control goes to Chicago-Midway Airport, which clears passengers through passport control in an average of only 9 minutes. The technical storage or access is necessary for the legitimate purpose of storing preferences that are not requested by the subscriber or user. FTC Disclosure: We may be compensated if you make a purchase via a link on this site. I would say you probably would want to be at the airport 3 hours before your return flight. You do clear passport control at your first EU entry point. . Select 'Check-in'. All Rights Reserved. If the last name has changed because of marriage, the applicant must show I.D. Although the new security procedures are only supposed to take about two minutes per traveler, many airports in Europe dont have enough security staff to process passengers through quickly. I would not arrive more than three hours early. At a smaller airport, there will typically be fewer US Customs and Border Patrol agents on duty checking passports, which means that just one or two large flights arriving can cause backups in the immigration lines. We were on Air Canada which arrived a bit late and we had 55 minutes to catch our onward flight which was on a separate ticket. Adults may submit their current valid Drivers License, government-issued ID card, or other forms of identity (call 706-613-3650, ext. It also advises EU travelers to use a passport instead of an Identity Card in order to speed up the control procedures. Europes open borders have closed a bit more with the passage of European Union regulation 2017/458 this past March. If you have Global Entry, you can still use Mobile Passport. A lock ( For an international airport, its not large. A few questions about arrivals and departures at the Athens Airport: 7 people booked the same flights in two different ways, and we're unsure of what to expect when we arrive in Athens. February 24, 2023 Migration Tougher passport controls are being carried out at the Athens International Airport "Eleftherios Venizelos" on EU nationals since April 7, by the Greek Police. CBP is committed to its privacy obligations and has taken steps to safeguard the privacy of all travelers. Please visit our FAQ page for updated information about Passport Services. The Airport warns passengers of the possibility of increased waiting times at check points, and calls on timely presence at the departure gates. Athens ATH airport VIP Connection service; Our professional agent will expedite you from the gate of arrival to your connecting flight without having to queue in lines. One is directly after the passport control right in front of luggage belt number one. I assume that person will have to exit security to recheck their bags with Aegean?