Anyone have experience of Dublin US Pre-Clearance? Easy?

coylemj

ProudDUB wrote: »

I'm a big fan of getting to the airport with loads of time to spare, but even I think four hours is excessive.

+1 it's the first time I've seen someone suggest turning up more than three hours in advance on this forum.

ProudDUB wrote: »

Regarding US Immigration officials, most of them live here year around, are married to Irish spouses and are rearing their families here. They are there to do a job and are not to messed with, but they aren't as fearsome as their reputations would lead people to believe. I know a couple of them.

But you could always get the official who has just been transferred here and perhaps who hasn't adjusted to the fact that we don't do the standard 'yes sir, no ma'am' routine which is standard practice when dealing with government officials stateside.

I agree that they are a friendly lot but I would still advise people such as the OP who are nervous about the process to be polite and courteous but not to cross the line into friendly banter.

ProudDUB

coylemj wrote: »

+1 it's the first time I've seen someone suggest turning up more than three hours in advance on this forum.



But you could always get the official who has just been transferred here and perhaps who hasn't adjusted to the fact that we don't do the standard 'yes sir, no ma'am' routine which is standard practice when dealing with government officials stateside.

I agree that they are a friendly lot but I would still advise people such as the OP who are nervous about the process to be polite and courteous but not to cross the line into friendly banter.

I know. I pretty said as much, in my post on the first page of this thread.

I have had more dealing with them of the non standard variety, than your average tourist.

From 2008 to 2011, my green card was flagged as being stolen. (Due to fcuk up on my part when I renewed it.) So, every time I passed through Dublin airport, I was taken into the little office beside the old T1 departure gates & made to account for myself, before I was let board the plane.

They couldn't have been nicer or more professional, especially in 2009 when I broke down in tears, when I was returning back to the States after my mothers funeral. I was provided with a box of Kleenex, a brandy and several rather embarrassed pats on the back, before being sent on my way. So, I just think they get an undeserved bad rap on here sometimes.

él statutorio

ProudDUB wrote: »

I know. I pretty said as much, in my post on the first page of this thread.

I have had more dealing with them of the non standard variety, than your average tourist.

From 2008 to 2011, my green card was flagged as being stolen. (Due to fcuk up on my part when I renewed it.) So, every time I passed through Dublin airport, I was taken into the little office beside the old T1 departure gates & made to account for myself, before I was let board the plane.

They couldn't have been nicer or more professional, especially in 2009 when I broke down in tears, when I was returning back to the States after my mothers funeral. I was provided with a box of Kleenex, a brandy and several rather embarrassed pats on the back, before being sent on my way. So, I just think they get an undeserved bad rap on here sometimes.

I'd agree with that, at the booths they're all business but in the office they're just regular people. When I had all my greencard paperwork and they were checking it in the back office, the officer there was great, lots of small talk,telling me places I should go to etc.

Foxtrol

thunderdog wrote: »

One thing to watch out for is that there is a second security scanner at us clearance.

Caught me out this summer. You have the usual security check point in Dublin airport. I bought lots of drinks etc for plane journey. Got to just before us clearance and there was a second check point. Sadly had to dump all the stuff I had just bought. I'm pretty sure that second security checkpoint wasn't there 5 years ago.

Once past us clearance, the shop options are very limited. Best of luck

They've expanded that scanner area in the last few years but I'm pretty sure they've always had it since preclearance began.

Did they ask you to dump the stuff or did you do it yourself? There is normally no issue with liquids or processed foods at that scanner.

dudara

Bringing water & drinks through the second scanner is fine, unless something has changed recently?

I pass through very regularly for work. The only paperwork I ever have in my hand is my passport, boarding pass and customs form. I've never been asked for other documentation, but everything else is accessible through my phone if I need it.

Just answer honestly and simply. They are trained to spot evasive answers, but they're normally very straightforward, efficient and often very pleasant. If you've travelled to the US before, they sometimes ask a few questions to cross-check your recent visits.

Del2005

Jimbob1977 wrote: »

Some hints:


o Don't make small talk or crack jokes. The staff are very stern. It's a cold business transaction.


o Only fill out one Customs Declaration per travelling group

Last time I travelled the person on pre clearance started making some jokes and we had a bit of banter back, but definitely don't start it.

When we travelled the customs form was per household, has it changed?

bpmurray

I've travelled back & forth probably well over 100 times over the years. However, I always have hassles - there's someone with the same name & DOB as me so I had to get a real visa rather than going ESTA. While I was being interviewed in the back (I get to visit it every time!) there was a guy who had been refused because he had visited Iran at some point: there's a list of countries which are a deal-breaker if you've visited them, but they're the kinds of places that are really unusual, like Iran, Syria, Libya, Sudan, etc.

