Dublin visa?

Apologies if I have posted in the wrong forum.

I am an Indian citizen living and working in the UK on a Spouse visa. Does anybody know if I would need a visa to visit Dublin for a weekend?

biggshot wrote:Apologies if I have posted in the wrong forum.

I am an Indian citizen living and working in the UK on a Spouse visa. Does anybody know if I would need a visa to visit Dublin for a weekend?

You would.

Thanks for the reply.

Technically speaking- Yes, you would. But practically, there are hardly any checks between the 2 countries and if you are travelling with your British Spouse, your EU rights would kick in (though I wouldn't always count on the Irish to abide by it).

By the way, did you really mean a spouse visa or a dependant visa?

Indeed you need a VISA for Ireland as we(Indian living in Ireland) require a visa for UK.

there are hardly any checks between the 2 countries

Not if you are travelling by road, but there definately are if you are travelling by air. My husband's passport and Irish visit visa were scrutinised for 20mins at Shannon Airport, and we were only visiting for 4 days, travelling together to attend a wedding.

Marie B wrote:

there are hardly any checks between the 2 countries

Not if you are travelling by road, but there definately are if you are travelling by air. My husband's passport and Irish visit visa were scrutinised for 20mins at Shannon Airport, and we were only visiting for 4 days, travelling together to attend a wedding.

I agree, the Guarda at Dublin airport screen all flights very carefully arriving from London. Strangely though flying the other way from Dublin to London the UK authorities do not perform any immigration checks.

Dublin airport requires passport checks for all flights from outside Ireland, even the UK. It checks flights not only from London but from, in my personal experience, Bristol, Southampton, Nottingham...basically anytime I've arrived into Dublin airport from outside Ireland, they've checked my passport.

Once, I flew from Dublin to Cork for work, and there was a passport check for our flight at Cork! I'd almost not brought my passport, but thought it would be safest to. Thank God I did.

U need VISA to Dublin, U do not need VISA to Northern Ireland

biggshot wrote:Apologies if I have posted in the wrong forum.

I am an Indian citizen living and working in the UK on a Spouse visa. Does anybody know if I would need a visa to visit Dublin for a weekend?

As a side note, there is absolutely no border control at the land border between Northern Ireland and the Republic so in theory you could fly from London to Belfast (and still be in the UK) and take the train from Belfast to Dublin without ever undergoing an immigration check. However I would imagine that if you require a visa for the Republic and you were found to not be in possession of one (say during a random stop and search) it would not be a very pleasant experience.

Dawie is right, there is no border control between ROI and NI.

If you fly to Belfast and drive to Dublin, you avoid any immigration check.

I am not sure about the train, if there are any checks.

And don't worry, nobody will stop you in ROI and check your passport.

An english drivers licence will also avoid any troubles if you get stopped (unless you don't speak english of course).

This is the only way to avoid having to get a visa for ROI.

Mendo
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Buy Grinder

There are no checks on the train between Belfast and Dublin. I've taken it myself and you would never even know you were on an international train journey. There are no security checks and no immigration checks. It's like taking the train from London to Edinburgh.

However just because you can get away with not having a visa if you require one does not mean the legal requirement to have one is any less. While your chances of being stopped in the Republic are pretty small, if you run into any sort of difficulty that requires contact with the authorities and it is found that you are in the Republic illegally you will face a lot of hassle and difficulties.

biggshot,

True, there is no border between the North & the Republic while driving, you simply notice a change in road markings (and adverts for fireworks on the UK side!).

But, I've been on the Belfast-Dublin train many times since I've moved here & sometimes immigration officals board the train at Dundalk (a town just over the Republic border) & ask for people to show id. Usually it seems as though they are looking for someone in particular as it never seems to be a problem if people can't grab an idenity card fast enough & most times, they couldn't be bothered with people fumbling with bags, coats & wallets in search of one and eventually move on down the train.

In this regard, you could take a chance, but if it is easy enough for you to get a visa, then I would if I were you. That way no worries & you can enjoy your weekend in the Big Smoke!

Regards,
Maria