Dual Passport Europe/USA travel

Hi,

I am a dual Irish/Canadian citizen living in the EU. Recently I
returned to visit a friend in the USA. I had checked in at a Schengen
airport here in the EU on my Irish passport, and when I arrived at US
immigration I used my Canadian one (canadians can visit the US for
longer periods). The immigration lady asked me if I had two passports.
(I figured out later she had access to my manefest). I said yes, when
in Europe I travel on my Irish passport. She asked a few more
questions than usual but eventually let me go ahead. I did the reverse
on the way back, checked in to the US airport on my Canadian and went
through Schengen immigration with my Irish, and they obviously did not
check with the manifest.

Looking back on it I could have checked in to the Schengen airport
with my Canadian passport to make things easier in terms of my
manifest matching when I arrive at US immigration.

But before I start doing that I wanted to ask the following questions:

1. Will EU airports hastle me checking in on a Canadian passport with
no stamps?
2. For the passport control (exit control) booths that follow just
before the gate at Schengen airports, do I show the Canadian one that
I just checked in on, will they hassel me for no stamps?; or my Irish
since I entered the EU on my Irish?
3. If it is ok to use my Irish, does the exit control check it against
the passport I checked in on?
4. Does the UK have exit control? Or just Schengen? For the UK if it
does have
exit control is the answer to 2. and 3; the same for the UK?
5. Which is a better situation to be in, explaining to US immigration
why your manifest doesn't match with the passport I am entering the US
on (which I just had to do), or having to explain why my Canadian
passport has no EU stamps on it? Which is more correct? Does it
matter?
6. I know Schengen doesnt bother with the manefest check; but if I
travel back through the UK do the UK immegration do a manifest check?

Regarding 6 If the UK doesnt I will always exit the USA with the one I
entered on (Canadian) and switch to Irish when arriving both in UK and
Schengen, to avoid the US airline to be confused why I dont have a
visa waiver stamp in the passport I am checking in on (I figure its
best to keep it simple while in the US), (Canadians dont get this
stamp since our no visa requirement is a part of another agreement).

Thanks for your help
Sam

In message , Sam Lowry
writes
Looking back on it I could have checked in to the Schengen airport with
my Canadian passport to make things easier in terms of my manifest
matching when I arrive at US immigration.

But before I start doing that I wanted to ask the following questions:

1. Will EU airports hastle me checking in on a Canadian passport with
no stamps?

Not very likely, and if they do just show your Irish passport as well.

2. For the passport control (exit control) booths that follow just
before the gate at Schengen airports, do I show the Canadian one that I
just checked in on, will they hassel me for no stamps?; or my Irish
since I entered the EU on my Irish?

They're not likely to be much bothered.

3. If it is ok to use my Irish, does the exit control check it against
the passport I checked in on?
4. Does the UK have exit control? Or just Schengen? For the UK if it
does have
exit control is the answer to 2. and 3; the same for the UK?

UK abolished exit controls in 1997.

5. Which is a better situation to be in, explaining to US immigration
why your manifest doesn't match with the passport I am entering the US
on (which I just had to do), or having to explain why my Canadian
passport has no EU stamps on it? Which is more correct? Does it matter?

Doesn't matter. You may prefer to minimise your risk of hassle with the
US immigration, since by reputation they seem to be the more obnoxious,
and European immigration officers are perfectly familiar with the
concept of dual nationality!

6. I know Schengen doesnt bother with the manefest check; but if I
travel back through the UK do the UK immegration do a manifest check?

Regarding 6 If the UK doesnt I will always exit the USA with the one I
entered on (Canadian) and switch to Irish when arriving both in UK and
Schengen, to avoid the US airline to be confused why I dont have a visa
waiver stamp in the passport I am checking in on (I figure its best to
keep it simple while in the US), (Canadians dont get this stamp since
our no visa requirement is a part of another agreement).

