Ireland Stamp 6

[markedaly]

Hi all


Does anyone have a stamp 6 on their passport ? Could you scan it to see how it is worded ?
My wife ( Chinese ) is entitled to a S6, but she is worried about Chinese authorities deducing that she is a citizen of another country from the stamp 6 - in which case they would seize her passport ! Obviously, this could leave her in a kind of limbo 'somewhere'.....with no passport.

Looked every where for a sample image but can't find anything.

Any help is greatly appreciated.

Thanks, Mark.

[crisbella218]

Hi all


Does anyone have a stamp 6 on their passport ? Could you scan it to see how it is worded ?
My wife ( Chinese ) is entitled to a S6, but she is worried about Chinese authorities deducing that she is a citizen of another country from the stamp 6 - in which case they would seize her passport ! Obviously, this could leave her in a kind of limbo 'somewhere'.....with no passport.

Looked every where for a sample image but can't find anything.

Any help is greatly appreciated.

Thanks, Mark.

Mark,

As a Chinese citizen myself I will be getting a stamp 6 in my passport as well when my citizenship is approved and ceremony is finished. My understanding is that stamp 6 would just state you have no conditions on your stay in Ireland. It wouldn't say you have Irish citizenship or anything like that. However I have never seen one so I'm basing this on assumption.

As long as you have something in your Chinese passport to show you can enter Ireland legally the airline will not be able to refuse you. The problem is when you don't have anything and people take out their other passport then questions start being asked.

I have a friend for example who left Ireland to Beijing and had a return flight. The problem is they aren't an irish citizen but is British. They have a British equivalent of S6 in their Chinese passport but because they had no Irish visa or anything to show he could enter legally into Ireland he was refused boarding. He then had to book a flight to London at his expense.

Hope this helps

[markedaly]

Hi Crisbella,

Thanks for the reply. It does help.

My assumption is similar to yours. However, it is risky to return to China if there is any indication of citizenship in another country. There are stories of passport confiscations and people left in limbo...
As you know, immigration control in China always check your passport to see if you have a visa (or not) for your destination country.

I have contacted inis for clarification. I will post any useful results from them here.

Have a good Paddy's day

[crisbella218]

Hi Crisbella,

Thanks for the reply. It does help.

My assumption is similar to yours. However, it is risky to return to China if there is any indication of citizenship in another country. There are stories of passport confiscations and people left in limbo...
As you know, immigration control in China always check your passport to see if you have a visa (or not) for your destination country.

I have contacted inis for clarification. I will post any useful results from them here.

Have a good Paddy's day

Look forward to hearing what you find out.

I must point out though, its not Chinese immigration that cares if you have an Irish visa, its the airline. As if someone enters an EU country via an airline without legal clearance. The airline will get a heavy fine. So the task of checking visas is on the airline. In Beijing airport there is usually someone after the boarding desk as you go down to the plane looking to see your visa again as well as at check in. Chinese immigrations desks just look at your plane ticket and stamp it and check your passport to see when you entered. They are not usually trained to know what visas are right for which country, or in some cases may not even know English.

The wording of Stamp 6 will be key. But again I assume it just says without conditions.

HAPPY ST PADDY'S DAY!

[markedaly]

Hi Crisbella,

I do agree that the airlines have that responsibility but I remember two years ago crossing from HK to SZ we had to deal with an immigration office (on the mainland) who went through every single page of my wife's passport. We were standing in front of him for around 10 minutes. I'm not sure what he was looking for but....

I have another question that maybe you know the answer to; having this shiny new stamp 6 in the passport - does this elminate the need for travel visas at all ? Do you still need a visa for UK travel ? My guess is you still do!

[crisbella218]

Hi Crisbella,

I do agree that the airlines have that responsibility but I remember two years ago crossing from HK to SZ we had to deal with an immigration office (on the mainland) who went through every single page of my wife's passport. We were standing in front of him for around 10 minutes. I'm not sure what he was looking for but....

