US immigration Preclearance to be expanded at Dublin and Shannon airports

The United States Preclearance facilities, allowing passengers to undertake all immigration clearance before taking off, are to be expanded in Ireland’s main airports

The United States and Irish governments have signed an amendment to an existing amendment which will expand the US immigration pre-clearance services at Dublin and Shannon airports.

The US Preclearance (USCBP) facilities in the two mains airports of Ireland are purpose built and allow US-bound passengers to undertake all US immigration, customs, and agriculture inspections at Dublin Airport prior to departure. The benefit is that preclearance allows passengers to avoid immigration queues upon arrival and pick up their bags and go.

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The United States Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and the Government of Ireland have signed an amended agreement allowing for preclearance expansion in Ireland.  The amended agreement allows for continued expansion of preclearance services in Dublin and Shannon, including extended service hours and increased staffing, cost recovery, and improved officer safety measures.

US Preclearance allows passengers to clear customs in Ireland before takeoff.

CBP Executive Assistant Commissioner Todd Owen and Ireland’s Ambassador to the United States Daniel Mulhall signed the agreement at a ceremony in Washington D.C. attended by officials from both countries.

“We see the agreement as an excellent vehicle to help our two countries meet the demands of increased travel across the Atlantic,” said Reece Smyth, Charge d’Affaires of the U.S. Embassy in Ireland.

Pre-inspection, a forerunner to preclearance, in Ireland commenced in 1986 and updated in 2008 to a Preclearance Agreement.  In early 2017, negotiations to modify the 2008 agreement commenced and the signing of this amended agreement culminates two years of coordinated effort between the Department of Homeland Security, Customs and Border Protection, U.S. State Department, Irish Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport, and other agencies.

Expansion of preclearance operations in Ireland directly enhances CBP’s strategic plan addressing continually evolving security threats by allowing CBP to work with foreign law enforcement and commercial carriers to prevent the boarding of potentially high-risk travelers while providing unique facilitation benefits.

Have you used the US Preclearance in Dublin or Shannon? Did you find it beneficial? Let us know in the comments section below. 

Here's a short video from Dublin Airport on how pre-clearance works: