holiday in ireland

[subseastu]

Hi all

A daft question but I'm wanting to take the wife over to Ireland for a few days. Probadly to Belfast then head over the border to dublin and further south. Does she require a visa? She is on a philippine passport with a ILR.

Cheers

[Ana_may365]

just asking if when is ur plan to go there?coz we have a plans to go there also to see our greyhounds.give me a buzz on this no.07940466930

[menchkin]

Use the visa calculator - http://www.nwa.com/services/timatic.html

[Irelandken]

Strictly speaking The south is a different country so yes she should need a visa, but if you're crossing from the north there's not actually a border control so no one will actually check, we do it all the time, just dont get arrested for something and need to be checked up on. As long as you're not comming into the country through a port or airport they never check.

[subseastu]

Thanks for the info. Now just got decide whether to fly and hire a car or ferry and take my own motor (if it'll make it that far!)

[PeterB]

.... if you're crossing from the north there's not actually a border control so no one will actually check

That's changed since 1963, then. We lived in Londonderry. and frequently crossed the border, passing through both N.I. and Irish controls.

[A_flyer]

Strictly speaking The south is a different country so yes she should need a visa, but if you're crossing from the north there's not actually a border control so no one will actually check, we do it all the time, just dont get arrested for something and need to be checked up on. As long as you're not comming into the country through a port or airport they never check.
NEVER play with immigration (especially for citizen from outside European Union), doing this is the best way to be in trouble. Being catch in a country requiring visa make you illegal stay. Ireland is in Schengen treaty and such incident is recoded in Schengen database and so may give trouble in all Schengen countries if you ask later a Schengen visa.

Being able to travel and not having a problem do not mean that others in different situation may not be in trouble...

[A_flyer]

A daft question but I'm wanting to take the wife over to Ireland for a few days. Probadly to Belfast then head over the border to dublin and further south. Does she require a visa? She is on a philippine passport with a ILR.
With an ILR, she should be able to travel to Ireland with the E.U. laws about travelling of family members of a E.U. citizen for stays under 3 months.

She should have with her her passport and documents stating her ILR. Having a copy of the marriage contract also if the passport is not amended under her married name may be useful in case.

If going by car and having no immigration control at the border may give a problem to attest the entry date in the country (for the 3 months limit). Better to use a road where there is a control.

To confirm, a phone call to an Irish consulate would be great (and a message here to let us know a must!).

[subseastu]

So does that mean my wife can travel to other european countries with me for a max of 3 month under these EU laws then?

I'll try giving the irish embassy a call though I've got a feeling its one of those outragous £1.50 automated numbers. Oh to ring somewhere and talk to a real live person.

[darren-b]

So does that mean my wife can travel to other european countries with me for a max of 3 month under these EU laws then?

Some people think it does so you can try if you want, but be ready to argue your case, and don't be that surprised if your wife is denied entry.

Though when I last looked into it I personally thought my wife still needed a visa.

[A_flyer]

So does that mean my wife can travel to other european countries with me for a max of 3 month under these EU laws then?

I'll try giving the irish embassy a call though I've got a feeling its one of those outragous £1.50 automated numbers. Oh to ring somewhere and talk to a real live person.
The answer is NO, you have to check with each country. As this E.U. law have to be signed by every country and it's far from being done everywhere (IE UK do not signed it, so it's not applicable there). Check country per country, and be careful not to cross a border without knowing the situation on the other country.
Examples: For France you have to get a Schengen visa, the only advantage is that it's free (no fee). For going to UK, my Wife needs to get an EEA Family Permit from the British Embassy to be able to travel there.

I remember a story of a Filipina having a Schengen visa, they were going by car from one Schengen country to another but they had to pass thru an European non Schengen country (the motorway was going through this one). She was denied entry at the border on the next Schengen country because her Schengen visa was one entry only. A lot of mess in their holidays has they can't travel any more to a Schengen country...

