The G.N.I.B.

The Garda National Immigration Bureau . . . stole a day of my life that I'm never getting back. I had previously gotten my Intra Company Transfer Permit set up through my company - for which I needed to be out of Ireland for roughly 4-5 weeks.

Once that process is complete, I was able to re-enter the country and work in Ireland as a foreign national. The catch was that I needed to register with the GNIB within one month after my first arrival. At the airport, they told me that it's going to take about 2 hours to get through the process.

It took over 5 hours to get through the whole process. When you add in travel time to get to Dublin City Center - it totaled almost 7 hours to complete the process. Let me explain.

I arrived at the GNIB then walked around for about 5 minutes until I figured out that there is a queue to get into. It took 45 minutes to get through this line. The results were that I got a ticket with a number on it: 224. The agent says it will take roughly two and a half hours from that point. I look at a bank of windows on the right: now serving 122. The bank of windows on the left: now serving 113. One hour later - serving 144 and 125 respectively. I go out for an early lunch.

Upon my return: serving 171 and 139 respectively. I started reading a book that I brought with me. After 3 hours of total wait time, the bank on the right was up to 220 - I was giddy with anticipation - but the windows started closing. What? Panicking, I asked a lady what's going on as she tried to shut the window on me. She says they're closing. I show her my ticket. She tells me that my number is a waiting number for the bank of windows on the left. Now serving 173 . . .

Four and a half hours after I arrive, the numbers blow through from 210 to 222. I stopped reading my book, though I almost finished it. I stood up and moved closer to the windows at the left. It seemed like a short eternity waiting for 224 to come up, but it did. It took me only 5 minutes with the agent before I was shoved away from his window to wait for my Certificate of Registration to print out. Half an hour later, I'm heading back to the hotel with my Certificate of Registration in my hand.

Truth is that the process was pretty efficient once I got to the window. It just took me forever to get to a window.

Advice for people visiting the GNIB: 1) Get there early, 2) Bring a book, 3) Plan something fun to do in case of a long wait, 4) Make sure you know which bank of windows you're waiting for, and 5) Plan on the experience stealing a day from your life.