Can partner visit Northern Ireland while awaiting Irish Join Family Visa?

Hi,
My partner is currently awaiting Join Family Visa approval, they are a non-eu citizen and it is taking a very long time to process.

Is it possible for them to get a UK visitor Visa and stay in Northern Ireland for a month or two while we await their Irish Join Family Visa to be processed?

Will the Irish visa officer interrogate them on why they visited Northern Ireland, or will everything be ok?
Appreciate any advise

LookingForInfoIE wrote: ↑

Mon Oct 21, 2024 7:30 am

Hi,
My partner is currently awaiting Join Family Visa approval, they are a non-eu citizen and it is taking a very long time to process.

Is it possible for them to get a UK visitor Visa and stay in Northern Ireland for a month or two while we await their Irish Join Family Visa to be processed?

Will the Irish visa officer interrogate them on why they visited Northern Ireland, or will everything be ok?
Appreciate any advise

Northern Ireland is part of the UK. If they get a UK visitor's visa, they're free to roam around the entire UK.

It's not the concern of the Republic of Ireland official on why someone has visited the UK legally.

Ticktack wrote: ↑

Mon Oct 21, 2024 11:40 am

LookingForInfoIE wrote: ↑

Mon Oct 21, 2024 7:30 am

Hi,
My partner is currently awaiting Join Family Visa approval, they are a non-eu citizen and it is taking a very long time to process.

Is it possible for them to get a UK visitor Visa and stay in Northern Ireland for a month or two while we await their Irish Join Family Visa to be processed?

Will the Irish visa officer interrogate them on why they visited Northern Ireland, or will everything be ok?
Appreciate any advise

Northern Ireland is part of the UK. If they get a UK visitor's visa, they're free to roam around the entire UK.

It's not the concern of the Republic of Ireland official on why someone has visited the UK legally.

Thank you for taking the time to reply, I appreciate it greatly.

I am worried that the Irish visa officer may become suspicious about my partner getting a UK visa to enter Northern Ireland in order to visit Ireland through the border. I don't want to take any risks with my partners visa having suspicions. We've already waited a long time.

Would a letter from a family friend that states my partner stays with them in Northern Ireland be enough to satisfy the Irish Visa Officer if they query why my partner was in Northern Ireland?

So it sounds like:
- you have submitted the Irish visa application but still kept the passport yourself
- you want to submit a UK visitor visa application now

That is absolutely fine. No explanation of any kind to the Irish visa officer is required. Using a UK visitor visa to enter Ireland is also allowed and legitimate for certain nationals, if they enter the UK first.

littlerr wrote: ↑

Mon Oct 21, 2024 12:46 pm

So it sounds like:
- you have submitted the Irish visa application but still kept the passport yourself
- you want to submit a UK visitor visa application now

That is absolutely fine. No explanation of any kind to the Irish visa officer is required. Using a UK visitor visa to enter Ireland is also allowed and legitimate for certain nationals, if they enter the UK first.

Thank you for replying, really appreciate you taking the time from your day!

I am worried that my partner visiting Northern Ireland on a UK Visitor Visa would make the Irish Visa Officer who will examiner their Join Family case suspicious. I know UK and Ireland share immigration data, so they would probably see that my partner travelled to Northern Ireland?

I have read about the Visa Waiver Programme, and my partner qualifies, but it was impossible to get an answer as to whether they could avail of the UK Visa Waiver Programme while previously submitting an Ireland Join Family Visa.

The woman on the Irish phone kept slamming the phone down lol and wasn't overly helpful.

Not sure there's more we can say to allay your fears. If you feel it could be a problem, then don't do it.

We can only give you advise, you have to make your final decision yourself. So go with your gut feeling or what you think is right.

A UK visa is a UK visa. Your spouse could be in England, Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland. No distinguishing between them all!