Continuing my last post, in addition to nice things I also noticed few not too nice changes.

One of them is very obvious insanely large queues and not sufficient space in check-in areas. With every visit, it seems that either the space is shrinking or the people are on travel spree, I hope something will be done in near future.

The other not too obvious change is around immigration process for non-eu citizens; til last year, it was just a matter of showing GNIB card and passport only. I understand that there’s a great influx of non Europeans for work or leisure reasons, but the recent two trips left a bad taste i.e. after being here in Ireland for seven years. In my last trip, on arriving to immigration counter, the guy just took a look at my passport, not even opened it or checked the GNIB card and asked me to go to adjacent counter. This other counter was closed and there was no way to return thru my original queue, anyhow, after I showed up to other counter, had to wait for a while for somebody to appear. The guy asked me straight away, without checking passport or GNIB card, “what is the reason to enter Ireland?”, for a split second I thought I am in states, “I live here”, I replied. Then a series of question, “What do you do?”, “How long you are here?”, “What kind of work?”, “What is the name of the company?”, etc etc, finally he opened the passport and took a brief look at visa and stamped the entry as if he is granting a personal favour to me. Now, he didn’t scan/read the registration card…? and I was wondering is he a moron psychic or psychic moron?

I wonder if and how this immigration madness will continue…?

Needless (and most probably useless too) to say, the Schengen countries has far more smoother process when it comes to enter the country; and that’s a total different debate that what make the Irish immigration so special that its not possible to enter Schengen zone. It will be interesting to see in 2009 when UK will introduce electronic border control system and CTA (Common Travel Area) will end.