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Hi all,

I am an American spouse of an Irish citizen (solely Irish). We currently live in the US and plan to relocate to the UK at the end of the year. We will be arriving separately from the US to Ireland to visit his family for Christmas, then moving to the UK after a few weeks. There is no border control or immigration between Dublin and the UK.

I have a few concerns:

1. Applying for a residence card without any type of entry stamp or visa to the UK. I know it is not a prerequisite, but does anyone have any experience doing this?
2. Obtaining a national insurance number, bank account, apartment, job, etc. without any type of entrance stamp or visa. Again, this will probably rely on the RC, but does this leave me without any options for 6+ months?
3. There is also a (very small) chance we stay in Dublin for more than 90 days after my arrival, upon which I would have to apply for a long-stay visa in Ireland to stay any day past the 90 day mark. I am concerned this would affect my chances at obtaining a residence card in the UK.

The options seem to be:

a. Apply for a Family Permit from the US. Is there any point in doing this? We are concerned we will not get our passports back in time for a trip we have planned and there is always a small chance it gets denied.
b. Apply for a Family Permit once I get to Dublin. This would be complicate things and I feel be completely redundant.
3. Stay in Dublin for Christmas, move to the UK, and then apply for the residence card. This brings me back to concerns #1 and #2.

Has anyone been in a similar situation or have any advice? Thank you!!

There is border control between Ireland and UK for non-Brits, non-Irish.

There is coming into Ireland, but entering into the UK from Ireland is like flying domestically in the States. I was quite surprised the first time when it happened, but I've been to the UK twice now from Ireland and have never gone through any type of border control or immigration.

Wanderer wrote: ↑

Sat Sep 16, 2017 9:56 am

There is border control between Ireland and UK for non-Brits, non-Irish.

What law makes you think such border controls as there are going into the UK apply to Zerofold entering with her husband any more than they apply to him alone? She's a US citizen, not a Russian citizen.

Richard W wrote: ↑

Sat Sep 16, 2017 6:01 pm

Wanderer wrote: ↑

Sat Sep 16, 2017 9:56 am

There is border control between Ireland and UK for non-Brits, non-Irish.

What law makes you think such border controls as there are going into the UK apply to Zerofold entering with her husband any more than they apply to him alone? She's a US citizen, not a Russian citizen.

Depends what is meant by controls - I travel in out every week via plane or ferry and i'm checked nearly every time, certainly DUB-LBA, and the Fishguard-Rosslare ferry recently though I've only done that once. Always checked going out of Dublin airport, driving licence does for that.

Arrival from Dublin to Gatwick still no checks though there's always a chance of being asked to prove your nationality. I use my Irish driving licence.

Leeds always check you now from Dublin, much to the annoyance of everyone, they seem to do it to be awkward, one guy and he's really slow. They never used to but it's 100% of the time now.

We applied for my US citizen spouse EEA FP from the states and then flew into Dublin and drove up to Derry. It's hasn't been an issue for us.
Hope that helps.