drewguy

I think there is no duty free after the CBP clearance.

Note also that Aer Lingus explains on-board duty free shopping is not available for Dublin preclearance flights:

http://www.aerlingus.com/travelinfor...usimmigration/

N1120A

If they are inclined to limit you, explain your situation and the CBP agent is likely to give you the full 90 days. Remember, however, that the US pretends like Canadian sovereignty is fungible and counts your entire time in North America against the 90 days.

This is true, but there is a HUGE thing to remember. The 90 day admission is good for however long you are in NORTH AMERICA and not just the US. Some unfortunate UK tourists were treated horribly when they had a mixed US/Canada trip a year or two ago.

I think that depends if the OP is using ESTA or not. It also depends on what kind of mood the CBP agent in Dublin is in. They usually just give the regular stamp, which means 90 days. I've seen, however, them use the "mean" stamp addition to limit the admission, even for Canadians.

I think there must be some sort of exception for pre-cleared flights, as they have lots of shopping at YYZ and other Canadian pre-clearance airports.

Incorrect. The reason you have security screening after international arrivals is because the passenger has had access to checked bags in the customs area. Since these flights are pre-cleared for customs and immigration, there is no re-screening (unless gate gropes are going on).

Maybe on the airplane, but there is certainly shopping after CBP pre-clearance in Toronto and it seems in Dublin as well.

drewguy

I assume the exception is that from a CBP perspective you've already immigrated to the United States, even though you're still in Dublin (or Canada), and therefore no longer subject to any customs limitations.

N1120A

This is true, but there is the issue of tax collection.

mre5765

There is lots of shopping post clearance. My assumption has always been that the onus is on the traveler to stay within his exemption, or upon arriving on U.S. soil, seek out the nearest CBP office (usually at the arriving airport) and make a declaration.

Given that the CBP reserves the right to inspect arriving pax from pre clearance airports (something which has never happened from Canada to me, but did on a flight from DUB this year) it would prudent for a traveler to comply with the customs laws.


Right, I doubt the vendors in preclearance areas are paying duty to the CBP.

zkzkz

This is not true. There is enhanced security at Dublin for US flights to meet TSA requirements but it's handled by Irish security staff. This is just like the enhanced security at Canadian airports for US flights which is handled by CATSA, not the TSA.

To be honest the irish extra security is a bit of a joke. They just x-ray your shoes since the normal security doesn't require that you take off your shoes. But since you don't walk through the magnetometer again you could have just transferred whatever the TSA is worried people might hide in their shoes into their pocket before the extra check.


Frankly the OP's question is so vague and unclear about his circumstances that all the speculation trying to answer the original question is all pointless.

Often1

Doesn't seem to apply to arrivals from PC ports. TSA clearance would be required for an ordinary intl. arrival because you have access to your checked luggage for CBP and thus could take an item prohibited from carry-on out of the checked and put it in your carry-on.

On arrival from a PC port, you are a domestic US pax, aircraft parks at domestic gate and you exit jetway directly into sterile-side of airport without re-clearing security.

Needless to say, as with all flights inbound USA, local security must meet DHS standards. But, there's no TSA on the ground handling inspections.

zkzkz

Inbound flights to the US that are precleared need to meet a different standard than inbound flights without preclearance.

The main difference for Ireland and Canada seems to be that you have to take your shoes off. In Canada that means there's a different security station that uses different procedures that include taking off your shoes. In Ireland it means after you've gone through security, eat and shop in the normal terminal, then go thorugh US preclearance there's a second small security station that only takes a minute where they put your shoes through an x-ray machine.

Often1

The question was whether TSA was on the ground at DUB or whether one reclears TSA upon arrival in the USA. TSA is not on the ground conducting inspections and one does not reclear security upon arrival in the USA (unless it's a connection where one would reclear if domestic-domestic due to terminal/concourse layout).

colmc

The video is out of date. DUB (and SNN) used only have immigration pre-clearance. So hence one could still buy duty free on board flights etc.

Now that both have got both immigration and customs pre-clearance, duty free is no longer available after you pre-clear. Any flight that pre-clears at DUB no longer sells duty free on board etc.

mre5765

Oddly, duty free from Canadian pre clearance airports to the USA continues to be available.

evanderm

I think this has to do with the liquids rules and the fact that a large portion of YYZ-US travellers don't check bags. There is a store before Customs band before security and if you purchase DF there you have to check it in. There's then a shop after security for DF that you want to carry on. Your boarding pass is stamped when you purchase DF at either of the locations which I suspect (though haven't tested) is to prevent you from buying twice. Although, with print-at-home and mobile boarding passes this is very easily circumvented.

BDA also only has the one store before pre-clearance.

rfcjohn

Thank you everyone for the responses, but perhaps my OP was unclear so I'll set out my situation

We normally fly BFS - LHR - YYZ but this year we are going DUB - EWR - YYZ with Dublin to Newark on United. As we are stay with family close to Niagara Falls ON we normally take a few trips across the Rainbow Bridge into the USA but on our first trip across each time we have to wait, join the queue in the office and get our VWP green form for 90 days stamped and attached to our passports - for a $12 fee, of course

This time, as we will be landing in Newark before flying on to Toronto, my question asks if "pre-clearance" in Dublin will take the place of this wait and VWP stamp etc process at the Rainbow Bridge - in other words, will we be free to enter the USA from Canada the first time we drive across without having to be processed? Is that what pre-clearance does?

König

How soon after landing in Newark are you planning to cross into the USA again? If I am not mistaken, you can retain your green I-94W form if you go to Canada for 3 (?) days and then return to the USA. In that case, you would not need to go inside the building and be "processed".

But is the CBP still attaching paper I-94W forms in the passport? I thought they switched to electronic form.

rfcjohn

We will certainly be crossing back over into the US from Canada within 3 days of our short layover at EWR

We last crossed from Canada into the US in November 2011 and CBP were certainly attaching paper I-94W forms in the passport then as we had to hand it in the last time we crossed back into Canada on 1st December before our flight home