londoner1200 wrote: ↑Tue Sep 01, 2026 11:04 pm
Hi everyone, does the UK share asylum seeker information with Ireland?
To enable the Common Travel Area, UK and Ireland have one of the most comprehensive immigration data sharing agreements in the world. See
here and
here for some of the legislation that covers it. The UK in particular is focused on tightening their data collection (see
here and
here) to monitor immigration activity using mass facial recognition and digital scanning. So yes, not only do UK and Ireland proactively share data, the UK in particular is assertively collecting more data automatically to
londoner1200 wrote: ↑Tue Sep 01, 2026 11:04 pm
- If someone applies for asylum in Ireland after previously applying for asylum in the UK, will Ireland know about their UK application?
Aside from the data sharing the governments do, the Irish asylum application requires the applicant to disclose where they've lived and travelled through, and they'll ask for proof. If the applicant doesn't supply proof the assumption is usually that travel started in the UK and the CTA was used. Incidentally, you'd be applying under
new rules which are generally regarded as tougher than the old rules.
londoner1200 wrote: ↑Tue Sep 01, 2026 11:04 pm
- What happens if Ireland finds out about the previous UK application e.g. could they be sent back to the UK?
Generally, applicants that are found to have status in a safe country (which includes the UK) are deemed
ineligible. In the situation you've described, this would involve removal back to the UK. See
here for a description of the process to determine eligibility, but note the other information described on this page relates to the old rules, so ignore everything else on this page.
londoner1200 wrote: ↑Tue Sep 01, 2026 11:04 pm
- Could this affect asylum seekers ILR status in UK?
ILR is generally unconditional, however being absent from the UK for 2 years or more typically means it is revoked. If fraud (ie not declaring UK status) was part of the Irish asylum application, the original UK application for asylum could be revisited to check for possible fraud. UK citizenship based on UK ILR stands a good change of being refused after any immigration fraud in Ireland. Immigration fraud (which is data that is shared internationally) would also endanger entry to the Schengen, and other countries like US, Singapore, Australia etc and pretty much block visas to anywhere on any passport.
On a general note, the UK still operates it's 'hostile environment' approach to immigration, though it has re-branded under the 'Compliant Environment' title. In February 2025 the UK tightened its rules around naturalisation. By February 2026 the UK imposed ETA border entry on all non-UK and non-Irish citizens. There is a common view that the UK has the more surveillance cameras than any country other than China. The UK has a history of applying immigration laws retrospectively and is
right now looking at retrospective changes to ILR. So even if right now, certain actions don't endanger ILR, any confidence that this will continue is utter lunacy. The UK is
itching to be given a reason to eject immigrants, reduce asylum seeker numbers and refuse naturalisation. Give them a reason, and watch how fast they jump on it.
