Most bizarre thing I've witnessed in a long time!

r3nu4l

Okay the thread title is a bit OTT but...

A few weeks ago I was flying from Stansted into Dublin* and all went well. We were approaching immigration and the guy in front of me in the queue says to the guy at the desk:

"Ah I forgot my passport."
Himself and the guy at the desk have a discussion for a few seconds and eventually the guy at the desk says,
"Ah look, you're holding up the queue, go on, you'd better have it next time you come through here!"

and proceeds to allow the guy through immigration :eek:

I'm still thinking about it and wondering why he got through. He had no id whatsoever! Maybe it's because he had a Dublin accent* and was wearing a tracksuit but even still I'm shocked and can't come up with a reason why he was allowed into the country without further investigation.

Anyone have any ideas or witness anything equally stunning recently?



*No biko, this shouldn't be in the Dublin forum

5starpool

Ryanair (assumption made here) probably wouldn't let him onto the plane anyhow at the gate.

koneko

Did he show any ID?

"For British and Irish citizens only, who are travelling on flights to/from the United Kingdom to/from the Republic of Ireland, a valid driving licence with photo is acceptable photo ID"

flanzer

For immmigration purposes, Irish and UK citizens don't need a passport to travel within these countries! So once the Garda heard he had one of these accents, he was free to go. He could have checked his drivers licence if he wanted to, to confirm, but didn't feel it necessary.

dellas1979

But shur you dont need a passport to fly in and out of UK/Ireland (vice versa).

You can get on the plane with a valid drivers licence even.

I know someone about 2 months ago, flying to the UK (on a booze tour) and he turned up with no passport and no valid ID and they let him on the plane.

mike65

But he was wearing a trackie!

Mike.

r3nu4l

I don't know who he was flying with there were a load of people queuing at immigration not from our flight. He didn't show any id, so either the guy on the desk knew him or his mate did I don't know. It's just the way he said to him, 'I forgot my passport' and the other guy said 'you're holding up the queue...'.

Staff usually have badges and a yellow bib of some sort, he had neither and mentioned his 'passport'.
I've no idea tbh. Weird.

biko

Many a time I walked past customs and they opened my passport for a split second before letting me past. It's not like they have time to actually read it.

Guess as long as you're not brown or black they'll assume you belong. Dub accent and tracksuit sure is as good as any Irish passport

robinph

No passport, or any other form of id, is required for travel between Ireland and the UK by citizens of either state. Photo id is only required by the airlines because of the airport security.

r3nu4l

#Elites wrote:

well next time, aslo tell the guy you forgot yours and see what happens:D

/snap of a latex glove :eek:
/click of a flashlight

flanzer

#Elites wrote:

he woudn't have goten very far without a passport, as every airline checks them before boarding.

No they don't. For flights out of Dublin to UK and vice versa, they usually check a 'valid form' if I.D. Obviuosly further a field, you need a passport.

When your man saw everyone showing their passport, I'd say he thought he needed one, but he didn't

r3nu4l

robinph wrote:

No passport, or any other form of id, is required for travel between Ireland and the UK by citizens of either state. Photo id is only required by the airlines because of the airport security.

This was coming into Dublin. At that part of the airport passengers who have returned from numerous countries converge. He didn't even show a boarding pass, he could have travelled from Turkmenistan for all I know!:)

robinph

r3nu4l wrote:

This was coming into Dublin. At that part of the airport passengers who have returned from numerous countries converge. He didn't even show a boarding pass, he could have travelled from Turkmenistan for all I know!:)

You probably missed the bit where he was asked to point out Turkmenistan on a map of the world, when he was then struggleing to find Ireland he then let him in.

beanyb

Passport control in Dublin airport is such a joke. I dont think they've ever once looked at the picture on my passport. They see the harp on the cover and just wave you through.

skywalker

r3nu4l wrote:

/snap of a latex glove :eek:
/click of a flashlight

One time a few years back we were coming up to the metal detectors in the airport and one of the guys was sitting there oiling up his glove with quite a satisfied look on his face. :eek: needless to say we went to another queue.

WindSock

robinph wrote:

No passport, or any other form of id, is required for travel between Ireland and the UK by citizens of either state. Photo id is only required by the airlines because of the airport security.

How would they know if you are a Citizen of either, without ID?

digitally-yours

boreds wrote:

How would they know if you are a Citizen of either, without ID?

Trackie and Dublin accent

isnt that enough bud !

BaZmO*

boreds wrote:

How would they know if you are a Citizen of either, without ID?

"Storrrreeee Bud?!" "I'm afta forgettin me passport man!"

robinph

boreds wrote:

How would they know if you are a Citizen of either, without ID?

They don't, but if they have reason to suspect you for some reason then you could always be stopped at any of the border crossing points.

At that point though you may want to save yourself the bother and carry you passport on you anyway, but it's not actually needed, and I wouldn't have too much trouble convincing them of my residency in either country if needed without happening to have passport on me at the time.

shrapnel222

a few months ago, went to the airport and I realised i'd forgotten my passport and my 18 months old sons'. I was just flying to the UK and they let us both through. I was shocked to find out nobody cared to check whether this was my child or not

AnonoBoy

shrapnel222 wrote:

a few months ago, went to the airport and I realised i'd forgotten my passport and my 18 months old sons'. I was just flying to the UK and they let us both through. I was shocked to find out nobody cared to check whether this was my child or not

Sure all babies look the same anyway. How would they be able to tell off a passport photo?

