I HAVE PERSONAL EXPERIENCE about being refused entry to Ireland. I also know other Americans who were denied entry to Ireland when presenting their passports at immigration control at Dublin Airport. I can understand how immigration control follows rules about keeping its borders tight. I can also understand a need to be flexible when reviewing a person's documents. This kind of flexibility is not an inherent characteristic of a lot of border control officers. In my case, I got punted from Dublin to New York because a passport stamp was outdated and the investigating officer did not want to give me a day to update my status. At that point in time, I owned a house, two dogs, and had permanent employment in the technology sector--it didn't matter because my stamps were out of order. I didn't mind the free trip to NYC because I saw my dad before he died a few months later. In the case of another American, the passport control team did not agree with a local school's assessment of education entitlement for a postgraduate researcher. In the case of three Texans, the Garda National Immigration Bureau did not understand how couchsurfing works (photo above left) nor did they want to look at online bank accounts to verify a visitor's ability to pay his way. In the current news, a story about three Texas travelers is making its rounds through Irish national radio and it's also an AP news item.
The three Texans were denied entry into Dublin and they're going to give it another go, this time with a few more details annotated on their landing documents. Anthony Kelly, marketing manager for D4Hotels.ie is offering to pay for their flights as well as hotel rooms, food and drinks for a week and give them $1,000 to spend in Dublin. I believe this is not the D4Hotel's idea. Sometime Thursday, the men from Plano, Texas, will be on Dublin radio to accept the invitation.
Colin Zwirko, 21, Gavin Sides, 19, and Ben Whitehurst, 21, said they were told when they landed in Dublin on Friday that they couldn’t enter the country because they didn’t have an address where they planned to stay and bank statements to prove they could afford to travel. The lads had plenty of money in their bank accounts but the guards didn't want to look at the on-screen evidence.
Zwirko said he and his friends were planning a backpacking trek across western Europe. Instead, they had to return to the United States and have been staying with relatives in New Jersey.
In an item carried on KHOU news, Pat Phelan said, "People are embarrassed—very embarrassed to be honest.” He pointed out that "We are welcomed in the USA with open arms, and this is a serious issue.”
Associated Press -- "Snubbed Texas travelers given trip to Ireland"
Couchsurfing has more than 300 places to spend the night in Ireland.
Boards.ie -- Thoughts on the couchsurfers.
Both Ireland on Twitter and tourism@rte.ie would like to hear your thoughts.
Previously -- "Refused leave to land in Ireland"
