Wales to Ireland - Border Control

John_Silver

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Doesn't seem to be required. Stargazer put in at Kinsale as her port of entry (coming up from Scilly). There were about 8 or 10 boats in from the UK. On about day 2 or 3 a very courteous customs officer dropped by for a chat with some of us. He came aboard Stargazer asked a few questions about length of stay & cruising intentions, offered some advice about anchorages, had a look at our VAT receit and left. All very informal. The boat inside us in the raft wasn't asked for anything.
 

savageseadog

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At the risk of spoiling my so called joke I can say that we've been to Ireland many times without being asked for anything. I have been questioned by Police or Border people at Milford Haven and seen boats being stopped on the Menai Strait. I know that an Irish boat was stopped this year near Ailsa Craig on its way to the Scottish Series regatta and asked a lot of questions.
 

Heckler

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Been over to Ireland many times on Little Ship and never been asked for documents. I have however been asked to get several rounds in.��

Tom.
Plus one, however the coastguard, when calling in that we have arrived has asked for our radio call sign.
Stu
 

Barnacle Bill

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First time I came to Ireland we did it by the book, and the book said: Report to the local Gardai (police) station.

So I did, and related our port of departure, time of arrival, people on board etc to the Garda on duty - who looked completely bemused. After a pause he asked "Do you have any drugs with you?", so we assured him we had none, and he said "That's alright, so". That was it.

Since then I haven't bothered - been living here since 2008, brought the yacht over, and never been asked anything by anyone.
 

dunedin

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Been over to Ireland many times on Little Ship and never been asked for documents. I have however been asked to get several rounds in.��

Tom.

We did a trip where we ended up in Howth and then back via Peel - and completely forgot all about being in another country, didn't have a passport onboard. Feel a bit guilty about not popping up a courtesy flag though.

Interestingly, whilst I seem to recall not needing a passport to fly to Dublin previously, on recent flights in from UK have needed to go through passport control at Dublin - but not on return to Scotland
 

Searush

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First time I came to Ireland we did it by the book, and the book said: Report to the local Gardai (police) station.

So I did, and related our port of departure, time of arrival, people on board etc to the Garda on duty - who looked completely bemused. After a pause he asked "Do you have any drugs with you?", so we assured him we had none, and he said "That's alright, so". That was it.

Since then I haven't bothered - been living here since 2008, brought the yacht over, and never been asked anything by anyone.

I did something similar but the Garda station was closed so I used the phone on the door to contact HQ who was also surprised & asked if we were on holiday. I said yes & he replied, "have a nice stay".

It's just a lovely country.
 

obmij

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Reading this I'm a bit confused. I went over in March, no passport on-board. Notified the marina staff I'd arrived, then headed out for a few scoops. Two days later headed back.

Should I have done anything else? I've been across by ferry before with no passport, and by road from NI, again with no checks.
 

pagoda

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Reading this I'm a bit confused. I went over in March, no passport on-board. Notified the marina staff I'd arrived, then headed out for a few scoops. Two days later headed back.

Should I have done anything else? I've been across by ferry before with no passport, and by road from NI, again with no checks.

Last year , going into Lough Swilly, (Ex Portrush) we went past a customs cutter coming out. They just waved and carried on. Ten minutes later two men in black roared alongside in a rib. My wife was horrified as she had just put her smalls on the guard wires to dry off!
The two guys were gentlemen throughout, but did want to see documents, passports insurance etc. I don't think they were very serious, but more getting in their quota of inspections for the month?
Moral ? don't worry, but have the paperwork in case somebody wants a look?
 

lpdsn

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Interestingly, whilst I seem to recall not needing a passport to fly to Dublin previously, on recent flights in from UK have needed to go through passport control at Dublin - but not on return to Scotland

That's just a side-effect of the terminal(s) at Dublin Airport being substantially extended and re-arranged over the last decade.
 

GrahamM376

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Reading this I'm a bit confused. I went over in March, no passport on-board. Notified the marina staff I'd arrived, then headed out for a few scoops. Two days later headed back.

Should I have done anything else? I've been across by ferry before with no passport, and by road from NI, again with no checks.

We've sailed there many times from north Wales and were only once boarded on the south coast. Usual quick look around below, produced boat and insurance docs and Passports???? Luckily we had them with us and were informed that photo ID should be carried and, as we don't have ID cards, carry passports.
 

