A US citizen, I will be in Dublin for a week before flying into Heathrow (Air Lingus, terminal 2, I believe). Am I required to go through immigration? I'm confused on if I go through green or blue doorway. Obviously have nothing to declare, but went through immigration in Dublin. Thanks.
One more thing then:) How long should I allow to collect baggage and get through customs? T2
You will arrive at Heathrow from a foreign country, the Republic of Ireland, so you will have to go through Passport Control (Immigration). As for Customs, if you have nothing to declare go for the green exit.
The Republic of Ireland and the United Kingdom are part of a common travel area. Unless the UK has instituted something new for security reasons, you won't go through immigration.
Since you will have gone through customs in Ireland, you can choose the blue lane. I always just choose the "green" nothing to declare door even when my flight arrives from within the EU. It keeps things simple.
I just did this last month. You get off the plane at LHR and walk through nothing to declare. There's no immigration control since you're in the common travel area.
I found immigration in Dublin to be far quicker than at LHR, but that's a very much, "Your mileage may vary" type of opinion.
Well, I stand corrected! Thank you.
Thank you so much everyone!!
One more thing then:) How long should I allow to collect baggage and get through customs? T2
Thanks again!
It can get confusing and can vary by Airline. Given you are flying into Heathrow on Aer Lingus, then what was said is correct, no Immigration unless the UK imposes additional screening, which then it will be obvious.
Even with the Common Travel Area, going from the UK to Ireland on Ryan Air, we went through Immigration in Dublin, but not on the way back to the UK.
The wait for your baggage is up to the airline and no one knows how long that will be.
As for customs, it's a walkthrough. Blue door.
Ireland to UK----no immigration on arrival
UK to Ireland--irish immigration on arrival
Blue door is arrival from an EU country. Green door is arrival from a non-EU country.
Ireland regards the CTA slightly differently to the UK, as only applying to Irish and British citizens.
However, the arrangements at Dublin airport are more to 'blame' - at least at one time even people using the admittedly rare internal flights had to exit through immigration because of the layout. British people don't need passports to enter Ireland, although air carriers might have their own rules.
If you are returning to the US via Dublin, be prepared to go through US border security procedures in Dublin.
I just got back yesterday from London/Dublin and was so confused as to how I could have missed passport control landing at LHR from DUB. I was very relieved when someone finally had an answer for me that I hadn't missed it, it wasn't required.
When I went through in Dublin, the signs had so much writing on them that I was overthinking it and asked an employee for help. She was rude "There are signs, read them", but then laid it out clear as day, non-EU people go through the green gate. I hope her day got better as it went along!
I've always been really lucky collecting luggage at LHR and have been able to get bags pretty quickly - not the case for everyone though so I always plan for more than I have waited in the past. I take the tube to my hotel so have never really needed a firm itinerary for this portion of the travel.
Flying back from Dublin to the US, the check in agent will give you a time to make sure you're at the US pre-clearance facility. Personally, it was an overly generous window for my flight this week as there weren't a lot of travelers in the airport. My flight was 12:50 and they said to be there by 11:05. The Aer Lingus lounge staff said 11:30 would be enough time - they were right in my case.
Have a wonderful trip!
