catbox9

I'm an American tourist just arrived in Dublin. I've been here multiple times for tourism purposes and always get the same default 90 day stamp. Today I got the usual stamp with an additional stamp giving me permission to remain until 12 September which is 8 days from now. I'm leaving on 11 September so it doesn't technically matter, but I'm wondering if there's a reason for this.

This is my third trip to Ireland this year. The last two were 14 and 3 days so I'm nowhere near any sort of 90 day limit. I'm supposed to come back for 5 days in November and I'm wondering if maybe they flagged me for coming too often?

terrier

Three trips to Ireland for "tourism purposes" in one year is unusual. So is a transatlantic 3-day trip. Your travel pattern looks more like that of a business traveler, or someone with some other specific connection to Ireland (family, property, a romantic relationship, etc). The latter in particular is frequently associated with overstays, and Americans are in Ireland - as are the Irish in America - on a per-capita basis, at or near the top of the list of nationalities most likely to illegally overstay. Which makes sense given the shared language and, often, family heritage.

For what it's worth, I've only ever traveled to Ireland for business - but I've done that many, many times, both arriving from the US and elsewhere in Europe (I'm a US citizen.) I've always, always gotten a stamp allowing me to remain until one day after my scheduled onward flight - often with a bit of a sneer from the gardai. Never understood that, given my stellar record of leaving the country - but I try not to take it personally. (By sheer dumb luck I've never had my onward flight so badly disrupted that I needed to deal with GNIB to get an extension, but I wonder every time how that'll work out should the need arise.)

catbox9

Several follow ups....

My 3 day trip was actually several days in oslo, 3 days in Ireland, and then several more days in London so it wasn't just 3 days in Europe.

Do you think I should be worried they'll refuse entry to me in November?

I also have a trip planned here in March... Also for tourism purposes.

I may or may not make another trip over here in February or April as well.

terrier

You may be asked - and to be honest I'm a little curious too - what brings you so frequently to Ireland in particular for tourism purposes. In general, provided you have proof of onward travel and no history of violations or overstays, as long as your answer is honest and (verifiably) above-board, you'll almost certainly* be fine.

(* - There are never guarantees when crossing borders, and anyone offering them is selling something. One always has to account for the personal moods and utter impunity of any border agent, anywhere. You'd be surprised how little recourse you'd have attempting to re-enter the USA should the border agent firmly decide that they didn't believe the person standing before them was the legitimate holder of a valid US passport. But situations like that are mercifully rare.)

catbox9

Well I'm a big time plastic paddy but that's probably a bad answer.

I came in April for a Wolfe Tones concert. I came in July because I was stranded in Norway due to an SAS strike. I'm here now for a Christy Moore concert. I'm coming in November for the Ireland vs fiji rugby match.

I'm planning to come in March for St paddy's day and the ireland vs England rugby match.

I want to live here, but again I wouldn't dare say that because I have no intention of overstaying my welcome.

My job pays well and I make my own schedule. I've gone to Europe (not just Ireland) 7 different times in the last 11 months.

This has me wondering.... Would it be better to try to apply for some sort of visa in advanced?

UKtravelbear

Wherver else you went in Europe on previous trips is of no concern to an Irish Immigration Officer.

I'm wondering if this might be connected in some way to your passport expiry date,

The limit on your current entry stamp does not necessarially mean you will be refused entry the next time you try and enter. The officer then could give you 90 says or just the length of your proposed stay + one day.just as now.

catbox9

My passport expires July, 2024 so that's not the issue.

I think it just really caught me off guard because he barely even talked to me. Asked me why I'm here (I said tourism). He asked me how long I'll be here (I said seven days). He asked if I've been here before (I said yes) and then that was it. I arrived in Europe via Scotland and that person had a million questions for me and wanted proof of everything I claimed to be doing and I was only there 3 days. They don't stamp passports so I assume I was admitted for 90 days but she didn't clarify.

GUWonder

Don’t let these encounters and any related scare-mongering get you to change you doing you with trips of this nature. The risks of being denied entry sound like it would remain very low. It may come with more questions and delays, but I wouldn’t worry about that as long as your record with them remains as is and you can come across as not illegally living or trying to irregularly move to/live in Ireland or the UK.

Your travel pattern isn’t really very indicative of a very high risk for illegal overstay in Ireland. I have at times gotten the feeling that ROI passport control may do a bit more of their thing because of the UK-Ireland CTA than if there were no UK-IRL CTA, perhaps because I come across as being more likely to have more connections to the UK than to Ireland.

stifle

The length of stay granted to a non-EU/UK citizen at entry to Ireland is always at the discretion of the Garda (INIS officer in DUB) that you meet on entry.

In this case, your travel pattern to date isn't anything that is likely to raise a particular concern, but continued future trips may start to look like a profile of someone who has begun a relationship with someone resident in the country. That is of course perfectly legal and the officer's main concern is simply that you will abide by the conditions attached to your entry and will not, for example, start to work or become resident.

To put your mind at ease, you may wish to have available (in your carry-on) the next time you fly in documentation verifying the declared purpose of your visit, and documentation showing that you have ties in another country and therefore are likely to leave Ireland before your permission to be there expires. Documentation might include event tickets if you're coming for a concert or match, or other tourist itineraries, as well as proof that you have a job/family/residence outside of Ireland to return to. Where possible, this should be paper rather than on a phone or tablet.

Keep in mind that entry to Ireland is a privilege – not a right – and you will be fine. They aren't looking for reasons to deny entry, not least because it generates a ton of paperwork.

CanadianInEcuador

Back in 2009 I was given 2 days when I arrived in Dublin on a Canadian passport. When the border guard asked how long I was planning on being in Ireland, I said "a couple of days". I actually was going to be there 3 days, so I technically overstayed by one day. Since Ireland doesn't have exit controls, no one checked my passport while leaving to see that I had overstayed.

pfreet

Did the border guard tell you this, or did you have to look at the stamp afterwards? I just assume 90-days and never look at the stamp.

catbox9

I happened to look at the stamp afterwards because it looked like he wrote something down in my passport which is not typical for a standard 90 day stamp in Ireland.

Ireland also doesn't have exit controls so I'm a bit nervous that they don't think I overstayed. I left a day earlier than I was required, but that's hard to prove on my next arrival.

stifle

Unless you left Ireland overland or on a local journey within the common travel area, you would have provided your passport details of your departing journey to your carrier who will have transmitted them to the Irish government.

If this somehow wasn't recorded, you can also use your boarding pass, frequent flyer history, stamps at subsequent destinations, or other evidence to show you left in good time.