Immigration comes first, almost always
On arrival, immigration or passport control checks your right to enter the country, before you ever reach baggage claim. This is purely about identity and entry status, not what is in your bags.
Baggage claim sits in between
After immigration, travelers collect checked luggage before reaching customs. This order exists because customs needs to inspect what you are actually bringing in, which is impossible before the bags arrive.
Customs is a declaration, not an interrogation
Customs asks what you are bringing into the country, via a card, app, or simple verbal question. Most travelers with nothing unusual to declare pass through in under a minute; the process is designed around exceptions, not the typical traveler.
Questions people ask
Do I go through customs at a connecting airport too?
Often yes, if your first stop is the country's initial point of entry — even if your final destination is a different city in the same trip.
What if I am unsure whether something needs declaring?
Declaring it is almost always the safer choice; an honest declaration that turns out to be unnecessary is a minor delay, while an undeclared item that should have been flagged is a real problem.