Amy288

I'm just about to book my flights for December to enter on my f1 visa. It's slightly cheaper for me to fly via Dublin than from Heathrow (I'm 20 mins from East Midlands so it's an hour and £19 to Dublin)

I just wanted to check that I will be fine going through pre-clearance at Dublin with an F1 or is it better to go through immigration in Chicago?

Thanks in advance

Pulaski

Is Chicago your destination? ..... I wouldn't want the stress of the time it might take to process your paperwork in Dublin.

<snip> Didn't read the question properly.

Amy288

Ideally I'd fly into Nashville but it's about £400 cheaper to drive down to Kentucky from Chicago instead, it's a drive I've done a few times so happy to do it. I would probably stay in Dublin the night before if I went that route. Would be nice to land at Chicago grab my bags and go rather than waiting there tbh! I just wasn't sure if it's only for Vwp or if I'll be ok to use it for an f1.

Pulaski

Oops, my mistake, I misread. You should be fine in Dublin with "only" an F-1.

Amy288

lol it's ok. Thank you, just worked out flying from Dublin saves a good £350 so think it's going to be the way to go!

cardB123

pre clearance not so strict and quicker

Pulaski

And your basis for saying that is ..... ?

RICH

Given there are probably fewer flights out of Dublin to USA than flights into most US international airports, I think quicker is fair. Not less strict though. They have more time to vet travelers.

I only did it once, and there was hardly anyone around at immigration/customs.

Guindalf

I think this means security pre-clearance, which would be quicker.

Unfortunately, the rest of us are talking about CBP, which is not necessarily any quicker!

Amy288

In terms of it being 'stricter' I would hope as I have a visa issued and will have all of the same paperwork with me I wouldn't have any problems no matter where I go through immigration! I never thought about it in terms of if they will be strict/ not strict I assumed they all follow the same rule book

tonrob

Another thought. Reading between the lines are you considering purchasing a separate ticket, possibly with a different airline, to Dublin? If so then you're likely not protected in case of delays. My parents always used to do this, telling me "there's never been a problem!" whenever I warned them.

And then there was a problem. That got expensive...

moneypenny20

She did say she'd probably arrive in Dublin the night before her US flight. Hopefully that would cover any delays.

Amy288

Would definitely be the night before just in case! After flying to Nashville last year and getting rerouted through dc with an overnight stay thrown in (I've still not forgiven American Airlines for that!) I'm very glad my flights are always on the same ticket! However to get over to Dublin it will have to be a separate ticket which is why If I do it will be the night before!

Pulaski

Which will take a substantial bite out of your £350 savings on the flight to Chicago.

tonrob

Ah - missed that tidbit in the second post.

I stayed at one of the Dublin airport hotels on Friday night. There are a few, and I picked Raddison Blu although they were all fairly similar price-wise at around a hundred Euros.