Customs help?!

[Unch]

Wondering about the material move to Ireland. Since airline weight restrictions (esp the Aer Lingus London>>Cork leg) are so severe/expensive, I'm considering sending a few boxes by Canadian surface mail since it's cheaper (decalring it all as part of my move but to follow in a couple of weeks). Now I'm getting reports that I'll have a "tourist restriction" on the kilograms of goods I can bring without paying duty. Anyone have experience with this?

Also, how uptight did people find immigration to be regarding locktight proof of financial means (beyond tuition) at the Irish border?

Any other must-knows in terms of my arrival with documents/luggage in Irish immigration?

thanks

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[med2UCC]

Wondering about the material move to Ireland. Since airline weight restrictions (esp the Aer Lingus London>>Cork leg) are so severe/expensive, I'm considering sending a few boxes by Canadian surface mail since it's cheaper (decalring it all as part of my move but to follow in a couple of weeks). Now I'm getting reports that I'll have a "tourist restriction" on the kilograms of goods I can bring without paying duty. Anyone have experience with this?


Also, how uptight did people find immigration to be regarding locktight proof of financial means (beyond tuition) at the Irish border?


Any other must-knows in terms of my arrival with documents/luggage in Irish immigration?


thanks

I shipped a few things when I came over and had no problems whatsoever. Mind you, I filled out the customs forms with unusual exactitude ("one half finished mitten with knittiing needles" springs to mind ) so it was ultra-obvious that I wasn't trying to sneak stuff into the country for resale. I wasn't shipping a lot, but try shipping it on different days so it doesn't all arrive at the same time. If you're using Canada Post it will take 6-8 weeks, unless you pay a lot of money. Air freight is probably a better option, in retrospect.
Never been asked to prove I had any money at all at the border. You need the proof when you go to register with the Guards in the first term.
You may get sent off to one side if things are busy and asked to wait; this is just so they can clear all the people with no complicated things to deal with out and then do you. I was very tired when this happened (no sleep for a week as I packed up my life) and was a little freaked by it (and it must have showed because the guy at one point came over and told me to stop worrying as he was just getting rid of other people). Coming in through Cork is a breeze, because you essentially clear customs in London (even though the people in London couldn't care less what you bring into Ireland, so you don't really get checked, ever). Even in Dublin they really don't care what you have with you. I get much more hassle coming into Canada (well, except for my Heathrow bomb problem - hint: don't pack any wires (like say an ethernet cable) next to something liquid like shampoo, and then throw in batteries, or your suitcase will be treated with extreme care, and really, really, really searched! ) Good luck!

 

[Sage880]

Wondering about the material move to Ireland. Since airline weight restrictions (esp the Aer Lingus London>>Cork leg) are so severe/expensive, I'm considering sending a few boxes by Canadian surface mail since it's cheaper (decalring it all as part of my move but to follow in a couple of weeks). Now I'm getting reports that I'll have a "tourist restriction" on the kilograms of goods I can bring without paying duty. Anyone have experience with this?

Also, how uptight did people find immigration to be regarding locktight proof of financial means (beyond tuition) at the Irish border?

Any other must-knows in terms of my arrival with documents/luggage in Irish immigration?

thanks

Don't need to show anything at the boreder other then your offer letter to UCC. For money, you need to be able to access 15 thousand euro. If you're a UCC student, they'll only want to see a tenth of it so you need 1,500 in an Irish bank account. It has to be an Irish account. If you're a dick, they'll ask for the whole 15,000. I had 1,600 about and they said that was too close to the minimum so I had to borrow some more money just to register.

If you fly in through Dublin, you'll be given a month to register. If you fly in to Cork, you'll be given 3 months. At least that's what people got last year.

Aer Lingus lets you have 2 bags up to 32 kilos each. I think it says less on their website and ticket but that's what they allow. I just came over here with 2 bags almost 30 kilos each and didn't pay any extra. I've flown Aer Lingus multiple times with heavy bags and haven't paid extra ever.

 

[Unch]

Thanks Sage,
The Aer Lingus official line is one 20kg bag and 6 euro per kilo after that. Based on your experience, I'll give my two 32 kg bags a whirl right through to Cork but sure hope they don't ding me!

See you shortly.

 

[lsluke]

Thanks Sage,
The Aer Lingus official line is one 20kg bag and 6 euro per kilo after that. Based on your experience, I'll give my two 32 kg bags a whirl right through to Cork but sure hope they don't ding me!

See you shortly.

Yup, pretty lax in terms of baggage weight for aerlingus. i was a bit apprehensive about the regulations posted on the web. in the end, everything went smoothly.

i had an AA and aerlingus connection, no problem. arriving into dublin though.

Luke

ps. good luck with the cork accent....