US preclearance Dublin airport terminal 2

revoke12

hi all have a flight on sept 9 at 8.50am in the morning leaving my hotel at 4.00am and will be at airport approx 4.30am. I need check on my bag ang get my ticket - i will then go to security I got a fast track security thanks to a lad here on boards so i have that will fast track me through security. my question is will i have enough time after irish security to get breakfast after than go to us customs clearance iv never been to states and wondering how long does the customs clearance take? thanks

rockonollie

Once you've cleared the standard security, generally you'll have some time to grab a bite. The US pre-clearance process people by flight, so with all things running smoothly on the timeline you've suggested, you'll most likely have plenty of time.

revoke12

perfect thanks, im arrived well in time so im just making sure. i no there isnt much food past the us customs so il have grab something just after security. roughly how long does it take to get through the us clearance? would it be 20-30 mins or shorter first time to states so just wondering also do you need a copy of your esta? or is it something that is scanned by them without a print out.

thebiglad

You do not need the Esta but no harm to have it available on email - it will be known to the Border Agents by your passport in their system.

Time simply depends on the volume in my experiences 20-30 minutes gets you through this process - you have to clear security again (no fast track this time unless business) and then queue to the agents - it is well organised with lots of desks open.

They will fingerprint, photograph and ask you to confirm your checked in bag then generally get the stamp and pass through.

revoke12

cool thanks for that as i say its first time so not sure of the process involved think myself i have plenty of time with the time im leaving.

coylemj

thebiglad wrote: »

You do not need the Esta but no harm to have it available on email - it will be known to the Border Agents by your passport in their system.

E-mail will do nothing and telling a first time traveller that it's 'no harm to' have an electronic or paper copy of the ESTA approval suggests that it might be useful to have which is not the case and will cause needless anxiety while the OP is queueing for immigration and checks and double-checks that it's ready to show on his/her mobile.

The US immigration agent inputs your Irish passport number into their system and it will say that you either have or do not have ESTA. Paper or e-mail will do nothing so just don't bother.

revoke12

thanks so there is no need to have it on email i wont bring it then. excuse my ignorance as i say first time travelling to the states so its all new to me

thebiglad

coylemj wrote: »

E-mail will do nothing and telling a first time traveller that it's 'no harm to' have an electronic or paper copy of the ESTA approval suggests that it might be useful to have which is not the case and will cause needless anxiety while the OP is queueing for immigration and checks and double-checks that it's ready to show on his/her mobile.

The US immigration agent inputs your Irish passport number into their system and it will say that you either have or do not have ESTA. Paper or e-mail will do nothing so just don't bother.

I will take my guidance from the bottom of my most recent ESTA - sure it doesn't say you should have it with you or whether it'll make any difference but for the sake of carrying a print out in your bag.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has developed a new program called Automated Passport Control (APC) that expedites the entry process for eligible Visa Waiver Program international travelers by providing an automated process through CBP's Primary Inspection area. To learn more about APC and participating airports following this link: http://www.cbp.gov/travel/us-citizens/automated-passport-control-apc

DHS RECOMMENDS YOU PRINT THIS SCREEN FOR YOUR RECORDS.

coylemj

I take my guidance from the ESTA FAQ .....

Do I need to bring a printout or digital copy of my travel authorization to the airport?

No.

Yes, they do go on to recommend that you print it off 'for your records' - whatever that means. Because you can retrieve your ESTA using your passport number. And they send you an e-mail reminder a month before it expires.

So you do not need to record the approval number, or print it, or bring a paper or digital copy to the airport.

I know this is a trivial issue but it's not if you are a first time traveller who will be worrying if he/she has all the required documentation when queuing for the CBP disk. So instead of telling them that 'it's no harm to....', it's better to simply say that you do not need it because it's one less thing for them to worry about.

pixelburp

Hijacking the thread for my own, similar, question: does the pre-clearance add much to the standard airport flow? I generally aim to arrive 2 hours before any other flight (approx. 3:30pm), so should I factor in US custom shenanigans and arrive even earlier, or would that be enough?