BaZmO*

shrapnel222 wrote:

a few months ago, went to the airport and I realised i'd forgotten my passport and my 18 months old sons'. I was just flying to the UK and they let us both through. I was shocked to find out nobody cared to check whether this was my child or not

Maybe he looked like you?

shrapnel222

AnonoBoy wrote:

Sure all babies look the same anyway. How would they be able to tell off a passport photo?

how about if both our passports have the same surname- wouldn't that be helpful?:p

_feedback_

shrapnel222 wrote:

a few months ago, went to the airport and I realised i'd forgotten my passport and my 18 months old sons'.

First time I read that , I thought you had forgotton your passport and your 18 month old son.

That'd be a pain in the arse.

I.S.T.

I used to walk through passport control in Dublin coming from Heathrow all the time without showing any form of ID. The guy would always just wave me through. After all this liquid bomb business last year they got more strict and now I have to show something. I usually just show my driving licence.

Here's some info on the common travel area between Ireland and the UK:
http://www.citizensinformation.ie/categories/moving-country/moving-abroad/freedom-of-movement-within-the-eu/common_travel_area_between_ireland_and_the_UK/?searchterm=uk%20ireland%20passport

robinph

IrishSpeedTraps wrote:

After all this liquid bomb business last year they got more strict and now I have to show something.

Because it's much more difficult to carry a dangerous bottle of Ballygowan on you if you have to have your passport on you whilst travelling as well.

Stephen

Last time I came through Dublin airport from New York, they were just waving everyone through passport control. I guess I was looking confused to the guy in the passport booth, with my passport in hand so he asked where i was coming from. I tell him New York... He though it was a domestic flight from Shannon :eek:

Exit

I had something similar happen a few years ago coming in to Dublin airport. All the passengers are walking towards the immigration desks, the guy says "Where are you all flying from?", someone replies "London" and he says "Ah, go on through then" and doesn't bother to check a single person's passport. Theorethically that means that someone can enter the UK on a tourist visa, and then enter Ireland indefinitely.

Quint

Technically you don't need a passport, bou you need to be an irish citizen, so you need a passport to not need a passport!

The_B_Man

i was over in glasgow when i noticed I had no form of ID, apart from an expired student card. Got home no bother. Cant even remember how i got over in the first place!

Dave!

r3nu4l wrote:

/snap of a latex glove :eek:
/click of a flashlight

Get that smile off your face ye dirt burd!

Lump

I turned up for a flight with no Passport, and I didn't have a license. I had to sweet talk a ryanair person to get my ticket out of them. You don't need a passport to actually fly, just to collect the tickets.

John

daiixi

I have an Irish drivers licence even though I'm an Aussie. If I put on a fake accent and a trackie does this mean I can travel freely between Ireland and the UK with just the licence?

Stark

They Gardaí don't exactly pay attention to your passport if you're walking through and look anyway Irish. I've walked through plenty of times without evening opening it just holding it in front of me so they could see it. The guy just sat there looking bored out of his wits and gave me the little finger wag to say "go on through". You could walk through holding up a red card and they wouldn't notice.

In other countries I have to walk up to the desk so they can examine it.

Tar.Aldarion

From Italy to England I didn't have to show my passport to get on the plane. Only time though.

r3nu4l

DaveMcG wrote:

Get that smile off your face ye dirt burd!

Personal abuse! Personal abuse!...Wait a minute, I am a dirt burd...nevermind, false alarm

Stark wrote:

They Gardaí don't exactly pay attention to your passport if you're walking through and look anyway Irish. I've walked through plenty of times without evening opening it just holding it in front of me so they could see it.

This is true, I've flown over and back about 15 times in the last 2.5 years and I've only ever seen one guy actually scrutinise passports to the extent where he made everyone pass theirs true the little window so he could get a look at it. I thought that maybe they were on the lookout for someone in particular but the guy in the booth beside him was just waving everyone through

Persius

daiixi wrote:

I have an Irish drivers licence even though I'm an Aussie. If I put on a fake accent and a trackie does this mean I can travel freely between Ireland and the UK with just the licence?

You might be able to. Driving licences only say place of birth, not nationality
I'm an Irish citizen (though born in UK) with a driving licence from a third EU state. I've been pulled by immigration a few times about it. Once they hear my accent they let me through, but told me that I should carry my passport if I don't have an Irish or UK licence. Tried to argue with them that it makes no difference as no licence states your nationality, but they didn't want to listen (too many people behind me in the queue I guess).

Carry my passport now on trips to UK. Whole thing's a farce anyway.

DublinWriter

r3nu4l wrote:

Himself and the guy at the desk have a discussion for a few seconds and eventually the guy at the desk says...

The guy on the desk is actually a detective guard and a member of the GNIB unit.

People are inclined to take the piss with them as they are plain clothes, unlike other major European airports (with the exception of the UK) where all the immigration members/officers are in uniform.

Obviously you had a strong accent and he was about 5 minutes away from his refreshments break!

woop

could have been a member of an gardai that the lads in immigration knew. I know a dub in a tracksuit being a gard however ..........stranger things have happened

jhegarty

Its a common travel area.. simple as..... you only need a passport for airport security reasons...

try and get the boat to wales , no passport checks , go over the border to the north without passport checks....

podge018

Any time I walk up to Passport Control I try to walk right through without showing anything. If he asks to see my passport I say I'm flying from the UK, which I usually am, and then carry on.