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Situation:

I'm a dual Irish (Republic) and UK citizen living and working in UK with my Thai girlfriend who is on an EEA UK residence card (5 year). So thanks to me being an Irish citizen working in the UK she can have residence.

If I go to the Republic of Ireland to see my family for a 2 week holiday can I take my Thai girlfriend (EEA family member). She would be travelling with me. Or is an Irish visa necessary?

Thanks

-Jack

According to relevant ec directive on freemovement, if she lands in ireland with you, they will have to grant her entry, as long as she is travelling with you, can provide her passport, original marriage certificate. But airlines or ferry's will not let her board until she produces a valid visa for ireland.

So either you get a visa for her, or if you want to avoid visa, then take a flight to Northern ireland, and then travel to republic by road/train. Just do not forget to carry the docs I have mentioned.

The residence card substitutes for a visa if you travel together.

Yes it does, and actually even a residence card is not required.

But the question is, Is the airline going to let her board?

asim72 wrote:But the question is, Is the airline going to let her board?

Why wouldn't they? Ireland has complied with the directive for over a year now.

Visa required, except for Holders of "family member" residence permit issued by United Kingdom to a family member of an EU national or
national of Switzerland, provided travelling with or travelling to join the EU national.

http://www.dfa.ie/uploads/documents/Con ... 202011.pdf

Thank you very much guys.
I am now having to travel to Ireland regularly for work. Usually a week at a time. If she can come with me it will be a relief.

Hey guys,

I'm also an Irish citizen working in the UK. After the Irish immigration rules were updated in July 2011 I was delighted because I thought it would mean that my husband could travel to Ireland visa free. However, when I contacted the Irish embassy in London they advised that the amendment only applied to non EEA national family members who had a residence card that stated 'Residence card of a family member of a Union citizen' specifically. They then said that the residence card issued by the UK states 'Family Member of an EEA National' and thus wouldn't be accepted when arriving in Ireland. I was really annoyed by this and called INIS in Dublin who confirmed that this was indeed the case.

Subsequently, I sent an email of complaint to the European Commission in September 2011. They replied in January 2012 and said that:

'As I have informed you in my previous reply, we have contacted the Irish authorities and asked them to provide their observations on the issue raised by your complaint.
The Irish authorities replied on 18 January 2012.1 am delighted to inform you that they have agreed to extend their rules on exemptionfromthe view requirement also to holders of residence cards of a family member of an EEA citizen.
The Irish authorities have also assured that all Irish visa officers will be so advised'

However, that said, they still have not updated the INIS website accordingly, so before you book any tickets it might be worth giving the Irish Embassy a call to see what their policy is now.

This is interesting and it's good that you've got an emailed response.

I'd looked at this recently and the guidance on Irish websites is to the effect that article 10 residence cards are accepted, but that the Irish authorities are unable to assist with queries as to whether one holds one or not.

To conclude, a UK issued article 10 residence card is acceptable for entry to Ireland.

EUsmileWEallsmile wrote:This is interesting and it's good that you've got an emailed response.

I'd looked at this recently and the guidance on Irish websites is to the effect that article 10 residence cards are accepted, but that the Irish authorities are unable to assist with queries as to whether one holds one or not.

To conclude, a UK issued article 10 residence card is acceptable for entry to Ireland.

Problem is that it doesn't say on my partner's PR that it she is a spouse of an EU/EEA citizen like it said on her 5 year card.
We would want to travel to Ireland but all these issues are withholding us from doing so

Eirikur wrote:

EUsmileWEallsmile wrote:This is interesting and it's good that you've got an emailed response.

I'd looked at this recently and the guidance on Irish websites is to the effect that article 10 residence cards are accepted, but that the Irish authorities are unable to assist with queries as to whether one holds one or not.

To conclude, a UK issued article 10 residence card is acceptable for entry to Ireland.

Problem is that it doesn't say on my partner's PR that it she is a spouse of an EU/EEA citizen like it said on her 5 year card.
We would want to travel to Ireland but all these issues are withholding us from doing so

You have a permanent residence card. It would be absurd to allow visa free-travel for article 10 cards and not article 20 ones. (That said, the law could be clearer).