Sybarite

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First time I came to Ireland we did it by the book, and the book said: Report to the local Gardai (police) station.

So I did, and related our port of departure, time of arrival, people on board etc to the Garda on duty - who looked completely bemused. After a pause he asked "Do you have any drugs with you?", so we assured him we had none, and he said "That's alright, so". That was it.

Since then I haven't bothered - been living here since 2008, brought the yacht over, and never been asked anything by anyone.

The first time I sailed home I flew the Q flag and anchored in Strangford Lough.

The local boatman called me to say that it had been reported to the customs who told him to ask me would I please take it down otherwise they would have to come out a check me.
 

oceanfroggie

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What's the requirements on entering Ireland from Wales on a small vessel.
Do you need to offer documents e.t.c. at the port of entry?

Nothing at all. Same as gong from London to Cardiff.

Now if attempting to enter the Republic of Ireland from County Cork, that's a different proposition. One risks days at an underground border detention centre being interrogated by interpreters who can translate the high pitch gibberish English spoken in the Cork enclave to mid Atlantic Americanise English spoken on the rest of the island. Bribes in the form of silence, or pints of Murphies or Guinness are commonly accepted. At a border control foreigners from Cork may be greeted by friendly border guards with the populate phrase "Hello there, welcome to Ireland, so what's the story?" Upon which startled pending immigrants think they have to tell a really good story as a requirement for entry. Germans risk failing at this stage, bkaus ze ar inkapubul uf making inakurat statment oder zilly story up zelling making. Ze Le French, what you say, pretend no parley vous le la how you say anglese. There is a daily limit on the number of Cork immigrants permitted in order to minimise the downward impact of national IQ average. Like carbon credits, authorities in cork can buy intellect credits from neighbouring Kerry which boasts the highest IQ in the northern hemisphere, which may facilitate an additional daily allowance of 100 people entering the ROI from cork in return for each single entrant from Kerry to ROI. ROI authorities do not yet know Cornwall exists so visitors from Cornwall may well get across the border without any trouble, as border guards may incorrectly assume the are normal English but with funny hats. Scottish travellers require no papers either until they leave the EU after the referendum. After that entry by scots lwill only be permitted by customs preclearance at the EU state capital Berlin on direct flights from Templehof to Cork airport. As per recent French court rulings, the wearing of religious attire such as kilts and red beards will not be permitted in ROI, with exemptions only fur germans who vil pas ze zenz uf humor test. :)
 

Toutvabien

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Nothing at all. Same as gong from London to Cardiff.

Now if attempting to enter the Republic of Ireland from County Cork, that's a different proposition. One risks days at an underground border detention centre being interrogated by interpreters who can translate the high pitch gibberish English spoken in the Cork enclave to mid Atlantic Americanise English spoken on the rest of the island. Bribes in the form of silence, or pints of Murphies or Guinness are commonly accepted. At a border control foreigners from Cork may be greeted by friendly border guards with the populate phrase "Hello there, welcome to Ireland, so what's the story?" Upon which startled pending immigrants think they have to tell a really good story as a requirement for entry. Germans risk failing at this stage, bkaus ze ar inkapubul uf making inakurat statment oder zilly story up zelling making. Ze Le French, what you say, pretend no parley vous le la how you say anglese. There is a daily limit on the number of Cork immigrants permitted in order to minimise the downward impact of national IQ average. Like carbon credits, authorities in cork can buy intellect credits from neighbouring Kerry which boasts the highest IQ in the northern hemisphere, which may facilitate an additional daily allowance of 100 people entering the ROI from cork in return for each single entrant from Kerry to ROI. ROI authorities do not yet know Cornwall exists so visitors from Cornwall may well get across the border without any trouble, as border guards may incorrectly assume the are normal English but with funny hats. Scottish travellers require no papers either until they leave the EU after the referendum. After that entry by scots lwill only be permitted by customs preclearance at the EU state capital Berlin on direct flights from Templehof to Cork airport. As per recent French court rulings, the wearing of religious attire such as kilts and red beards will not be permitted in ROI, with exemptions only fur germans who vil pas ze zenz uf humor test. :)

Thank you very much for this wonderful exposition, you could send the script to Bantry Coastguard, they could use it as a leaflet for visiting yachtsmen,
 
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