Passporty Controls - Irish Style

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At Dublin Airport last evening, I noted at Passport Control six queues of passengers entering the country from the UK and all being dutifully screened by the Immigration Officials. It took almost half an hour to process two flights from London that had arrived together. Fair enough.

But consider what happens at the North Wall and Dun Laoire where one can drive off the boats arriving from the UK with a car full of passengers and no check whatsoever regarding passports or any other travel documents takes place. At NW & DL boat loads of motor traffic arrive every single day in their thousands and nary a check.

What is the logic to this system ?
 
The logic is that an illegal from outside the EU could have flown to Heathrow and shown immigration an onward flight to Dublin and thereby been let through by Britsh immigration.

Whereas an illegal trying to come by ferry, would not have been allowed to proceed to the ferry by British immigration at Heathrow.

Its not perfect but its better than not checking the passports.
 
There is free travel between uk and ireland...

As said about the reason they do check in the airport is in case you are on a connecting flight from outside uk...
 
Would'nt be too sure about that. A passport is not necessary for travel between the UK and Ireland. Its only a requirement as identification by some airlines. A passenger holding a valid boarding card disembarking a flight from the UK should be allowed through without having to produce a passport. I have entered the UK many times without having to go through passport control , they have a seperate channel for flights arrving from Ireland and the Channel Islands.
 
I only ever show my driving licence when travelling between the UK and Ireland ... you (for the moment anyway - it may change soon) do not have to have a passport if you are a UK or Irish citizen travelling in the Common Travel Area between the UK & IE

To the point about connecting flights .. no this is not an issue ... anyone flying XXX-LHR-DUB where XXX is somewhere you need a passport to travel to will clear UK Immigration on arrival at Heathrow ... situation is the same as those connecting XXX-LHR-Manchester say ... immigration is done at first point of entry (normally in the flight connections centre at Heathrow)
 
Just what are the immigration issues that require checking at Dublin Airport but do not relate to passengers coming from the same place (UK) at the seaports?
The checks are cursory in nature at the Airport anyway but why does it happen at one place and not the other ?
 
Is the physical layout of Dublin Airport forcing everyone, regardless of where their flight originated (including internal Irish flights), through passport control now? I had to show ID when returning from Cork recently.

As far as I recall, a passport will be required for travel between Ireland & UK from next year, following changes in UK legislation.
 
superdrog said:
I have entered the UK many times without having to go through passport control , they have a seperate channel for flights arrving from Ireland and the Channel Islands.
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It is often far quicker to break away from the sheep and simply present your passport at the EU/EEA passport queue. At some airports such as Stansted and Gatwick the sheep need to wait for someone to open a gate to allow them thru. In the meantime I could be already done by simply going via passport control.

gipimann said:
As far as I recall, a passport will be required for travel between Ireland & UK from next year, following changes in UK legislation.
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That will cause fun along the border with our neighbour to the north. ;)
 
As Bond007 said, this could be difficult to manage for short trips up north. How do our EU neighbours control land border passage for example France to Spain? Do they still insist on passports for crossing over the land boundary?
 
Gipimann is right, it is down to the physical lay out of the airport that puts all flights in through Immigration. The airlines could bus UK and domestic flights directly into the baggage hall but who is going to pay for it? The DAA won't and neither will the airlines.
You can use driving license traveling between Ire and UK if born in Ireland or UK. From next year this will change, passports will be required.
In relation to the ports there are checks done there and people returned on a regular basis as is the case on border areas.
There is very good co operation between the English and Irish immigration authorities and they work together because of the Common Travel Area.
You would be surprised at the number of Irish passports that are lost and stolen and the number of people trying to enter the country on false European documents.
 
Slightly off-topic but I noticed that UK Immigration at UK airports are now using scanners to read passports. The official simply holds the passport to a scanner and it is checked against several databases , resulting in a green or red light on the machine , process only takes 2-3 secs and is very quick.
 
gipimann said:
Is the physical layout of Dublin Airport forcing everyone, regardless of where their flight originated (including internal Irish flights), through passport control now? I had to show ID when returning from Cork recently.
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I was waved through without even opening my passport when I told them that I had arrived from Cork!
 
superdrog said:
Slightly off-topic but I noticed that UK Immigration at UK airports are now using scanners to read passports. The official simply holds the passport to a scanner and it is checked against several databases , resulting in a green or red light on the machine , process only takes 2-3 secs and is very quick.
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That only works for those passports that have RFID.
 
1John said:
And the answer to the question is .....?
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I certainly think there's little enough logic to it ... Ireland/UK border checks at the airport seem to only apply if in the (I'm sure highly trained!) view of immigration officer you don't "look" like an Irish or UK passport holder
 
As Superdrog pointed out, the UK seem to have it have it sorted out quite well with the entry channel from Ireland with printed boarding passes.

As I passed through Dublin airport late at night last week, the immigration were taking just a quick glance at passports and waving people through, a little wearily....
 
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