Dublin passport control for US citizen
Feb 25, 2016, 11:05 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: South Park, Metropolis
Programs: AA LT PLT 3MM, Hilton/Marriott/SPG/Club Carlson GLD, IHG PLT
Posts: 4,608
Dublin passport control for US citizen
Hi, I recently had some issues entering Dublin and want to check if I may have future problems.
My wife and I are both US citizen with US passports, no criminal record. We've been visiting DUB once or twice a year for the past 7 years, typically for a 2-3 day trip. We always stay in DUB city. We usually travel to DUB direct from the US or via LHR as we are AA flyers, and connect through LHR.
On our last visit early this month, as we approached passport control upon arrival from LHR we where asked the usual questions, reason for the visit (holiday), how long are we staying (2 days) where are we staying (Radisson Blu Dublin). The officer then asked us if we've been to Northern Ireland, which we responded no, only Dublin, he asked again if we've been to Northern Ireland and if we've transited through Ireland before. We both replied no, the only transit we do is through LHR as we return back to the US through LHR.
The officer asked us when was the last time we where in Ireland, and we answered October 2015 for my birthday. He then mentioned that both of our passports have Irish transit stamps on it, 24hrs only. We both looked surprised at him, as we had no idea. He showed us some of the stamps and looked at us again. We both started to get worried to what was going on, as there was another gentleman in a separate location being questioned by two other officers and his baggage was being inspected. We didn't have anything to hide, but still where worried. Eventually the officer stamped our passport and let us through. We exited the airport, proceeded to airlink to get to city.
I checked our passports, and noticed that indeed we have 2 types of immigration stamps from DUB. One is a large one, about 2x3 inches, green colored, this one is the one received upon arrival and we have several of them from our past trips to DUB. The other one is a smaller one, about 1x1.5 inches, green colored as well with some black pen writing, AI or something similar to it and also says 24HR, this one is clearly written. They are dated 2009, 2011 and 2014, which coincide as well with past trips of ours.
Why the difference in stamps, is there something wrong, are we in trouble for future visits as we plan to go again in October. Anything wrong to visit Northern Ireland? I wasn't aware of anything, however, I first though that maybe the officer was just being extra careful due to possible heightened security measures. Not sure, but still, this got me thinking and I figure I might as well check with FT on this.
Thanks.
My wife and I are both US citizen with US passports, no criminal record. We've been visiting DUB once or twice a year for the past 7 years, typically for a 2-3 day trip. We always stay in DUB city. We usually travel to DUB direct from the US or via LHR as we are AA flyers, and connect through LHR.
On our last visit early this month, as we approached passport control upon arrival from LHR we where asked the usual questions, reason for the visit (holiday), how long are we staying (2 days) where are we staying (Radisson Blu Dublin). The officer then asked us if we've been to Northern Ireland, which we responded no, only Dublin, he asked again if we've been to Northern Ireland and if we've transited through Ireland before. We both replied no, the only transit we do is through LHR as we return back to the US through LHR.
The officer asked us when was the last time we where in Ireland, and we answered October 2015 for my birthday. He then mentioned that both of our passports have Irish transit stamps on it, 24hrs only. We both looked surprised at him, as we had no idea. He showed us some of the stamps and looked at us again. We both started to get worried to what was going on, as there was another gentleman in a separate location being questioned by two other officers and his baggage was being inspected. We didn't have anything to hide, but still where worried. Eventually the officer stamped our passport and let us through. We exited the airport, proceeded to airlink to get to city.
I checked our passports, and noticed that indeed we have 2 types of immigration stamps from DUB. One is a large one, about 2x3 inches, green colored, this one is the one received upon arrival and we have several of them from our past trips to DUB. The other one is a smaller one, about 1x1.5 inches, green colored as well with some black pen writing, AI or something similar to it and also says 24HR, this one is clearly written. They are dated 2009, 2011 and 2014, which coincide as well with past trips of ours.
