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Customs and Immigration in Europe (and C+I where it is not published - how?)

Frans wrote:

I thought I have to send a copy of my flightplan to the Norwegian customs by myself, or does IPPC this for me automatically?

In IPPC when filing a flight plan, at the bottom of the schema, you have a tick box to get the flight plan sent to customs.

ENVA, Norway

Flying to international airports requires a flightplan only, just like in Norway and almost any other country.

That may be true in certain countries. Try flying a PA28 to London Gatwick It is possible…

to get the flight plan sent to customs

I don’t think sending a FP to Customs does anything at all, in the general case. They are either H24 (or “HRS AD” i.e. present when the AD is open) and no notification is needed (e.g. most of Croatia including the islands) or they are on PNR/PPR and a FP won’t do anything there.

Usually it is a huge and total mistake to think that a FP does anything useful in terms of permissions, PNR or PPR. It is merely a legal requirement for border crossings (with some very limited exceptions).

Administrator
Shoreham EGKA, United Kingdom

Peter wrote:

Try flying a PA28 to London Gatwick It is possible…

Yes it is, VFR as well… The AIP, AD2.20 §5 says : All flights operaing at….. subject to approval of the CEO… and require a slot allocated by ACL.

But the AIP isn’t an authority document, it appears…

EDHS, Germany

Peter wrote:

That may be true in certain countries. Try flying a PA28 to London Gatwick
I was talking about immigration/customs in this way, not about some requirements of the airport owner/authorities. You cannot land on Frankfurt without PPR, but you can land for example at Memmingen, Paderborn, Hannover or even VFR to Düsseldorf without prior notice.

Peter wrote:
Usually it is a huge and total mistake to think that a FP does anything useful in terms of permissions, PNR or PPR.
@WingsWaterAndWheels respond to me about the Norwegian situation in particular, not about other countries. For Norway, sending the flightplan to customs 4 hours prior ETA appears to be enough.
Last Edited by Frans at 16 Oct 09:48
Switzerland

I don’t think sending a FP to Customs does anything at all, in the general case

There is no general case. You have to do what the AIP say. Flying to Norway, the general case is you can land wherever you want, with permission from the land owner if you fly from a Schengen country. If you fly from a non Schengen country, you have to land at a customs field (international field).

But then comes customs. You can still land anywhere you want, but this requires you have done pre arrangement with the customs, which may not be all that easy. Then there is a list of fields where you can land with min 4 hour up front, and a list of international fields with 1 hour up front. However, if you have any customs matters whatsoever, you have to go to an international field. It’s all in the AIP.

This is all done through the FP, IPPC, just hook off the “send to customs” button. Except for ad hoc pre arrangement which you have to do yourself.

These are the rules, and it doesn’t matter if you are a Norwegian flying a Norwegian plane.

Flying to EU is best done via Sweden. The only requirement is to have filed a FP one hour in advance (when coming from Norway or Island). You can go to any airfield, but again, if you have any customs matter, you have to go to Swedish customs field.

The elephant is the circulation
ENVA ENOP ENMO, Norway

Frans wrote:

You cannot land on Frankfurt without PPR, but you can land for example at Memmingen,

No. Memmingen is PPR for customs and immigration, with a online form.

https://www.allgaeu-airport.de/?ddownload=5809

LSZH(work) LSZF (GA base), Switzerland

Not correct, the flight notification form for the period outside of normal times or in order to sum everything up before you arrive.
Permanently staffed during (long) day and no notice required (tried and tested, coming from CH)

Last Edited by ch.ess at 17 Oct 21:27
...
EDM_, Germany

Do both ends need a C+I aerodrome?

Hello

Where can I find the rules regarding the requirements for custom and immigration when crossing borders within Europe?

I have flown between Denmark, Sweden and Germany several times, where I have landed at small airfields with no immigration and custom services. I assume this is legal because all countries are EU and Schengen?

When crossing EU and Schengen borders, is it a requirement to both depart and arrive at a customs and immigration airfield; or is it only required for the destination?

Thank you.

Best regards
Christian

CLE
Roskilde Flying Club
EKRK

AIP GEN1.2 & GEN1.3 & AD1.1 & AD1.3 & AD2 of both country A & country B will have everything you need to know, it may not be up to date (vs actual EU/National/Local laws) or can have errors or omissions (sometimes ignorance is bliss), the AIP is not the actual legal law text but it’s where any pilot gets his briefing

For small airfields, it’s best not to extrapolate experience from one country to another place, especially if “pilot & aircraft” are not considered as “citizens & residents” going back home !

If you have some A to B countries in mind, better ask about these specifically, I am sure someone in EuroGA fly between them and know the rules…

Last Edited by Ibra at 29 Dec 20:48
Paris/Essex, France/UK, United Kingdom

When crossing EU and Schengen borders, is it a requirement to both depart and arrive at a customs and immigration airfield; or is it only required for the destination?

The former.

With many detail variations but the basic data is in the aerodrome AIP.

Administrator
Shoreham EGKA, United Kingdom
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