Traveling Ireland from Northern Ireland without VISA

Hello, I just want to ask about traveling from Northern Ireland to Republic of Ireland without visa...
Is there any border or visa control point or something like that when u go to Republic of Ireland with train or bus? (from Belfast )
Anyone tried to go to Republic of Ireland from Belfast with no visa?
I have permanent resident card here in the UK...
Thanks...

You'll read so many articles saying that UK/IRISH residents do not require a visa to travel between the states but I dont know how that is practised. People have been in trouble for not having a visa while entering the UK and vice versa.

There is no border or visa control point but I learned that sometimes custom officials do stop buses for controls so be careful.

Note: If you're an Irish or British citizen, that wouldn't be problem at all. The trouble I was talking about all comes down to residents of Non-EU nationalities living in Ireland and or in UK

if you have permanent residence card for uk .why you dont apply for irish visa.they (GNIB) do check the visa some times.its all depend on your luck.i suggest you should apply for irish visa.also there is few country dont need irish visa if you have valid uk visa eg INDIA,CHINA etc.you should check on the website www.justice.ie www.inis.gov.ie for further

deep_love wrote:Hello, I just want to ask about traveling from Northern Ireland to Republic of Ireland without visa...
Is there any border or visa control point or something like that when u go to Republic of Ireland with train or bus? (from Belfast )
Anyone tried to go to Republic of Ireland from Belfast with no visa?
I have permanent resident card here in the UK...
Thanks...

What documentation do you hold? Are you a visa national for Ireland?

OP, you do not need to apply for an Irish visa if you have a permanent residence card in the UK, you can choose to travel either ways, by land or by air. being in possession of a permanent residence card means you can use it in lieu of a visa to travel to the Republic.

Last year we were 18 guys going to Belfast for a cricket match on the bus, near Newry the bus was stopped by UK immigration and asked every one for the ID / Visa. Myself and 10 other guys had UK visas but 7 of the other guys had no visa. They were thrown out from the bus. Finger printed in the local police station and later handed to Irish Garda. Again Garda finger printed them and put a note on their Irish immigration file and few of them had problems while renewing their visas in Ireland.

So bus and train will nearly always be checked by immigration, may be a car could be a safe idea, but i would suggest something. if you wana live here long than " NEVER EVER BREAK THE LAW OTHERWISE YOU WOULD BE SERIOUS CONSEQUENCES ALL OF YOUR LIFE"

{ GET IRISH VISA -- DO NOT TRAVEL TO IRELAND WITHOUT VISA}

zafarzafar80 wrote:Last year we were 18 guys going to Belfast for a cricket match on the bus, near Newry the bus was stopped by UK immigration and asked every one for the ID / Visa. Myself and 10 other guys had UK visas but 7 of the other guys had no visa. They were thrown out from the bus. Finger printed in the local police station and later handed to Irish Garda. Again Garda finger printed them and put a note on their Irish immigration file and few of them had problems while renewing their visas in Ireland.

So bus and train will nearly always be checked by immigration, may be a car could be a safe idea, but i would suggest something. if you wana live here long than " NEVER EVER BREAK THE LAW OTHERWISE YOU WOULD BE SERIOUS CONSEQUENCES ALL OF YOUR LIFE"

{ GET IRISH VISA -- DO NOT TRAVEL TO IRELAND WITHOUT VISA}

Great point. I knew your story existed and some people have fallen into problem with the so called residents can travel freely bla bla bla crap.

If you are a visa national for Ireland you most likely need a visa.

The 2 exceptions I can think of would be if you are travelling with an EU family member or if you are holding a UK short term visitor visa: Visa%20Waiver%20Programme%20Information%20Note%20March%202012.pdf/Files/Visa%20Waiver%20Programme%20Information%20Note%20March%202012.pdf

As mentioned by others, they sometimes check and getting caught could put you in trouble even with UK immigration authorities as Irish and UK authorities would most likely both keep track of the incident.

