Ireland Run - Immigration?
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Long Island, NY - LGA/JFK
Programs: AA and Marriot
Posts: 58
Ireland Run - Immigration?
I'm going on a mileage run to DUB from ORD and the return flight is two hours after I land in DUB. I've been to DUB before and normally the plane lands, you walk through and tell the immigration officer that you are there for either business or pleasure. Obviously this is going to be different. So here are a few quick bullet point questions:
1) Do I even have to go through immigration at DUB? Is there a rope I can duck under instead of going through immigration, since I just want to get over to the departure area for the flight back to ORD (which is probably the plane I just got off)?
2) If I do have to go through the immigration thing at DUB and he asks why I'm there, how do I explain the whole idea behind a mileage run? Do I simply say, "American offered me a lot of fringe benefits if I flew internationally this weekend?"
Any advice on how to handle the immigration folks, and exactly what to say, would be helpful. I would have done a search on this, but an international run is going to be new for me and I'm looking for specific answers about DUB. Thanks everybody.
Beach
1) Do I even have to go through immigration at DUB? Is there a rope I can duck under instead of going through immigration, since I just want to get over to the departure area for the flight back to ORD (which is probably the plane I just got off)?
2) If I do have to go through the immigration thing at DUB and he asks why I'm there, how do I explain the whole idea behind a mileage run? Do I simply say, "American offered me a lot of fringe benefits if I flew internationally this weekend?"
Any advice on how to handle the immigration folks, and exactly what to say, would be helpful. I would have done a search on this, but an international run is going to be new for me and I'm looking for specific answers about DUB. Thanks everybody.
Beach
#2
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2005
Posts: 10,947
You must clear immigration at DUB.
Immigration Officer: How long will you be in Ireland?
You: In Transit
Immigration Officer: How long will you be in Ireland?
You: In Transit
#3
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2002
Location: NYC, USA
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Exactly what to say. That should take care of it.
Remember, always tell the truth. If the inspector presses you for details, explain about your MR. He might be surprised, but probably just shrug and let you through.
#4
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: London, United Kingdom
Programs: OW/AA, DL, UA; Marriott Titanium
Posts: 4,934
As the previous poster just noted, tell the truth. Just tell them you're doing it for the miles. Period. End of story.
Without meaning to stereotype, the Irish are, IMHO, incredibly hosptiable. The last time I did an MR to Ireland, the gate agents were simply sad that I wasn't going to get to see their beautiful country. They so wanted us (my fellow MR'ers and I) to experience Ireland, and were sad for us that we weren't. I assured them I had been before, loved it, and would go again, but that this time, it was just for the miles.
Without meaning to stereotype, the Irish are, IMHO, incredibly hosptiable. The last time I did an MR to Ireland, the gate agents were simply sad that I wasn't going to get to see their beautiful country. They so wanted us (my fellow MR'ers and I) to experience Ireland, and were sad for us that we weren't. I assured them I had been before, loved it, and would go again, but that this time, it was just for the miles.
#5
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: LAX
Programs: Starwood Gold, UA 1P, Hertz 5*
Posts: 81
Just came back from a MR to DUB. Immigration was a complete non-event. The officer simply asked "how long will you be in Ireland?" I overnighted, so my answer was 1 day.
Also no issues coming back into ORD this afternoon when I stated I had been out of the country for one day.
Also no issues coming back into ORD this afternoon when I stated I had been out of the country for one day.
#7
Suspended
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Watchlisted by the prejudiced, en route to purgatory
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For US-DUB, at least on AA.com it is often possible to do sub-24 hour "stops" in London. It's a great way to get a last minute one-way deal from the US to Europe if needed (whether you go on from London or not means not oversleeping the next morning ).
#8
Moderator: Coupon Connection & S.P.A.M
Join Date: May 2000
Location: Louisville, KY
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Except of course that you must now conform to BAA's idiotic 1 small carryon rule.
#9
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: LAX
Programs: Starwood Gold, UA 1P, Hertz 5*
Posts: 81
BAA said to be relaxing rules on Jan 7
#10
Join Date: Nov 2007
Programs: aa mm/exp
Posts: 10
completed a similar trip a couple of weeks ago. as previously mentioned, had to go through customs and immigration (was asked where i arrived from - ord, how long was my stay - a couple of hours, and where i was headed - ord), but received no strange look or response. then proceeded back to check-in and went to the lounge.
have fun
have fun
#11
Moderator: Coupon Connection & S.P.A.M
Join Date: May 2000
Location: Louisville, KY
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Allegedly this is supposed to be relaxed as of Jan 7, 08 according to this article on BBC.
#12
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: NYC-BNA
Programs: Lifetime Plat/4mm miles, Starwood, HiltonHonors
Posts: 655
[QUOTE: 1) Do I even have to go through immigration at DUB? Is there a rope I can duck under instead of going through immigration, since I just want to get over to the departure area for the flight back to ORD (which is probably the plane I just got off)?]
Just for future reference -- in case you weren't being facetious -- circumventing the security flow at any airport is highly frowned upon by heavily armed (and in the case of TSA, badly trained) people.
Just for future reference -- in case you weren't being facetious -- circumventing the security flow at any airport is highly frowned upon by heavily armed (and in the case of TSA, badly trained) people.
#14
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2002
Location: NYC, USA
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No, TSA is not armed. But CBP officers are--they are sworn LEOs who carry firearms. Remember, until you clear passport control and customs, you technically are not in the USA, so you don't have rights under US law. No right to an attorney, you can be held without being charged with a crime, etc.
I definitely would not advise trying to circumvent any arrival procedures.
I definitely would not advise trying to circumvent any arrival procedures.
#15
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: DFW
Programs: DL PM, .6MM; AA Plat; Marriott Platinum Premier
Posts: 4,891
I did the same thing with SNN last summer (used it to fast-forward my plat challenge). The Immigration officer was quite surprised when I said, "1 day"... and I explained the MR concept to him. He literally wrote-in "1 day" on my passport stamp. No biggie. The cool thing about having a 24 hr stop is that you get the same crew on the return flight. When he saw me the next day, the purser seemed almost as surprised as the Immigration officer had been.