Colleagues' Girlfriend Refused Entry at Airport

hamsterboy

Hi All

Apologies if this is not the appropriate section for this

My colleague's GF was flying in from Argentina this week.

They were both super careful they had all documentation etc in place. They had even consulted with a lawyer for all the requirements she needed to have to enter the country as a tourist and he even made the extra step of making an invitation letter explaining where she would be staying and for how long because one can never be too cautious nowadays. Two way tickets, all fine.

It seems she was nervous and during the queue she stepped out of a red line people are not supposed to cross, and she was instantly called out by a female officer that told her how lacking of respect she was of European law. After that she was questioned regarding the reason for her travelling, she explained the truth, something that seems these officers did not seem to like. It seems that having all paperwork well done, a return date and plane ticket and an explanation letter was not good enough for them, she was not accepted as a tourist.

THEN....She was accused of trying to import drugs into the country. They reviewed every single thing in her luggage, they took her phone and reviewed her chats with my colleague, and made her give a urine test and she was searched.

Despite them finding nothing, they actually went ahead and deported her.......

My colleague began to worry about her as he had not heard from her in a while so he was ringing the airport, immigration and airport police said they were not holding anyone for any reason, but then later a Garda called and confirmed with Immigration that she had been sent back.

The Argentinian Consulate has already been alerted of this and knows the details, and they will be open an investigation. They told my colleague however, that nothing could be done right now, that it was better for her to come back to her country because the decision had been made. So all they can do is try to investigate what went on.

Does anyone here have any explanations as to why this could happen, and who he can contact to raise the issue? It sounds like a frightening experience for anyone to go through.

Regards

HB

dudley72

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058212937/colleagues-girlfriend-refused-entry-at-airport

From reading, and of course it is one sided it would suggest they didn't believe she would return home after her visa.

I would expect they gave her a reason why they wouldn't let her enter?

hamsterboy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118013331#Comment_118013331

I will try find out from him what the exact reason they gave her was...will update if and when I get it. Thanks

Addle

Is she telling your colleague the truth?

CreadanLady

My guess is that from their point of view they saw an Irish boyfriend was "importing" his Argentine girlfriend and that there was a risk of her intentionally overstaying. With carefully prepared paperwork and a waving around a return ticket they might have got the impression she was trying too hard to proove her intent to return home and though it was bogus.

So what is the actual intent? Does she genuinely intend to return home after her stay, or is she trying to stay but just bluffing with the return ticket?

Mrs OBumble

Does she have some history that your colleague doesn't know about?

Why was she nervous? Surely if all the paperwork is in order, there would be nothing to be nervous about.

LillySV

I’d say no smoke without fire… so is it quality stuff she had ?? :)

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118013459#Comment_118013459

Good chance rejected visa application to other european country or overstaying previously somewhere else

Atlantic Dawn

Had your friend met her before in person?

davo2001

I wonder what really happened!

Gaoth Laidir

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118013513#Comment_118013513

Not exactly what was described above, I would be fairly certain.

JeffKenna

Consulting a lawyer for a holiday seems very OTT if she was genuine.

silver2020

She was not accused of having drugs - cut that BS out.

Her story did not add up and does not add up.

Flying in on tourist visa to visit boyfriend and making sure all paperwork "added up". I read that as flying in to move in with boyfriend and work illegally.

"Called out by a female officer for lacing respect for european law" - More rubbish. Even the wording tells you this is rubbish.

She was nervous, looked suspicious, most likely was going to over stay, did herself no favours, got caught and refused entry. She was not deported - she was refused entry.

So much BS from her that is obviously BS, I'm surprised you wasted your time on it.

hamsterboy

Thanks for all the comments guys.

I'm only going on what I was told and have no reason to doubt what the guy is saying.

Just tried to help out, unlike most of the comments here.....

Aint Eazy Being Cheezy

There’s holes in that story for definite. I’ve been in that exact situation you described, as the waiting bf! We didn’t have an invitation letter, not that it should’ve had any affect either way. But in my case, an immigration officer just decided they wanted to ask her some more in-depth questions.

The officer was a bit abrupt with her and tried to poke holes in her story, then they phoned me and got my version of events, and then she was let into this country.

I was told she was being detained for questioning, and also asked questions myself. I knew what was going on all along. Your colleague or his gf is leaving out something somewhere. She’d have been given a written reason for refusal for starters.

There's no entitlement to enter Ireland unless you're an EU citizen, so if INIS / GNIB don't like you, you get deported. Sinn a bhfuil.

It only takes a couple of questions to make border guards suspicious.

Have you a job back in Argentina? Not at the moment..

What things are you looking forward to seeing in Ireland? My boyfriend and ...

Why did you step out of the line? Because I got nervous.

Why were you nervous? I don't know...

.42.

Shes lying about the Urine Test for starters

tdf7187

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118013557#Comment_118013557

I also don't believe for a second that a customs officer in an Irish airport told her to 'respect European law' if she accidentally stepped a few cms onto a red line she wasn't supposed to cross.

silver2020

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118013997#Comment_118013997

You don't get deported, you are refused entry and returned to the point of embarkation.

If a flight was not available for another few days, you would be "arrested" and brought to a holding cell until the flight became available. At no time have you officially entered Ireland.

Brussels Sprout

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118013414#Comment_118013414

The OP didn't say that the colleague was Irish.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118014565#Comment_118014565

Semantics.

endofrainbow

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118014548#Comment_118014548

It wouldn't have been a customs officer, Immigration perhaps.

Not that I believe a word of this story anyway.

Peregrinus

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118014860#Comment_118014860

No, it's not semantics; it makes a difference. If you're deported it's for a specified reason, and there's a record, and it mean that any future applications will be scrutinised carefully, etc, etc. It's a big deal. Whereas if you're denied entry you can just rock up again the next day or the next week or present yourself at a different port of entry, and try again, using the same visa and supporting documentation, etc.

Yes it is semantics, for the purposes of this exercise. The end result is the same, you unexpectedly end up where you started.

dudley72

I think we all agree the story doesn't hold up. If you do go to legal they will tell you the same.

It is one sided of course and this lady is not going to tell the truth, especially if the BF had paid for the flights etc to get her over here.

Even reading the story it would put red lights to me, BF in Ireland, from Argentina. What is to stop her just staying here long term and not going home? she will have a house etc with the BF

Peregrinus

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118017788#Comment_118017788

I've already pointed out how the end result is different in a that is very important if the OP's friend's girlfriend still hopes to come to Ireland.

XsApollo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118013694#Comment_118013694

Same thing myself, questioned her and then rang myself who was waiting outside, told the officer where she was staying and for how long and all was good.

Staplor

Might be a bit of a hot take here, but if the urine test showed she was pregnant, that would make me question her willingness to return.

Peregrinus

I think if she were pregnant the OP would likely have mentioned this.

Ash.J.Williams

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118017997#Comment_118017997

The drummer from type o negative told me the immigration officer in dublin told him "ah jonny kelly with a name like that you don't need a passport"

:)