Why the difference in stamps, is there something wrong, are we in trouble for future visits as we plan to go again in October. Anything wrong to visit Northern Ireland? I wasn't aware of anything, however, I first though that maybe the officer was just being extra careful due to possible heightened security measures. Not sure, but still, this got me thinking and I figure I might as well check with FT on this.
Thanks.
Last edited by arollins; Feb 25, 2016 at 11:11 pm
Feb 26, 2016, 3:53 am
#2
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: SE1, London
Posts: 23,433
Can't help specifically but the moral of the story is always check your passport after it has been processed to see what has been done to it. I picked up an incorrectly dates Zambia entry stamp that would have created a world of pain on exit by doing this.
Mar 2, 2016, 4:44 am
#3
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Kyiv, Ukraine
Programs: Mucci, BA Gold, TK Elite, HHonors Lifetime Diamond
Posts: 7,691
The smaller stamp is for transit. The bigger stamps is for visits. Perhaps the officer thought you were transiting Ireland on your way to the Northern Ireland when he saw the transit stamp? At the end of the day, you were allowed in so it sort of indicates that they have nothing against you otherwise they would have stopped you from entering?
Mar 2, 2016, 6:20 am
#4
Suspended
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: DCA
Programs: UA US CO AA DL FL
Posts: 50,262
Any time you deal with anybody, make sure that they haven't loused it up. This includes officials at Passport control, air carriers making changes to tickets and so on.
For whatever reason, the previous Officer had apparently used the wrong stamp or what he thought was the right stamp but was wrong. While the situation was immediately resolved, this is not always so and not every entry is at a place such as DUB.
My guess is that this issue is resolved and will never arise again because OP now has a subsequent "correct" stamp, but imagine if the entry had been at DEL where there would still be an ongoing argument about what color ink and size stamp was used for some entry in the distant past.
For whatever reason, the previous Officer had apparently used the wrong stamp or what he thought was the right stamp but was wrong. While the situation was immediately resolved, this is not always so and not every entry is at a place such as DUB.
My guess is that this issue is resolved and will never arise again because OP now has a subsequent "correct" stamp, but imagine if the entry had been at DEL where there would still be an ongoing argument about what color ink and size stamp was used for some entry in the distant past.
Mar 2, 2016, 10:04 am
#5
Suspended
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Watchlisted by the prejudiced, en route to purgatory
Programs: Just Say No to Fleecing and Blacklisting
Posts: 102,095
Any time you deal with anybody, make sure that they haven't loused it up. This includes officials at Passport control, air carriers making changes to tickets and so on.
For whatever reason, the previous Officer had apparently used the wrong stamp or what he thought was the right stamp but was wrong. While the situation was immediately resolved, this is not always so and not every entry is at a place such as DUB.
My guess is that this issue is resolved and will never arise again because OP now has a subsequent "correct" stamp, but imagine if the entry had been at DEL where there would still be an ongoing argument about what color ink and size stamp was used for some entry in the distant past.
For whatever reason, the previous Officer had apparently used the wrong stamp or what he thought was the right stamp but was wrong. While the situation was immediately resolved, this is not always so and not every entry is at a place such as DUB.
My guess is that this issue is resolved and will never arise again because OP now has a subsequent "correct" stamp, but imagine if the entry had been at DEL where there would still be an ongoing argument about what color ink and size stamp was used for some entry in the distant past.
Mar 2, 2016, 2:13 pm
#6
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: South Park, Metropolis
Programs: AA LT PLT 3MM, Hilton/Marriott/SPG/Club Carlson GLD, IHG PLT
Posts: 4,608
Thanks for response. I do agree that it seems the small stamp is rather a transit stamp. Seems that I've received this a few times in error, which gives me reason to believe nothing serious out of it, however, the officers can certainly create problems to travelers. Is not that I clearly indicated in past visits that we are "in-transit" to other destination.