ProudDUB

bpmurray wrote: »

I've travelled back & forth probably well over 100 times over the years. However, I always have hassles - there's someone with the same name & DOB as me so I had to get a real visa rather than going ESTA. While I was being interviewed in the back (I get to visit it every time!) there was a guy who had been refused because he had visited Iran at some point: there's a list of countries which are a deal-breaker if you've visited them, but they're the kinds of places that are really unusual, like Iran, Syria, Libya, Sudan, etc.

Small world. Was it this fella?

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2057630511

whitey1

I come home every summer and you can definitely run into some very stern officials. Dont be fustering around when you get up to them....have everything ready to go and treat it like a business transaction....not like some people I have seen who think theyre making a new best friend (cringe)

Unfortunately we had a most horrific experience flying out of Dublin one time........line for preclearance was all the way back almost into the duty free area. we spent 2 hours in the preclearance line alone, all the time hearing announcements for people on other flights that their gate was closing and their bags were going to be removed. We ran down to our gate with about 10 mins to spare to find a half empty plane. Pilot came on and said that he would have to hold the plane for at least an hour and a half.

I travel extensively for work stateside and have never been in a more stressful situation......kids acting up didnt help either

mr_jackapple

Hi everyone, well I made it through without any problems.

I was just asked 1) How much money I was carrying in my wallet, 2) What was at the location I put down on my departure form, 3) What was the purpose of my visit, 4) what was the duration of my visit, 5) how did I pronounce my surname..., 6) was this my first time visiting the US.... And that was it!

It lasted about 30 seconds and then I was stamped as "Admitted". Once I landed in JFK, I was so surprised at how quickly I was outside the airport. No customs or immigration, at all!

ProudDUB

Yeah, when you pre clear Customs and Immigration in Ireland, your flight is deemed to be a domestic flight, as technically you entered US territory before you left Ireland. So once you physically get to the States, you are just another domestic flight arriving from Chicago, or Boston or wherever & the Arrivals procedure is the same as them. Glad it all went well. Have fun !

endofrainbow

mr_jackapple wrote: »

Hi everyone, well I made it through without any problems.



It lasted about 30 seconds and then I was stamped as "Admitted". Once I landed in JFK, I was so surprised at how quickly I was outside the airport. No customs or immigration, at all!

That's the whole purpose of pre-clearance !

Marcusm

thunderdog wrote: »

One thing to watch out for is that there is a second security scanner at us clearance.

Caught me out this summer. You have the usual security check point in Dublin airport. I bought lots of drinks etc for plane journey. Got to just before us clearance and there was a second check point. Sadly had to dump all the stuff I had just bought. I'm pretty sure that second security checkpoint wasn't there 5 years ago.

Once past us clearance, the shop options are very limited. Best of luck

You don't have to dump liquids at the second scan.

dougm1970

going in 3 weeks with my 16 yr old son (10 night trip staying in manhattan). a couple of questions, and thanks in advance for any replies.

1. when originally filling out esta forms etc i put our original hotel on it, but as some negative reviews were playing on my mind about it i recently changed hotels to a more suitable one i found..will this be an issue if an officer asks which address i declared on the esta ?

2. can me and my son go through the checks together ?...or will he have to have all info like hotel address too if i have to wait yards away from him ?

circular flexing

1. You can update hotel address in the ESTA website. Though I don't think it will cause any issue if you don't.

2. You will be able to go through together.

catbear

Do not make small talk, personality is not a requirement for homeland security.

If you find yourself sitting beside a yank let them bring up politics. If you mark yourself as not liking Trump you could find yourself facing a five hour lecture on the evils of socialism.

You could try telling them you're a muslim but they'd probably freak and divert to Iceland.

dudara

To be honest, from my experience the address on the ESTA seems to matter diddly squat. Just make sure to have a real address. You can update it on the ESTA website if it really matters to you.

dougm1970

dudara wrote: »

To be honest, from my experience the address on the ESTA seems to matter diddly squat. Just make sure to have a real address. You can update it on the ESTA website if it really matters to you.

yes. i updated it yesterday evening. for some reason i was worried that changing that would mean making a whole new application. but it was easy without issue.

coylemj

dougm1970 wrote: »

yes. i updated it yesterday evening. for some reason i was worried that changing that would mean making a whole new application. but it was easy without issue.

An ESTA approval lasts two years (or when your passport expires, if that happens first) and covers multiple trips so they allow you to change the address on the ESTA website to cover your next trip. Otherwise you'd have to make a new application every time unless you were always going to the same place to stay the first night.