~ Pre-Clearance and PassportControl queries ~

Signpost · 30-08-2018 3:25pm

Thanks James74, I'll give that a try. Very poorly worded question

eddiem74 · 22-09-2018 4:53pm

Been many years since dealt with US preclearance in Dublin Airport. Travelling tomorrow with work for 2 weeks. What is the craic with questions they ask and appropriate responses? Is it "I am attending business meetings" they key one or anything to be careful of?

endofrainbow · 22-09-2018 4:55pm

Assuming you have the appropriate visa for business, just answer honestly.

nsa0bupkd3948x · 22-09-2018 4:56pm

eddiem74 wrote: »

Been many years since dealt with US preclearance in Dublin Airport. Travelling tomorrow with work for 2 weeks. What is the craic with questions they ask and appropriate responses? Is it "I am attending business meetings" they key one or anything to be careful of?

Just answer them truthfully. Any time I go for work normally ask me purpose of travelling I say going over to the meet the US team and work from the us office for a week. Or if there's training on I'll mention that.

It's not like they're trying to catch you out. Fabricating or preplanning responses is just going to draw more attention to yourself and make it look like you have something to hide.

coylemj · 22-09-2018 5:43pm

eddiem74 wrote: »

Been many years since dealt with US preclearance in Dublin Airport. Travelling tomorrow with work for 2 weeks. What is the craic with questions they ask and appropriate responses? Is it "I am attending business meetings" they key one or anything to be careful of?

endofrainbow wrote: »

Assuming you have the appropriate visa for business, just answer honestly.

That poster will not need a visa for a two week business trip, ESTA will be sufficient.

The Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) is an online system that is part of the Visa Waiver Program (VWP). ESTA is mandatory for all nationals or citizens of VWP countries who plan to travel to the United States for temporary business or pleasure.

https://ie.usembassy.gov/visas/visa-waiver-program/

Yamanoto · 22-09-2018 6:06pm

Only difference is the visa waiver stamp on your passport will likely show 'WB' as opposed to 'WT' - the former being Business & the later Tourist.

dohouch · 23-09-2018 9:56am

Can I pre-clear at Dublin or is it a regular quefull:cool: entry in Nashville.

Maybe I can do both as I'm a big fan of queuing:D

Caranica · 23-09-2018 10:30am

dohouch wrote: »

Can I pre-clear at Dublin or is it a regular quefull:cool: entry in Nashville.

Maybe I can do both as I'm a big fan of queuing:D

You can only pre clear when your next stop is the US so no.

endofrainbow · 23-09-2018 1:16pm

direct flights from Ireland only, so no, you can't.

coylemj · 23-09-2018 3:20pm

If you're dealing with officials in Nashville, don't forget Sir and Ma'am - lay it on in spades. Southern states are just that bit more formal than the folk up north and rednecks in uniform expect to be addressed in a formal manner from start to finish i.e. don't get 'familiar' as you may cross a line and find yourself suddenly dealing with a difficult person. Keep your Irish charm and informality on hold.

dohouch · 23-09-2018 10:04pm

coylemj wrote: »

don't forget Sir and Ma'am - lay it on in spades.
Keep your Irish charm and informality on hold

I've never laid it on in spades, probably ROFL if I had say "Yeahs mahm. yeahs sur

okidoki987 · 31-03-2019 5:30pm

Flying Norwegian to JFK New York via a 4 hour stop over in Stockholm due to the original flight being cancelled, now 787 Dreamliner.
Does he go through the US Emigration in Dublin?
https://www.norwegian.com/ie/ipc/availability/avaday?A_City=NYCALL&AdultCount=1&ChildCount=0&CurrencyCode=EUR&D_City=DUB&D_Day=01&D_Month=201904&D_SelectedDay=01&IncludeTransit=true&InfantCount=0&R_Day=09&R_Month=201904&R_SelectedDay=09&TripType=2&mode=ab

goingnowhere · 31-03-2019 5:33pm

rossie1977 · 31-03-2019 7:41pm

Only go through us immigration in Ireland if you flight direct to the states

okidoki987 · 31-03-2019 10:38pm

Cheers lads.

okidoki987 · 01-04-2019 8:44pm

2 1/2 hours for pre-immigration at Dublin Airport according to this caller today, staff reckon it will be here to stay for the summer!

https://www.rte.ie/radio1/podcast/podcast_liveline.xml

shinny · 01-04-2019 8:55pm

Hey, does anyone know if you can bring a chopped salad all the way through both?

