Clearing US customs at a Canadian airport

[Feneant]

Hi,

We are traveling to the US by plane for the first time and wondering about clearing customs.

Halifax is our departure point and they have a new preclearance facility. Does this mean that we can clear the border there and not have to collect our bags at JFK and do it again there? (As in our bags would automatically be transferred to the flight).

Their description confuses me as it's as follows :
Non-stop U.S. bound passengers traveling from Halifax Stanfield International Airport now use the new U.S. Preclearance Facility. The new facility, located at the far end of the terminal building (see inset in FAQ below), will allow non-stop U.S. bound passengers to go through U.S. Customs and Border Protection prior to their departure.

However, we do have a stop... we're doing Halifax -> New York -> Vegas.... so does this mean we can't get preclearance?

Confusing stuff!

Thanks

[mgn2000]

You do not have clear customs again. Once you pre clear customs, don't have to do it again. When you land at JFK, it will be treated as a domestic flight. You get off the plane and just go to your next departure gate.

[heymikey]

Aside from what he/she said, if it's all on one ticket, your bags will be checked through Vegas so you don't have to pick it up in JFK

[Pete_Coach]

This pre-clearance is great. No waiting at customs when you land.
Just give yourself extra time as the xray your bags and may get you to take off your shoes etc. They do not care if you miss your flight.

[Jucius Maximus]

^ Agree
I wish that pre-clearance was available for every international destination.

However the US is getting really scary these days with how they treat people trying to enter their country.

[heymikey]

^ Agree
I wish that pre-clearance was available for every international destination.
LOL. That wouldn't work since every country would be sending their own border security officials for every international airport and that wouldn't be feasible.

[Feneant]

Thank you for the answers, it is exactly what I wanted to hear :)

We only have 2 hours at JFK and having to get our bags, clear immigration and security again was a huge concern for me.

[drewfar]

However the US is getting really scary these days with how they treat people trying to enter their country.

I travel quite frequently, and I must say that I always find US Customs a lot friendlier and less harassing than Canadian customs. Not only that, I find that ever since I've been living out of the country (in Mexico), that Canadian customs has been even worse, and there has been little to no difference with US customs.

This is always at the airport though, not at land border crossings.

[pitz]

I travel quite frequently, and I must say that I always find US Customs a lot friendlier and less harassing than Canadian customs. Not only that, I find that ever since I've been living out of the country (in Mexico), that Canadian customs has been even worse, and there has been little to no difference with US customs.

Yeah no kidding, Canada Customs officers go apesh*t on me when their manifests don't show that I've been travelling to central/south american countries (some of which, are notorious for being involved with the drug trade). Because I tend to travel on seperate tickets (just works out that way, AC doesn't serve many of the places I go!).

Never have had similar problems in Dallas, Houston, or Miami with US Customs. They're just like, "japanese-Canadian dude, must not be a problem."

[Jucius Maximus]

I travel quite frequently, and I must say that I always find US Customs a lot friendlier and less harassing than Canadian customs. Not only that, I find that ever since I've been living out of the country (in Mexico), that Canadian customs has been even worse, and there has been little to no difference with US customs.

This is always at the airport though, not at land border crossings.

I have to agree... I was born in Canada and still I get more trouble coming into Canada than any other place I've gone.