Actually, add to that, is there a 'point of no return' with pre-clearance; IE, once I go past it I can't get back to the main concourse for a coffee or whatnot?

Baggly

Are you risk averse PB?

Best to add some time on to account for pre clearance.

There is a point of no return beyond which you can't get back to the main concourse, iirc.

pixelburp

Yeah, I was suspecting I may need to add time for pre-clearance, but wanted to run it past the thread.

revoke12

Thanks all, i think me going to be at the airport at 4.30am is a bit madness is it? i have the fast track booked (got it free) but was thinking if i left my hotel at 5am arrive at 5.25 am at airport il have enough time even to grab a bite aswell? My flight isnt until 8.50am now i know you board at 8am but i think i will be able sit down for food after irish security around 6am? and go through US clearance around 7am do ye think im safe? thanks

Thephantomsmask

AFAIK preclearance doesn't open until 6am, many times I have waited at the top of the stairs for it to open but am open to correction on that.

revoke12

cool thanks might try get clarifcation on that someway. i dont mind being at airport early i always am but i think being there at 4.30 am for a 8.50am flight seems a little long i think il get away by arriving at 5.30am.

Thoie

They usually suggest being at the airport 3 hours in advance for a US flight. Bear in mind that the bag drop/check in queues are often a lot longer for US flights, as very few people go with only hand luggage. If you want a leisurely sit down breakfast, split the difference and aim to arrive for 5am?

pixelburp

I presume US flights (via Aer Lingus) don't force any specific differences with cabin baggage? The old laptop + small suitcase combo is still OK to take on?

revoke12

I would love to arrive at 5am but my airport shuttle from my hotel only goes every hour so tis either 4am or 5am maybe i just go at 4am and be at my ease also need get my tickets and check my bag etc so i should really just get up the hour earlier

revoke12

pixelburp wrote: »

I presume US flights (via Aer Lingus) don't force any specific differences with cabin baggage? The old laptop + small suitcase combo is still OK to take on?

I had a look on their site and says you can bring cabin bag and another small personal item eg. laptop bag so your good

revoke12

also anyone travelled recently be able to tell me past Irish security is there alot places to eat dont ever fly from dublin im nearer to shannon but this time Dublin so wondering is there a place to get brekkie past irish security before US security? thanks

Baggly

revoke12 wrote:

also anyone travelled recently be able to tell me past Irish security is there alot places to eat dont ever fly from dublin im nearer to shannon but this time Dublin so wondering is there a place to get brekkie past irish security before US security? thanks

Terminal 1 or 2?

Baggly

Actually it doesn't matter; you will get breakfast in both after security but before preclearance.

revoke12

sorry ment to mention terminal 2

schemingbohemia

revoke12 wrote: »

I would love to arrive at 5am but my airport shuttle from my hotel only goes every hour so tis either 4am or 5am maybe i just go at 4am and be at my ease also need get my tickets and check my bag etc so i should really just get up the hour earlier

I'd get the 5am shuttle, should still have loads of time.

revoke12 wrote: »

also anyone travelled recently be able to tell me past Irish security is there alot places to eat dont ever fly from dublin im nearer to shannon but this time Dublin so wondering is there a place to get brekkie past irish security before US security? thanks

Loads in either terminal.

Enjoy your trip.

revoke12

schemingbohemia wrote: »

I'd get the 5am shuttle, should still have loads of time.



Loads in either terminal.

Enjoy your trip.

great thank you

coylemj

revoke12 wrote: »

I would love to arrive at 5am but my airport shuttle from my hotel only goes every hour so tis either 4am or 5am maybe i just go at 4am and be at my ease also need get my tickets and check my bag etc so i should really just get up the hour earlier

Based on your first post (depart hotel 4 am, arrive airport 4:30 a.m.), you will be perfectly fine leaving at 5 a.m. and getting to the airport at 5:30 a.m. which will be more than three hours before your flight is due to depart.

