Will I save much time by using the US preclearance facilities in Canada/Ireland rather than flying direct?

1. Why can you clear US immigration in Ireland?
2. How long does preclearance take at Dublin Airport?
3. Can US immigration check your phone?
4. Is US preclearance mandatory?
5. Do I have to go through customs for a connecting flight in Dublin?
6. How early should you get to Dublin Airport?
7. Do you go through customs in Dublin?
8. What do US immigration officers see on their screen?
9. Can customs force you to unlock your phone?
10. Can TSA force you to unlock your phone?
11. What airports have US customs preclearance?
12. What airports have US Customs?
13. Does Canada have preclearance customs facilities in the US?

Why can you clear US immigration in Ireland?

Dublin Airport is one of only a few airports outside North America that offers a US Preclearance facility. The benefit is that having cleared USCBP, passengers arriving in the US are treated as domestic arrivals, allowing them to avoid immigration queues upon arrival and pick up their bags and go.

How long does preclearance take at Dublin Airport?

How long does Preclearance take at Dublin Airport? We recommend passengers to arrive at the airport 3 hours before their scheduled US flight to allow enough time to pass through Dublin Airport Security and US Preclearance.

Can US immigration check your phone?

A US appeals court has ruled that Customs and Border Protection agents can conduct in-depth searches of phones and laptops, overturning an earlier legal victory for civil liberties groups.

Is US preclearance mandatory?

Travelers are subject to immigration and customs inspections by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers before boarding their transportation onward to the United States. Preclearance applies to all passengers regardless of their nationality or purpose of travel.

Do I have to go through customs for a connecting flight in Dublin?

The Dublin Airport website even has a handy guide, telling you to follow the signs for “flight connections” and not baggage reclaim. Generally speaking, you only clear customs if you're leaving the airport and entering into the country, not heading on to connecting flights.

How early should you get to Dublin Airport?

Dublin Airport would advise passengers to arrive at check-in at least 90 minutes prior to European flights and 3 hours for long-haul flights and to factor in a further 30 minutes if parking a car.

Do you go through customs in Dublin?

All passengers are required to pass through customs and immigration controls. Immigration and border controls at Dublin Airport are fully maintained by the Border Management Unit (BMU), which is under the directorship of the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) of the Department of Justice and Equality.

What do US immigration officers see on their screen?

Information on the crossing—such as name, date and country of birth, and other biographical information; the dates and locations of previous border crossings; citizenship or immigration status; and a host of other related information—is stored in the TECS database, which contains a master crossing record for every ...

Can customs force you to unlock your phone?

Customs officers are legally allowed to search travelers' personal electronics without a warrant — whether they're visitors or American citizens. ... Travelers can refuse access to their devices, but customs officers are not obligated to allow someone into the country.

Can TSA force you to unlock your phone?

The short answer is yes they can and you should. If you have TSA you have American law.

What airports have US customs preclearance?

Today, CBP has more than 600 officers and agriculture specialists stationed at 16 Preclearance locations in 6 countries: Dublin and Shannon in Ireland; Aruba; Freeport and Nassau in The Bahamas; Bermuda; Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates; and Calgary, Toronto, Edmonton, Halifax, Montreal, Ottawa, Vancouver, Victoria, and ...

What airports have US Customs?

15 Foreign Airports with U.S. Customs and Immigration Preclearance Locations

• Calgary International Airport.
• Edmonton International Airport.
• Halifax Stanfield International Airport.
• Montréal-Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport.
• Ottawa MacDonald-Cartier International Airport.
• Toronto Pearson International Airport.

Does Canada have preclearance customs facilities in the US?

The agreement is fully reciprocal across all modes of transportation, enabling Canadian preclearance officers to conduct preclearance in the U.S. and U.S. CBP officers to conduct preclearance in Canada.