What's Up With Dublin Airport Passport Control?

aneonmoose

Hi guys!

I apologise if this is the wrong forum, I've only ever posted one other time on boards.ie, so mods, feel free to move this and again, sorry.

Right.

I'm 17 years old, and have been travelling unaccompanied sporadically since turning 16. No-one bats an eye, in any country of origin, not even Dublin, except when I'm going through Dublin Airport's incredibly efficient passport control. /s

I've not noticed any rhyme or reason to the following.

I go up to an officer, hand them my ID, date of birth clearly displayed. Sometimes, that's it, I'm waved through with no problems. But sometimes, I'm asked if I'm travelling alone and that because I am, I need a letter from my parents authorising the travel and that someone will pick me up after bagagge redemption. I figured, okay, I didn't know that but I'll have one next time. Next time, I wasn't asked.

Is this a genuine requirement? If so, where is it written and why are they so lenient with enforcing it? Or have I just been encountering concerned border officers?

Cheers boys. Answers appreciated.

J.

The Veteran

aneonmoose wrote: »

Hi guys!

I apologise if this is the wrong forum, I've only ever posted one other time on boards.ie, so mods, feel free to move this and again, sorry.

Right.

I'm 17 years old, and have been travelling unaccompanied sporadically since turning 16. No-one bats an eye, in any country of origin, not even Dublin, except when I'm going through Dublin Airport's incredibly efficient passport control. /s

I've not noticed any rhyme or reason to the following.

I go up to an officer, hand them my ID, date of birth clearly displayed. Sometimes, that's it, I'm waved through with no problems. But sometimes, I'm asked if I'm travelling alone and that because I am, I need a letter from my parents authorising the travel and that someone will pick me up after bagagge redemption. I figured, okay, I didn't know that but I'll have one next time. Next time, I wasn't asked.

Is this a genuine requirement? If so, where is it written and why are they so lenient with enforcing it? Or have I just been encountering concerned border officers?

Cheers boys. Answers appreciated.

J.

The simple answer you are a minor and the officer is obliged to satisfy themselves as to your welfare. In fact, a referral to TUSLA to determine matters strictly speaking is required. In practical terms, that isn’t applied as it would totally clog up things. Judgement is therefore usually applied - an officer satisfied that a 17 year old Irish kid has cop on would usually be enough but we have had very young foreign kids with little or no idea who they are meeting or where they are going. The approach and questions is driven by the scenario in front of the officer. Unfortunately, officers have had to deal with the trafficking of young kids in every sense.

L1011

When did that become an issue?

I was travelling to/from the UK unaccompanied at 14. At 17 I was working (including in the UK sometimes) and financially independent. Travelling on my driving licence generally at that age. Not one AGS ever questioned it. Is it only post-INIS civilians?

https://europa.eu/youreurope/citizens/travel/entry-exit/travel-documents-minors/index_en.htm

https://europa.eu/youreurope/citizens/travel/entry-exit/eu-citizen/ireland/index_en.htm

It seems you may have met a concerned staff member. It’s understandable really in fairness. I’d probably ask questions and determine my response based on your answers.

http://www.inis.gov.ie/en/INIS/Pages/travel-with-children

Take it as a position of concern and nothing else. In this day and age I would find it perfectly reasonable and responsible of the staff member.

aneonmoose

Thanks for the informative answers and links. It's fair enough that they were concerned, it does make sense these days. My main issue was that it didn't seem to happen every time, but sure, I can carry a letter from the folks, no big deal.

Thanks again, guys. Much appreciated.

J.

Under His Eye

What are they going to do? Prevent entry to Ireland by an Irish Citizen with an Irish Passport?

If there was an issue the airline would have prevented travel.

The Veteran

Under His Eye wrote: »

What are they going to do? Prevent entry to Ireland by an Irish Citizen with an Irish Passport?

If there was an issue the airline would have prevented travel.

I’m not going to explain the fundamental point again; denial of entry was not mentioned, child welfar was; regardless of nationality. Plus Irish documents have been misused as well as abused. A person is an Irish citizen for the purposes of entry when they have demonstrated that to the satisfaction of the officer. concerned.

The main point here though is child welfare.

Under His Eye

Is there an official INIS policy on this?

The Veteran

The link above sets it out

aneonmoose

Under His Eye wrote: »

What are they going to do? Prevent entry to Ireland by an Irish Citizen with an Irish Passport?

If there was an issue the airline would have prevented travel.

