Ben wrote:Taking a flight from the UK to Ireland without an entry visa would be problematic in terms of logistics - staff working at check-in on behalf of the airline are likely to (unlawfully) refuse travel.
You would also have to deal with border guards at Dublin airport. When we entered without a visa (husband/wife), they seemed a little foggy on their obligations. I suspect they would be more foggy in this case.
Ben wrote:Applying for an EUTR visa at the Irish embassy in London in advance of flying / sailing to Ireland from Britain is fine, but be prepared for staff at the embassy to make your lives difficult and probably refuse the visa applications initially, later issuing them on appeal and following further documentation / letters / headache from you.
I also suspect they might refuse the application at first. Or even not accept the application. It would then take 2-4 months to appeal.
The plus side of doing this, is at the end of the process you will have a "certificate"/visa which certifies that your parents are travelling on the basis of EU law. So you have already gone through this step.
Ben wrote:Sailing or flying to Northern Ireland from Britain and entering Ireland over land eliminates the stress of entry visa applications mentioned above and, whilst perhaps not the most direct or convenient route, is likely the most stress-free option whilst still being entirely lawful - providing you and your parents are all in possession of your passport and that they have sufficient evidence to prove that they are your parents and that they are dependant on you.
Agreed. Note that the MRAX case has a number of different aspects, several of which are relevant for this situation. The no-visa entry aspect we have talked about. The other aspect is a reconfirmation that you do not need to have an otherwise required visa to apply for a RC. So you have a very clear answer if anyone says "You are not allowed to apply for a RC since you did not have a visa to enter Ireland". See
http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/Lex ... 59:EN:HTML
My original suggestion was to get a visa, since I assumed your parents were happily living away in their home country. That way you can go through the fight while everyone is living at home. If they are already mobile, then that would change the way that I would make my decision in a similar situation.
Note also that the RC application has to be decided within 6 months, and I suspect it will be approved smoothly. I would urge you to immediately start working in Ireland, at least part time. It helps also in settling into a new place.
Note also that a RC is NOT a prerequisite to moving back to the UK. You having
worked in Ireland is however. I personally would work for at least 3 months, though there are no hard and fast rules. You may also find Ireland an amazing place to live, which it is, and want to stay a lot longer.