DHS ready to pre-clear flights from Ireland

DHS ready to pre-clear flights from Ireland    A new aviation agreement that allows U.S. Customs officers to pre-clear passengers, crew and cargo on commercial aircraft for entry into the United States prior to departing Ireland will go into effect July 29 at Shannon International Airport, Department of Homeland Security officials said.
   The accord, signed last November, broadens an existing pre-clearance check for immigration status to include all customs and agriculture documentation and inspection requirements, as well as screening aircraft for radiological and nuclear threats.
   The pre-clearance initiative will expand to Dublin's airport next year.
   DHS Secretary Janet Napolitano met with Irish Transport Minister Noel Dempsey on Monday to discuss final implementation of the agreement, the department said on its official blog. Ireland's parliament is expected to give final authority to U.S. on-site inspections within the next few weeks, according to the Irish Times.

Napolitano

   The United States has similar pre-clearance arrangements with Canada and Bermuda, but this will be the first one in Europe.
   Inspecting people and cargo before departure enables the United States to catch any potential security threats before crossing the border while also improving the efficiency of the arrival process.
   The Irish government has constructed pre-clearance facilities that meet CBP specifications.
   Passengers benefit from the system because they can get all of their inspections completed prior to arrival in the United States, which is especially convenient for people making connecting flights in the United States. The current process requires international travelers to go through Customs, claim their checked luggage, take it to a domestic ticket counter and check it in again, and then go through security once more. Oftentimes, international airlines will book layovers of several hours in the United States to accommodate the lengthy customs clearance and security process. Under the new system, passengers from Ireland who transfer at a U.S. airport will be treated more like a domestic traveler and can have their checked luggage automatically transferred between flights by the air carrier.
   The benefit for Ireland is that it makes the country an attractive stopover for passengers and cargo that want expedited entry without having to compete with other flights at the U.S. destination. ' Eric Kulisch