--
Arwel Parry
http://www.cartref.demon.co.uk/

I suspect that in this era of security paranoia you will occasionally
get a look see no matter what you do when switching. I suspect that
your best bet is to be above board. They'll really freak out if they
catch you lying about anything. Since the transitions are legal they
shouldn't care much after checking. As to the choice at the departure
point it might depend on the time available at each end. If folks get
really paranoid about visa overstays it would be a good idea to keep a
permanent record of exiting each place. If you have an exit stamp in
the other passport that should do. You might ask for an exit stamp even
if they don't normally do one just so you can prove you didn't overstay.
FFM

Sam Lowry wrote:

Hi,

I am a dual Irish/Canadian citizen living in the EU. Recently I
returned to visit a friend in the USA. I had checked in at a Schengen
airport here in the EU on my Irish passport, and when I arrived at US
immigration I used my Canadian one (canadians can visit the US for
longer periods). The immigration lady asked me if I had two passports.
(I figured out later she had access to my manefest). I said yes, when
in Europe I travel on my Irish passport. She asked a few more
questions than usual but eventually let me go ahead. I did the reverse
on the way back, checked in to the US airport on my Canadian and went
through Schengen immigration with my Irish, and they obviously did not
check with the manifest.

Looking back on it I could have checked in to the Schengen airport
with my Canadian passport to make things easier in terms of my
manifest matching when I arrive at US immigration.

But before I start doing that I wanted to ask the following questions:

1. Will EU airports hastle me checking in on a Canadian passport with
no stamps?
2. For the passport control (exit control) booths that follow just
before the gate at Schengen airports, do I show the Canadian one that
I just checked in on, will they hassel me for no stamps?; or my Irish
since I entered the EU on my Irish?
3. If it is ok to use my Irish, does the exit control check it against
the passport I checked in on?
4. Does the UK have exit control? Or just Schengen? For the UK if it
does have
exit control is the answer to 2. and 3; the same for the UK?
5. Which is a better situation to be in, explaining to US immigration
why your manifest doesn't match with the passport I am entering the US
on (which I just had to do), or having to explain why my Canadian
passport has no EU stamps on it? Which is more correct? Does it
matter?
6. I know Schengen doesnt bother with the manefest check; but if I
travel back through the UK do the UK immegration do a manifest check?

Regarding 6 If the UK doesnt I will always exit the USA with the one I
entered on (Canadian) and switch to Irish when arriving both in UK and
Schengen, to avoid the US airline to be confused why I dont have a
visa waiver stamp in the passport I am checking in on (I figure its
best to keep it simple while in the US), (Canadians dont get this
stamp since our no visa requirement is a part of another agreement).

Thanks for your help
Sam

The UK does not normally have exit checks at the moment. However, I recall
a news story saying it was going to be reintroduced and at LHR T1 last week
I noticed there were some new desks just after security marked or
immigration.

--
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"Sam Lowry" schreef in bericht
om...
Hi,

I am a dual Irish/Canadian citizen living in the EU. Recently I
returned to visit a friend in the USA. I had checked in at a Schengen
airport here in the EU on my Irish passport, and when I arrived at US
immigration I used my Canadian one (canadians can visit the US for
longer periods). The immigration lady asked me if I had two passports.
(I figured out later she had access to my manefest). I said yes, when
in Europe I travel on my Irish passport. She asked a few more
questions than usual but eventually let me go ahead. I did the reverse
on the way back, checked in to the US airport on my Canadian and went
through Schengen immigration with my Irish, and they obviously did not
check with the manifest.

Looking back on it I could have checked in to the Schengen airport
with my Canadian passport to make things easier in terms of my
manifest matching when I arrive at US immigration.

But before I start doing that I wanted to ask the following questions:

1. Will EU airports hastle me checking in on a Canadian passport with
no stamps?

Not the airports, but the exit passport control people may ask why you don't
have an entry stamp. At that point, you may just wave your Irish passport.

2. For the passport control (exit control) booths that follow just
before the gate at Schengen airports, do I show the Canadian one that
I just checked in on, will they hassel me for no stamps?; or my Irish
since I entered the EU on my Irish?

See answer to 1. You can show both passports if you like.

3. If it is ok to use my Irish, does the exit control check it against
the passport I checked in on?

No.

4. Does the UK have exit control? Or just Schengen? For the UK if it
does have
exit control is the answer to 2. and 3; the same for the UK?

As far as I know, the UK doesn't have exit control, but see a previous post
in this thread.

5. Which is a better situation to be in, explaining to US immigration
why your manifest doesn't match with the passport I am entering the US
on (which I just had to do), or having to explain why my Canadian
passport has no EU stamps on it? Which is more correct? Does it
matter?

Just show both passports and everything should be OK.

6. I know Schengen doesnt bother with the manefest check; but if I
travel back through the UK do the UK immegration do a manifest check?

Don't know.

For what it is worth, a have a friend with dual Singaporean/Swiss
nationality that lives in Amsterdam and he always shows both passports at
immigration here.
He never had a problem.