Don't waste an hour of your life sitting in an airport when you could get an extra hour's sleep.

edit: schemingbohemia beat me to it

revoke12

coylemj wrote: »

Based on your first post (depart hotel 4 am, arrive airport 4:30 a.m.), you will be perfectly fine leaving at 5 a.m. and getting to the airport at 5:30 a.m. which will be more than three hours before your flight is due to depart.

Don't waste an hour of your life sitting in an airport when you could get an extra hour's sleep.

thanks thats what im thinking i usually fly from smaller airports and i havnt in dublin in years so wasnt sure of ques etc and dont want to be last minute rushing through terminals aswell i think all is good esp when i booked the fast track aswell.

Creamy Goodness

Thephantomsmask wrote: »

AFAIK preclearance doesn't open until 6am, many times I have waited at the top of the stairs for it to open but am open to correction on that.

was through last Sunday, didn't open until 07:00 (could be different depending on the day). weren't allowed queue downstair until 06:45, flying business so I was like the second person through security and to see an agent, had an hour to relax before the flight .

revoke12

Creamy Goodness wrote: »

was through last Sunday, didn't open until 07:00 (could be different depending on the day). weren't allowed queue downstair until 06:45, flying business so I was like the second person through security and to see an agent, had an hour to relax before the flight .

thanks for that. i wonder is it the same every day my flight is 8.50am not business class (I wish it was tho ) i think i will surely have enough time being at airport at 5.30am

Creamy Goodness

plenty, you'll fly through the initial security (5-10 minutes), get breakfast and be wondering what to do for the next while until CBP opens.


CBP will call people forward if their flight is boarding so you can be at the back of the queue and get bumped right up to the top if you're running extremely late.

revoke12

Creamy Goodness wrote: »

plenty, you'll fly through the initial security (5-10 minutes), get breakfast and be wondering what to do for the next while until CBP opens.


CBP will call people forward if their flight is boarding so you can be at the back of the queue and get bumped right up to the top if you're running extremely late.

Great thank you excuse my ignorance first time flying to the us so have never experienced the customs security etc associated with it. After you go through the irish normal security is there restaurants etc there and then you can go on to the CBP or is the irish and us security right after each other?appreciated

gavindublin

Cbp won't lift the shutters until 7am.
Only 1 location in preclearence for hot food.
Would recommend relaxing in the oak bar or o briens before, or chocolate bar after you go through Irish security.
But once your go through cbp security it's very limited.

revoke12

gavindublin wrote: »

Cbp won't lift the shutters until 7am.
Only 1 location in preclearence for hot food.
Would recommend relaxing in the oak bar or o briens before, or chocolate bar after you go through Irish security.
But once your go through cbp security it's very limited.

cool thanks for that as mentioned above i take it after the irish security i can grab a bit here i take it the irish and us security are not directly after each other? thank you

coylemj

revoke12 wrote: »

cool thanks for that as mentioned above i take it after the irish security i can grab a bit here i take it the irish and us security are not directly after each other? thank you

After airport ('Irish') security you have a raft of eating and shopping options, you will be in the same departure area as everyone else flying out of T2. Check out the food options there and get yourself some grub, then follow the signs to downstairs for US pre-clearance, they are not immediately one after the other.

You talk about 'us security', it's really just a stand-up conversation with a Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) agent, nothing like the rigmarole upstairs with body scanners and conveyors for bags.

revoke12

coylemj wrote: »

After airport ('Irish') security you have a raft of eating and shopping options, you will be in the same departure area as everyone else flying out of T2. Check out the food options there and get yourself some grub, then follow the signs to downstairs for US pre-clearance, they are not immediately one after the other.

You talk about 'us security', it's really just a stand-up conversation with a Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) agent, nothing like the rigmarole upstairs with body scanners and conveyors for bags.

cool thanks as i say havnt gone through us border control so not sure what to expect. do ques be long for the us border control also is it only about 10-15 mins and your through again or is it just a series of questions and through in a few mins

Thoie

revoke12 wrote: »

cool thanks as i say havnt gone through us border control so not sure what to expect. do ques be long for the us border control also is it only about 10-15 mins and your through again or is it just a series of questions and through in a few mins

You go through normal airport security (conveyor belt, bags, metal detector, etc). Then you're in the general eating/drinking/shopping area.