Thanks!

lawred2 · 01-04-2019 8:57pm

Not sure but I think they have salad in America too

mloc123 · 01-04-2019 8:58pm

Likely no (pre-clearance)... you are not allowed bring meat, dairy or veg AFAIK. They stopped me bringing a sandwich once for sure.

shinny · 01-04-2019 9:00pm

mloc123 wrote: »

Likely no... you are not allowed bring meat, dairy or veg AFAIK. They stopped me bringing a sandwich once for sure.

I've brought a cheese sandwich no hassle before. Yogurt, cheese etc. Had it on the plane. I'm flying with Norweigan (cheaper fare) so thinking of things I can bring.

mloc123 · 01-04-2019 9:04pm

shinny wrote: »

I've brought a cheese sandwich no hassle before. Yogurt, cheese etc. Had it on the plane. I'm flying with Norweigan (cheaper fare) so thinking of things I can bring.

Maybe depends on who is on the small security area before clearance I guess. Worst case if they take it off you, you can get food in the small cafe after clearance.

shinny · 01-04-2019 9:07pm

mloc123 wrote: »

Maybe depends on who is on the small security area before clearance I guess. Worst case if they take it off you, you can get food in the small cafe after clearance.

I'm getting conflicting info on it to be fair. I've tweeted Dublin Airport, see what they say. Worst case I'll horse it into me if they try to take it away

elperello · 01-04-2019 9:08pm

I saw a sniffer dog going over the passengers baggage in Shannon once.
He stuck on one woman's bag and the handler checked it for food and found none.
The woman then explained that she had apples in the bag the previous day and the handler said that was enough to alert the dog.

I am only reporting what I saw and I know no more about the sniffer dog's abilities but I wouldn't chance bringing food.

shinny · 01-04-2019 9:16pm

So I rang Dublin Airport assitance and they said there will be no issue for Salad items. It's only liquid and paste type foods that have to be under 100mls. Happy days!

RoryMac · 01-04-2019 9:21pm

They took bananas off my in-laws last time we went through pre-clearance in Dublin so would've thought salad would be an issue

laotg · 01-04-2019 9:24pm

shinny wrote:

So I rang Dublin Airport assitance and they said there will be no issue for Salad items. It's only liquid and paste type foods that have to be under 100mls. Happy days!

That answer relates to security in the airport. US Customs in Dublin may have a different opinion.

shinny · 01-04-2019 9:28pm

laotg wrote: »

That answer relates to security in the airport. US Customs in Dublin may have a different opinion.

I asked about both. They said it referred to both.

shinny · 01-04-2019 9:29pm

RoryMac wrote: »

They took bananas off my in-laws last time we went through pre-clearance in Dublin so would've thought salad would be an issue

Yeah, I had a banana with me one time and saw the sign specifically for that while I was in the queue in US PC so I ate it as we were there for 40 mins.

mloc123 · 01-04-2019 9:30pm

https://www.cbp.gov/travel/us-citizens/know-before-you-go/prohibited-and-restricted-items

As clearance in the airport is the same as entering the US, this is the list that applies

jive · 01-04-2019 9:32pm

You can bring it through, if a border agent asks just say you’ll be eating it in transit. They do sometimes ask if you’re bringing in meat/nuts/cheese/snacks but you’d want to get a real asshat to confiscate a ready made salad which will obviously be eaten prior to arriving to the US

shinny · 01-04-2019 9:35pm

jive wrote: »

You can bring it through, if a border agent asks just say you’ll be eating it in transit. They do sometimes ask if you’re bringing in meat/nuts/cheese/snacks but you’d want to get a real asshat to confiscate a ready made salad which will obviously be eaten prior to arriving to the US