I'm not actually Irish, but that never did seem to be the issue, no one ever asked what I was doing in Ireland (presumably because I speak fluent English without an accent? Maybe? I don't actually know) but whether or not I was alone. And that was my thought, since Ryanair allows over 16s to travel alone, why shouldn't the airport? But as others have pointed out, it's a child welfare issue more than anything.

andy_g

Under His Eye wrote: »

What are they going to do? Prevent entry to Ireland by an Irish Citizen with an Irish Passport?

If there was an issue the airline would have prevented travel.

Airlines set different ages in regards to UM'S (unaccompanied minors) or YP'S (young person) basically if the person dropping the traveller at the airport does not want to pay for the UM service the airline will let them travel on their own.

And it is the travelers requirement to meet immigration standard.

Under His Eye

But ultimately what could immigration do if the independent traveller was not being met? I had a passport since I was 16 and travelled extensively before I reached the age of 18. No one anywhere ever said a word to me. I would be catching a bus or train myself so no one meeting me.

The Veteran

Under His Eye wrote: »

But ultimately what could immigration do if the independent traveller was not being met? I had a passport since I was 16 and travelled extensively before I reached the age of 18. No one anywhere ever said a word to me. I would be catching a bus or train myself so no one meeting me.

The child can be placed with TUSLA and put into emergency care which can lead to a range of issues for the parental/guardians or the child could be returned to the mid place of origin or held until appropriate arrangements are in place. All of the above have happened and happen routinely. Cases involving kids (accompanied and unaccompanied) can be very complex and involve weighing up a lot of heavy duty law. The cases are a major pressure point for an officer because often their (appropriate) caution is met with derision by a child or parent but at the same time the potential of they get it wrong is frightening.

Different airlines have different rules as has been said but (as has also been said) the onus is on the traveler to meet the immigration rules.

We now live in the online age as we know and the number of people (of all ages) who travel to meet those they have only encountered online is frightening.

There have been missing people (in another country) encountered in the airport; multiple mental health cases who are in need of help; sex offenders; all sorts of travelling parties and family units. That’s before the cases where one parent takes a child despite the other having guardianship or Court orders etc in another country.

Some airlines will allow a person as young as 12 to travel alone; some will carry UMs under their programmes from 7/8 years of age. Then there are all the groups - foreign students,teams, choirs, church groups, all sorts. It really comes down to pragmatic judgement as to apply a strict set of rules would really clog the place up.

Entry to the country is secondary to whether the kid standing in front of you is ok, that they know what they are doing, and all that goes with that.

Under His Eye

Personally I think it is overboard for a person of 17+ years.

bushcraft90

Under His Eye wrote: »

Personally I think it is overboard for a person of 17+ years.

Thankfully you don't make the rules then so! Young people being trafficked is a serious concern and that doesn't stop when you turn 18 so why is it overboard for somebody of any age to be asked a few simple extra questions to find out that they are ok? In this case it takes 5 minutes for the parent or guardian to type up a letter and take a copy of their ID to show that the young person can travel and isn't doing something they may regret for the rest of their lives. Also just because the person has an Irish, British or European passport doesn't mean they aren't being trafficked. Trafficking can happen within a country doesn't have to be over borders. A very real possibility of a young person with an Irish passport being born/living outside of Ireland being trafficked into Ireland to work or worse.

The Veteran

There are sizable numbers of Irish citizens who do not look Irish in the traditional sense and many who have hardly ever lived here. There are many Romanian and Bulgarian young girls working all over Europe in jobs they never thought they would be.

Trafficking, abuse, deception, family breakdowns, mental health issues, etc know no bounds

Under His Eye

Under His Eye wrote: »

Personally I think it is overboard for a person of 17+ years.

But what if that 17+ year old has a reduced decision making capacity ? Would you as a parent want your 17+ year old travelling on their own unknown to you without someone in authority checking on their wellbeing at some point.

I don’t see what your concern is here. It was a few simple questions (as required)that were asked to check everything was ok. A quick decision was made and the OP was allowed continue. This is the system WORKING as it was designed to.

Heavens above we see nearly daily missing children posted online, one of the first things they do is alert the ports and airports. Dear god if this wasn’t happening and a story came out about how people younger than 18 were never checked on entry at the airport we’d have a topic on here screaming blue murder that INIS etc weren’t doing their jobs.

The Veteran

There are sizable numbers of Irish citizens who do not look Irish in the traditional sense and many who have hardly ever lived here. There are many Romanian and Bulgarian young girls working all over Europe in jobs they never thought they would be.

Trafficking, abuse, deception, family breakdowns, mental health issues, etc know no bounds