[vbkelly]

Hi all

A daft question but I'm wanting to take the wife over to Ireland for a few days. Probadly to Belfast then head over the border to dublin and further south. Does she require a visa? She is on a philippine passport with a ILR.

Cheers

i went there in the republic of ireland bfore in my philippines passport with out visa we flew from BHX to belfast and drive to buncrana to visit my sister in law,i was so lucky there's no check point.

[A_flyer]

i went there in the republic of ireland bfore in my philippines passport with out visa we flew from BHX to belfast and drive to buncrana to visit my sister in law,i was so lucky there's no check point.
That's exactly the best way to be tagged "illegal stay" in the Schengen states database... and get in trouble when applying for a Schengen visa for one of the 25 European countries part of the Schengen treaty. Don't try another time.

[vbkelly]

That's exactly the best way to be tagged "illegal stay" in the Schengen states database... and get in trouble when applying for a Schengen visa for one of the 25 European countries part of the Schengen treaty. Don't try another time.

of course im not doing it again coz i have a british passport now

[marcus71]

As someone who lived in Belfast and is married to a Filipina the practicalities of travelling south with someone on a UK visa only is quite simple as it is just a main road and no official border checks anymore for years , but I do have to warn you that it is not gardai who patrol the border roads looking for illegals but more often than not it is the immigration staff themselves supported by guards.

In Dec 2006 I was on a bus going from Belfast to Dublin and it got stopped on the main N1 going into Dundalk and they checked all passports so it can happen trust me.

I would check first before making the journey just to be on the safe side.

Best of luck!

[johncar54]

IRELAND, Schengen Country. Someone mistakenly said R O I is a Schengen Country. IT IS NOT:

A Filipino needs an IRISH visa, but I enquired a short while ago and was told the application for my wife, I am Brotish, is free and can be made through the post.

[marcus71]

Hi, good info, can you send me more detail? We are returning to Ireland for a holiday next year, going to the North so need UK visa for my wife which should be easy to get but arriving in Dublin first (transit visa) to go to Belfast. Might do a day in Dublin for tourism purposes so if the visa is free by post then that would be preferred. Thanks

[johncar54]

Marcus. I called the Irish Consulate here in the town where we live in Spain. They were very helpful (unlike the British Consul). My wife has Residencia in Spain so Schengen Area. I suggest you call the Irish Consul in Philippines. Good Luck.

Incidentally. A friend of mine here in Spain, who has dual Irish/ British Nationality, is applying for a Competency to Marry Cert from Ireland. The cost 20 euros !!!!

[marcus71]

Hi John - 20 euros? I think that is ok, my cert in UK cost me 15 pounds, its the conversion in manila that will stiff you at about 80 euros, 60 pounds or 5500 php and it only takes 30 mins to process convert and stamp. That's the British Embassy. I queried it and they stated it was expensive to maintain a consulate in Manila and had to justify the costs. I beg to differ!

I will talk to the Irish Embassy here also, (best make sure I get my irish passport renewed first eh? ;) )

Just for everyone's info, UK and Ireland are not Schengen countries, but they have a common travel area policy for UK and Ireland where any ID would work for travel and not passport only. However there is a recent proposal for air travel etc that this is ended on security purposes. They have yet to discuss how road travel from North to South will be covered, but I suspect it will be unworkable.

[johncar54]

Hi Marcus. I think the Competency Cert from Brit Consul here in Spain cost 120€. But the renewal of a Brit passport cost almost 200 €, a Spanish 10 year one cost 16.95€. An absolute rip off.

[marcus71]

I agree with you there John, ex-Pats are getting fleeced by their embassies. For instance, CNI in UK is 15 pounds, NSO certified CNI for my spouse is about 400php, my CNI at embassy in Manila, 5500php - very little work goes into producing a PH recognised CNI, 30 mins to be precise. Shameful!

I sure hope our travel to ROI and NI wont reflect this too much next year but I fear it will.