Cheers, here's hoping I don't get an asshat :P

anne burnell · 02-04-2019 7:43am

You can bring salad with you , I bring it every time I fly to the states . You can’t bring fruit or any type of meat though

endofrainbow · 02-04-2019 2:00pm

not quite relevant to the average traveler as he was called for secondary clearance but 3 hours is always recommended.

shinny · 02-04-2019 2:14pm

anne burnell wrote: »

You can bring salad with you , I bring it every time I fly to the states . You can’t bring fruit or any type of meat though

Great, thanks for that. I’ll avoid meat in the salad so just in case.

SusanC10 · 08-04-2019 10:54am

We are flying to Boston from Dublin on Thurs. Flight is at 11.30am. What time should we be at the Airport to be comfortable?

endofrainbow · 08-04-2019 10:55am

SusanC10 wrote: »

We are flying to Boston from Dublin on Thurs. Flight is at 11.30am. What time should we be at the Airport to be comfortable?

8.30am

SusanC10 · 08-04-2019 10:58am

endofrainbow wrote: »

8.30am

Thank you !

anne burnell · 08-04-2019 4:22pm

Give yourself the three hours . Immigration and customs can be busy

johnire · 14-07-2019 1:34pm

Hi.
I’m planning on travelling from either Dublin or Shannon to Miami. The flight is via Heathrow. Can I still get the preclearence before I board in whichever airport I end up departing from?
Thanks!

Del2005 · 14-07-2019 1:37pm

johnire wrote: »

Hi.
I’m planning on travelling from either Dublin or Shannon to Miami. The flight is via Heathrow. Can I still get the preclearence before I board in whichever airport I end up departing from?
Thanks!

No. Preclearance only works if you travel from Ireland to the USA, travelling via any other country means you queue on arrival

johnire · 14-07-2019 7:01pm

Ok. Thanks for the reply. I thought that all right.
Just one last question...if there’s a stopover in the U.S.itself with a plane change am I right to say then that preclearence in Ireland is applicable because the flight is directly from Ireland to the U.S. albeit not a direct flight to the final destination?
Thanks again.

Atlantic Dawn · 14-07-2019 7:09pm

Yes if you have preclearance in Ireland you will arrive in US as if it were an internal flight in US.

Miaireland · 14-07-2019 7:15pm

Once your flight goes direct from Ireland to the US, you can use preclearance (it is brilliant). Once you landed in the USA you are consider a Domestic passenger in the US (like an person who flew from Dallas to JFK for example).

rossie1977 · 14-07-2019 9:13pm

Unless there is big saving to be made try and book and flight that goes Ireland to Miami via an American city (Boston, NYC, DC, Philly etc) not the UK.

Last thing you want is to arrive after a 8-10 hour flight and be faced with a 2 hour queue at immigration.

nibtrix · 14-07-2019 9:19pm

rossie1977 wrote: »

Last thing you want is to arrive after a 8-10 hour flight and be faced with a 2 hour queue at immigration.

Or more. Once had three hours in LAX and then another hour queuing at customs after collecting the bags.

johnire · 14-07-2019 9:30pm

Yes folks-thanks for all that. I agree..... I’ll try and source a flight that goes directly to the U.S.and then onwards. I was looking at a flight that goes via Heathrow -the times are good-bit I really don’t think it we’ve worth the hassle.
Thanks again.

freak scence · 27-08-2019 7:56pm

hi have a 4 pm flight is 1pm safe to get to airport or should i aim an hour earlier ?

EverythingGood · 27-08-2019 8:26pm

Three hours should be fine but if you want to do a bit of shopping, have a coffee or a beer, give yourself another hour

Homer · 27-08-2019 10:20pm

Most of the US flights will have departed by that time so you should get through pre clearance reasonably quickly. Three hours would be plenty of time.

endofrainbow · 28-08-2019 12:54pm

depending on when (week/month) I'd say 3 hours, but some airlines recommend 4 hours.

~ Pre-Clearance and PassportControl queries ~

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