Then you head downstairs to the US clearance area. At that point you'll go through another security scan (conveyor belt, bags, metal detector). They're inclined to ask you to take your shoes off. After that you're straight into another queue (like a check-in desk queue).

You will be asked to stop at a certain point, then someone will direct you to a numbered box to stand in (just a painted box on the floor). You'll be called to a desk from there, the agent will take your passport, scan it, then take your finger prints and photo (digital, no ink involved). You'll be shown a photo of any bags you checked in and asked to confirm if it's yours. They may ask a few questions (purpose of travel, general chit chat or more pointed questions).
Then they'll stamp your passport and you're on your way. The bit at the desk only takes a few minutes.

After you go through, there's a few small shops - a tiny duty free, a coffee/sandwich kiosk type thing and one or two others. No major "sit down and have a full fry" style places.

The Dublin Airport App theoretically shows the estimated queue time at Irish airport security and US CBP. When it's working it's great, but sometimes there are just no numbers showing there at all.

revoke12

Thoie wrote: »

You go through normal airport security (conveyor belt, bags, metal detector, etc). Then you're in the general eating/drinking/shopping area.

Then you head downstairs to the US clearance area. At that point you'll go through another security scan (conveyor belt, bags, metal detector). They're inclined to ask you to take your shoes off. After that you're straight into another queue (like a check-in desk queue).

You will be asked to stop at a certain point, then someone will direct you to a numbered box to stand in (just a painted box on the floor). You'll be called to a desk from there, the agent will take your passport, scan it, then take your finger prints and photo (digital, no ink involved). You'll be shown a photo of any bags you checked in and asked to confirm if it's yours. They may ask a few questions (purpose of travel, general chit chat or more pointed questions).
Then they'll stamp your passport and you're on your way. The bit at the desk only takes a few minutes.

After you go through, there's a few small shops - a tiny duty free, a coffee/sandwich kiosk type thing and one or two others. No major "sit down and have a full fry" style places.

The Dublin Airport App theoretically shows the estimated queue time at Irish airport security and US CBP. When it's working it's great, but sometimes there are just no numbers showing there at all.

Great thanks a mill for all the information.

vicwatson

Thoie wrote: »

You will be asked to stop at a certain point, then someone will direct you to a numbered box to stand in (just a painted box on the floor). You'll be called to a desk from there, the agent will take your passport, scan it, then take your finger prints and photo (digital, no ink involved). You'll be shown a photo of any bags you checked in and asked to confirm if it's yours. They may ask a few questions (purpose of travel, general chit chat or more pointed questions).
Then they'll stamp your passport and you're on your way. The bit at the desk only takes a few minutes.

When travelling as a family with 2 minors are you called as a group to the desk?


Do minors have a photo and fingerprinting done?


Cheers

Creamy Goodness

vicwatson wrote: »

When travelling as a family with 2 minors are you called as a group to the desk?


Do minors have a photo and fingerprinting done?


Cheers

Answer to the first question is yes. you're called as a group (Partner and myself were and I've seen families called at the same time).

Not sure on the minors being fingerprinted/photographed but my guess is yes.

él statutorio

Creamy Goodness wrote: »

Answer to the first question is yes. you're called as a group (Partner and myself were and I've seen families called at the same time).

Not sure on the minors being fingerprinted/photographed but my guess is yes.

Photos, sometimes, prints for kids no.

Actually, now that I think about it, I don't know for certain, my kids travel on their US passports so I don't know for non US kids.

jack presley

Creamy Goodness wrote: »

Not sure on the minors being fingerprinted/photographed but my guess is yes.

Depends on the age. I can't remember which time it was we went through but one of the kids would have been around 8 at the time and she wasn't asked for fingerprint whereas the 11-12 year old was. This would have been around 2010/11 so it might have changed since then.

circular flexing

No photos or fingerprints for under 14s iirc.