Sjoerd

"Frank F. Matthews" wrote in message
...

4. Does the UK have exit control?

No

Keith

Sam Lowry wrote:

6. I know Schengen doesnt bother with the manefest check; but if I
travel back through the UK do the UK immegration do a manifest check?

I regularly leave the US on a US passport, and enter the UK on a British
passport. All I do is wave the open passport at the Immigration official,
and walk on through. The only time I ever had the hint of a problem was
years ago, when the UK still did exit checks - I accidentally handed my US
passport over, and the official was quite perturbed at not finding an entry
stamp. I showed him my British passport, and was scolded for not exiting
with the same document I had used on entering.

I am a dual Irish/Canadian citizen living in the EU. Recently I
returned to visit a friend in the USA.
(snip)

1. Will EU airports hastle me checking in on a Canadian passport with
no stamps?

They shouldn't. But if they question why there are no stamps
just explain that you're also an Irish citizen and if they want to
see proof, show them your Irish passport at that time.

2. For the passport control (exit control) booths that follow just
before the gate at Schengen airports, do I show the Canadian one that
I just checked in on, will they hassel me for no stamps?; or my Irish
since I entered the EU on my Irish?

Show your Irish passport since that would be the passport on which
you entered the Schengen area with.

3. If it is ok to use my Irish, does the exit control check it against
the passport I checked in on?

I don't believe so. But if they do, you may have to show both.
At this point, show your Irish passport first, and if the were to
question why there is no Irish citizen with your name on any
travel manifest, then you can also show them your Canadian
passport. Having two passports will not freak them out.
Dual citizenship is more common than people think.

4. Does the UK have exit control?

They used to, but not anymore.

For the UK if it does have exit control is the
answer to 2. and 3; the same for the UK?

Just for information, when the UK did have exit control,
my cousin, a dual US/British citizen would check in on
US bound flights with his US passport, and present
his British passport to exit control. There were never any
questions.

5. Which is a better situation to be in, explaining to US immigration
why your manifest doesn't match with the passport I am entering the US
on (which I just had to do), or having to explain why my Canadian
passport has no EU stamps on it? Which is more correct? Does it
matter?

The airline is required to transmit the passport information
to US immigration, so you should present the same passport
to the airline and to US immigration. The US immigration
inspector does not routinely look find the stamps from the
country you just left. If he did question you as to why there
were no stamps in your Canadian passport, you can
then tell him that you're also an Irish citizen, and show
your Irish passport to him if he asks to see it.

Stephen Gallagher

In article ,
(Sam Lowry) wrote:


Looking back on it I could have checked in to the Schengen airport
with my Canadian passport to make things easier in terms of my
manifest matching when I arrive at US immigration.

But before I start doing that I wanted to ask the following questions:

1. Will EU airports hastle me checking in on a Canadian passport with
no stamps?

No. The airlines just want to check if you can go there especially if
it's the return segment.

2. For the passport control (exit control) booths that follow just
before the gate at Schengen airports, do I show the Canadian one that
I just checked in on, will they hassel me for no stamps?; or my Irish
since I entered the EU on my Irish?

Just use your E.U. one. The authorities don;t seem to care (in Italy
and Austria anyway)

3. If it is ok to use my Irish, does the exit control check it against
the passport I checked in on?

In the above 2 instances, the glance at the passport was cursory.

4. Does the UK have exit control? Or just Schengen? For the UK if it
does have

No, been abolished.

exit control is the answer to 2. and 3; the same for the UK?

5. Which is a better situation to be in, explaining to US immigration
why your manifest doesn't match with the passport I am entering the US
on (which I just had to do), or having to explain why my Canadian
passport has no EU stamps on it? Which is more correct? Does it
matter?
6. I know Schengen doesnt bother with the manefest check; but if I
travel back through the UK do the UK immegration do a manifest check?

No

Regarding 6 If the UK doesnt I will always exit the USA with the one I
entered on (Canadian) and switch to Irish when arriving both in UK and
Schengen, to avoid the US airline to be confused why I dont have a
visa waiver stamp in the passport I am checking in on (I figure its
best to keep it simple while in the US), (Canadians dont get this
stamp since our no visa requirement is a part of another agreement).

Thanks for your help
Sam

In article ,
Emilia wrote:


Even so, upon entry to the EU with his Canadian passport is unlikely he
will get stamped, thus having no stamp upon entering the US.

Depends on country. Germany and France seem tohave given up, but not
Austria, U.K. and Italy.