Dublin Airport Officer Questions

airportnightmare · Post by **airportnightmare** » Sun Mar 03, 2013 10:16 pm

Hi,

I am currently residing in Ireland on a Stamp 4, spouse of an Irish National.

A few days ago I came back from visiting some family in South America where my family lives and everything went normal , I cleared immigration with a broad Irish "Howya" and off I was going through the terminal to meet my wife.

As soon as I picked up my luggage and proceeded to enter the "nothing to declare" queue (as all I had was my personal belongings on a backpack). I was held by the customs officer who kindly requested me to put my luggage through the x-ray machine. No problems until then.

She then asked for my passport and GNIB card and started asking me questions while writing everything on a little notebook. I kindly answered basic questions such as: Where were you? Where do you live? What do you do in Ireland at the moment? ( I am currently employed and on an permanent contract as a manager of a small tourism company).

She then asked me how often was i going on holidays, what was my wife doing at the moment. She then asked me if I was on the dole and if i wasnt lying about my job. Asked how it was possible for me to travel so much (travelled to Africa a few months ago on holidays) with my "rather small" salary , I am not rich but on 30k a year. How much was my rent and how was I covering it. She then asked me about every trip I had done in the past year and how did I afford it.

While doing that, she stripped my bag off and searched all of my belongings for traces of drugs.

In the end, after 15 to 20 minutes holding my documents and going back and forth to the office to ask questions to her supervisors, she said everything was fine and "let me off".

I found this situation very embarrassing. I don't know if i should consider these questions normal or should I do something about it.

I know that, after a 20-hour journey, the last thing you want is to be hassled on arrival to the land you now consider home.

Any thoughts?

Post by **EUsmileWEallsmile** » Sun Mar 03, 2013 10:23 pm

If you feel you were treated badly, complain.

airportnightmare · Post by **airportnightmare** » Sun Mar 03, 2013 10:30 pm

The woman was actually polite all the way through. However, I did feel intimidated by the sharp questions and felt the questions were rather invasive. It was like she wanted to find something wrong with me.

At some stage I even replied: "I afford traveling as I do by saving up my money".

I don't know if someone else has experienced this in Dublin Airport before?

Post by **EUsmileWEallsmile** » Sun Mar 03, 2013 10:36 pm

I haven't experienced it, perhaps it was a random check.

IntegratedMigrant · Post by **IntegratedMigrant** » Sun Mar 03, 2013 10:43 pm

I'd suggest you simply ignore it. Its normal at-times with Immigration officers all over the world!. She saw you as a target and wanted to find something bad/illegal/unusual about you.
At that time she was 100% certain she could sniff out something wrong about you, maybe by similar experience etc. but then she was wrong.

Despite all your appeal, at the end of the day they will simply say that "they are doing their job" bla bla bla

Nokia777 · Post by **Nokia777** » Sun Mar 03, 2013 11:29 pm

They just wanted to know if you are not smuggling anything in to the country like cigarettes and making money out of it for traveling as you have small salary they just asked few more question , most ppl bring large quantity of cigarettes i would simply ignore this

aljazair · Post by **aljazair** » Mon Mar 04, 2013 12:57 pm

oh yeah that happen to me in dublin airport, i wonder

Malika · Post by **Malika** » Mon Mar 04, 2013 3:24 pm

IntegratedMigrant wrote:I'd suggest you simply ignore it. Its normal at-times with Immigration officers all over the world!. She saw you as a target and wanted to find something bad/illegal/unusual about you.
At that time she was 100% certain she could sniff out something wrong about you, maybe by similar experience etc. but then she was wrong.

Despite all your appeal, at the end of the day they will simply say that "they are doing their job" bla bla bla

I concur with this...............OP don't read much into it, take it on the chin and move on.

Regards,

CitationCj2 · Post by **CitationCj2** » Mon Mar 04, 2013 6:21 pm

While its normal to carry out routine checks and searches, i certainly think that she went over board with all the personal questions.
Weather you visit africa or whatever state once or 10 times in the last two months, that should be absolutely none of her concern.

What money you earn or what do you do in your private life is nothing to concern her, unless she had a valid reason, or i suppose warrant to ask such intrusive question.

I would definitely lodge a complaint for public humiliation while there was no need for it.
If you don't do it, someone else will be her next victim and will be treated like you were.

agniukas · Post by **agniukas** » Mon Mar 04, 2013 7:03 pm

I heard some stories from people that were stopped at the airport and it was found out that they were on the social welfare payments while spending a few months abroad 'on holidays'. Also there are cases where the whole plane has to put all their luggage through the x-ray machine in search for cigarettes. Also there are some drugs being smuggled in the country. so i am guessing the officers have to do what ever they have to do.
It's a good thing that they found nothing bad or illegal, otherwise it could have been much worse.

IntegratedMigrant · Post by **IntegratedMigrant** » Mon Mar 04, 2013 9:49 pm

I kinda agree with CitationCj2

aljazair · Post by **aljazair** » Tue Mar 05, 2013 10:42 am

what happen to you my friend who get stoped by costum is nothing what happen to me is i was kept for a 20 minute by immigration officer asking me every thing about my trip to spain[1 week] how i get the money i am on job seeker allow i remenber him teling me how can i ford to go holiday and the country in ressesion anyway i lett go but he did folow me when i colect my lugage and presnte me to the costom for chek in me and my lugage and my wallet that take nearly an other half an hour. find nothing and let go but i felt like never travel again [ i hold irish travel document,refuge]

IntegratedMigrant · Post by **IntegratedMigrant** » Tue Mar 05, 2013 12:01 pm

aljazair wrote:what happen to you my friend who get stoped by costum is nothing what happen to me is i was kept for a 20 minute by immigration officer asking me every thing about my trip to spain[1 week] how i get the money i am on job seeker allow i remenber him teling me how can i ford to go holiday and the country in ressesion anyway i lett go but he did folow me when i colect my lugage and presnte me to the costom for chek in me and my lugage and my wallet that take nearly an other half an hour. find nothing and let go but i felt like never travel again [ i hold irish travel document,refuge]

I understand what you mean. Sometimes Customs can stereotypically target Non-EU nationals. They hardly stop EU nationals unless they suspect them for anything, but thats not the case with Non-EU nationals. They just randomly stop and search them "hoping" the could sniff out something bad.

Most Irish Nationals can ofcourse tell you that they never experienced this, but 4 out of 5 Non-EUs will say they have, I presume.

aljazair · Post by **aljazair** » Fri Mar 08, 2013 8:12 pm

[quote="IntegratedMigrant" i said immigration officer handing me to costume officer

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Dublin Airport Officer Questions

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