Fathom

Not sure about these new facial recognition systems in airports in America. So often Homeland Security does things in the name of security without asking (e.g., PATRIOT Act). My pharmacy uses such a system. They immediately know who I am by name, driver's license, and health care plan the moment I step up to counter. Don't ask for ID. Give me my prescription. Not sure if there is a minimum age requirement.

vicwatson

Do you have to use the automated machines?


Per Aer Lingus Website


US Preclearance in 3 easy steps

1. Complete TSA security screening (this is the American security screening standard)
2. Self-process using one of our 18 self–service kiosks. These are available to US citizens and ESTA* passengers. US Citizens transaction time is 40 seconds and ESTA passengers 80 seconds at the kiosks.
   - Scan your passport
   - Have your photo taken
   - ESTA passengers: scan your fingerprints
   - Approval receipt is issued
3. Now present your approval receipt and passport to a US Preclearance of officer for a brief inspection

Or is it a choice?

Thoie

vicwatson wrote: »

Do you have to use the automated machines?


Per Aer Lingus Website


US Preclearance in 3 easy steps

1. Complete TSA security screening (this is the American security screening standard)
2. Self-process using one of our 18 self–service kiosks. These are available to US citizens and ESTA* passengers. US Citizens transaction time is 40 seconds and ESTA passengers 80 seconds at the kiosks.
   - Scan your passport
   - Have your photo taken
   - ESTA passengers: scan your fingerprints
   - Approval receipt is issued
3. Now present your approval receipt and passport to a US Preclearance of officer for a brief inspection

Or is it a choice?

A few years ago I was offered the option of using the machine in Dublin, instead of joining the long queue. At the time it was mainly for US citizens, but if you'd previously entered on your existing ESTA, to shorten the queues they were offering it. It was a lot faster than the normal queue at the time. Followed the instructions on the screen, it printed out a receipt. As an ESTA holder I brought the receipt to a man, who asked one or two more things and I was through in 30 seconds.

Thephantomsmask

They appear to have gotten rid of the self service machines except for US global entry passengers. The bank of them that had been installed were gone when I passed through last week.

c6ysaphjvqw41k

This post has been deleted.

endofrainbow

Anyone been through in the last week? Have the self service kiosks been replaced downstairs? When I last went through early September it was a mess as it was the first day of the new system - no bag identification/ no fingerprints/iris scan - just facial recognition.

Nobody seemed to have a clue what was going and it took almost an hour from second screening and USBP Pre-clearance. Just wondering if the kinks have been ironed out yet.

Agent Smith

Thephantomsmask wrote: »

They appear to have gotten rid of the self service machines except for US global entry passengers. The bank of them that had been installed were gone when I passed through last week.

They were a Pain to use.


OP, there is also a Lounge Past the US pre-clearance zone, "51st and green"

it's not bad if you've a few hours to kill and you were going to get a cooked breakfast anyway it's a nice spot.

scout353

Flew to the US last week via Dublin and the self service machines at the top of the stairs were not operational. It took an hour to get from the door of the hall downstairs, through the security check and through the immigration desk.

I know it was the bank holiday weekend but the queues were ridiculous.

I'm not sure if this is the case all the time but it was a pain.

Had flown to LAX at Easter via London so immigration was in LAX and it was much smoother with a huge amount of desks open to receive passengers.

c6ysaphjvqw41k

scout353 wrote: »

Flew to the US last week via Dublin and the self service machines at the top of the stairs were not operational. It took an hour to get from the door of the hall downstairs, through the security check and through the immigration desk.

I know it was the bank holiday weekend but the queues were ridiculous.

I'm not sure if this is the case all the time but it was a pain.

Had flown to LAX at Easter via London so immigration was in LAX and it was much smoother with a huge amount of desks open to receive passengers.

Was this early in the morning? We are flying next week at 8.10 am and I think pre-clearance only opens at 7am so I was worried we wouldn't have enough time. From what you are saying it sounds like we might not!