I have another question that maybe you know the answer to; having this shiny new stamp 6 in the passport - does this elminate the need for travel visas at all ? Do you still need a visa for UK travel ? My guess is you still do!

Ah yes the land border between HK and SZ would be a different story. I never use it so I don't know. I know that Chinese citizen require an entry exit permit to enter HK unless you land for only 7 days on your way to China. So in that case you would have to show your Chinese passport at the HK border when entering so the Chinese immigration can see a stamp showing you entered HK. Without a stamp that would cause eyebrows to be raised. Its a complicated thing, which hopefully someday the Chinese government will allow dual citizenship.

With a stamp 6 for travel to the UK you would need a visa if your wife is travelling only with her Chinese passport and stamp 6. As it would only allow no conditions on the country its issued. This is the problem for me cause when I travel to China I would go via Heathrow. But with stamp 6 I would have to go by Dublin. But since there is a direct flight from Dublin coming in the next year that should be easier. If she is traveling to the UK she of course can use her Irish passport.

[markedaly]

Thanks again. I suppose the HK/SZ border is a bit special alright.

Maybe I can give u some help: the very first time my wife came to Ireland she came alone, thru Heathrow without any problems. Uk border allowed her to connect to her flight because she had permission to stay in Ireland. In fact, we have always travelled thru Heathrow and never had even an eyebrow raised at us.

[crisbella218]

Thanks again. I suppose the HK/SZ border is a bit special alright.

Maybe I can give u some help: the very first time my wife came to Ireland she came alone, thru Heathrow without any problems. Uk border allowed her to connect to her flight because she had permission to stay in Ireland. In fact, we have always travelled thru Heathrow and never had even an eyebrow raised at us.

Thanks for the advice. Need to point out I live in Belfast, so in China if my finally destination was Belfast I would require a UK Visa, Stamp 6 wouldn't help. Hence the need to travel out of Dublin and return there with a stamp 6.

[Markdalye]

Hi Crisbella,

I had some trouble logging in.....

Anyway, I had a reply from Immigration and I quote
"The wording on the stamp is

THE HOLDER OF THIS PASSPORT IS PERMITTED TO RESIDE IN IRELAND WITHOUT
CONDITION



FOR MINISTER FOR JUSTICE, EQUALITY AND LAW REFORM
DATE (of stamp being inserted to the passport - not expiry date)
"

Stamp 6 does not have any expiry date. Just renew your passport when necessary and get it restamped.
Also stamp 6 is rubber ink stamped into the passport it's not a sticker like a visa sticker.

So, this should be fine. We're off to the ceremony in Dublin on 21st of April....

[crisbella218]

Hi Crisbella,

I had some trouble logging in.....

Anyway, I had a reply from Immigration and I quote
"The wording on the stamp is

THE HOLDER OF THIS PASSPORT IS PERMITTED TO RESIDE IN IRELAND WITHOUT
CONDITION



FOR MINISTER FOR JUSTICE, EQUALITY AND LAW REFORM
DATE (of stamp being inserted to the passport - not expiry date)
"

Stamp 6 does not have any expiry date. Just renew your passport when necessary and get it restamped.
Also stamp 6 is rubber ink stamped into the passport it's not a sticker like a visa sticker.

So, this should be fine. We're off to the ceremony in Dublin on 21st of April....

Cool thanks for the reply.

I'm also off to the ceremony on 21st April (confirmed by email no invite yet) at 2pm.

I understand stamp 6 can only be done via an appointment so need to travel down to Dublin. But still have my UK spouse visa till March next year so wouldn't require it till that expired.

[Markdalye]

Ya, we are the same. No invite/paperwork regarding the ceremony - just the email. I suppose they will send it out in the next few days. Might just be another email...

Yup ,you'll need to make an appointment in DUB to get your stamp 6. We're about 2.5 hours way so it'll be a day out unfortunately....

Best of luck.
Mark.