Guyz a permanent residence card is one issued after the expiry of the 5 years residence card. It is clearly stated in the Irish statutory instrument. Please do not misaddress the issue. A residence card is different from ILR.

ILR holders will require an Irish visa if they are a visa national, and not a residence card or permanent residence cardholder. get your facts right.

Unless of course, if OP has misaddress the name of the UK documentation they hold. If documentation say Indefinite leave to remain, visa will be required if one is a visa national, if documentation says Permanent residence card one clearly do not need a visa.

You mean a permanent residence card for family member of an EU citizen, right?

If yes, to my knowledge it only provide visa free access to Ireland if you are traveling with your EU family member - but not if you are traveling alone.

Am I missing something?

jeupsy wrote:You mean a permanent residence card for family member of an EU citizen, right?

If yes, to my knowledge it only provide visa free access to Ireland if you are traveling with your EU family member - but not if you are traveling alone.

Am I missing something?

Totally agreed with you there.

People with UK visas or residence permits
If you are a citizen of a country whose nationals need a visa to enter Ireland and you have a valid UK visa or residence permit, you are still required to have a valid visa before you arrive in Ireland.

http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/mo ... he_uk.html

Based on the last information I posed, OP, if you are a citizen of a country whose nationals need a visa to enter Ireland and you're not a family member of an EU citizen. You MUST need a Visa to enter Ireland.

...

jeupsy wrote:You mean a permanent residence card for family member of an EU citizen, right?

If yes, to my knowledge it only provide visa free access to Ireland if you are traveling with your EU family member - but not if you are traveling alone.

Am I missing something?

You might like to check that Ireland does not actually precondition it that the holders of such documents must travel with their family members.

I have no appetite for further discussion on the topic

I have passport problem, I have to get a new passport and will take long time to get...
It says "Residence Permit and Indefinite Leave To Remain" on my card...
But its Permanent...
I will visit my EU family member...

What if I travel with the person that who is Irish citizen?

I an not sure I get you correctly? You don't have a passport at the moment and want to use the UK residence card as proof of ID to enter the UK?

If it is the case ... I doubt it will work out.

jeupsy wrote:I an not sure I get you correctly? You don't have a passport at the moment and want to use the UK residence card as proof of ID to enter the UK?

If it is the case ... I doubt it will work out.

I have passport but need to renew and it will take little bit longer to get new passport...

So I'm wondering that If I can go to Ireland without visa and if there is control points...

jeupsy wrote:I an not sure I get you correctly? You don't have a passport at the moment and want to use the UK residence card as proof of ID to enter the UK?

If it is the case ... I doubt it will work out.

I think it will be more appropriate if we stick to the rules, and refer to residence card as residence card as it means in the directive, to always avoid confusion. OP has a resident permit card (indefinite leave to remain) issued under the UK immigration rules, one can, and will only be issued a residence card or a permanent residence card when they have applied under the EU regulations.

I made a thread related to this. If occasionally people on a bus/train/plane get checked (I reckon selective checks on those who look/act/speak as a foreigner/ethnic/immigrant is more likely), it assumes flexibility for natives or those who appear native. They must be fine showing ID; few will carry passports, some won't even have one.

Born in UK/Ireland + UK/Irish name + Look/Act/Speak native = No passport needed.

zafarzafar80 wrote:Last year we were 18 guys going to Belfast for a cricket match on the bus, near Newry the bus was stopped by UK immigration and asked every one for the ID / Visa ...

A bus with a group of 18 ethnic/foreign/immigrant guys is way more likely to be stopped. You're required to show a passport w/ visa, yet the natives' ID (or those who appear native) was fine, they aren't pinpointed on nationality.

Reality is, travel between UK/Ireland acts as a race/native test. Same with eligibility to work in UK/Ireland; those with Irish/UK names who look/act/speak native are very rarely asked for proof.