Thailand added to Irish Visa Waiver Programme

[james68]

I intend in the new year traveling to Ireland on holiday. I will contact the Irish consulate in Bangkok to clarify the rules and regulations regarding a Thai accompanying guest. I will the post on Thai Visa the requirements for a short stay visa for Thai citizens. In the meantime,

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

[Jay Sata]

Yes, I have visited the Republic, but as my wife has been a British citizen for nearly 10 years and I have been since birth we have had no need to visit any Irish immigration office.

Not that it's relevant because I am neither commenting on nor advising about the Irish immigration rules for spouses in this topic; though in another I have asked you questions about same; questions you have yet to answer.

I did quote the EEA regulations with regard to those who are citizens of two or more EEA states.

I notice that you haven't commented on the last paragraph of my previous post

If you mean Ireland, then I don't know if there is a similar type of long term visit visa for the Republic. Doubtless our resident Irish visa expert will be able to advise.

Do you know the answer or not?

Based upon the quality of the 'advice' you have posted in other topics, I suspect that you don't.

I'm not sure what question you want answered. The INIS site is quite simple compared to the UK.

http://www.inis.gov.ie/en/INIS/Pages/Join%20Family

Which part do you not understand? I think you're trying to compare the UK to Eire which is not possible.

All visa applications are done in Dublin and it's quite easy to phone and talk to the person handling your application. There is none of the hassle the UK imposes along with their draconian fees.

Cut and paste the section you are not sure of and I'll be back with the answer.

[7by7]

You have previously asserted that the spouse of an Irish citizen can obtain permanent residence in Ireland even though they have never set foot in the country.

I asked you for evidence of that from an official Irish government source because we have many Irish members living in Thailand with their spouses and obviously this would greatly benefit them if it is true.

That is the question you have yet to answer.

[Arkady]

Correct me if I'm wrong - but isn't Ireland somehow in the Schengen thing too? You get one visa for the "Schengen area" and it lets you roam across a large number of borders! But (here comes the glitch): you still need one visa, and in most Schengen-associated countries, that's almost harder to get than a license to print money...

Ireland was effectively blocked from joining Schengen by the UK. If they had joined, the UK would have imposed border controls on people coming in from Ireland.

[7by7]

Arkady, it was Irelands choice; continue with the common travel area (CTA) with the UK or join Schengen and have open borders with the rest of the EU.

They chose the former. But, unlike the UK, the terms of their opt out of the Amsterdam Treaty means that they have retained the option to leave the CTA and join Schengen whenever they wish.

The CTA comprises the RoI, the UK, the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands; but it is not an open border in the way that the Schengen area is. If it were, this topic would not exist.

People can only pass freely between the two countries without any immigration control or conditions or restriction if they are an Irish or British national. Obviously, as both countries are members of the EU and the EEA, EEA nationals have freedom of movement rights within them both; but the scope of the CTA is far wider than these EEA rights.

In 1997 the Republic changed it's legislation so that Irish immigration have the right to examine identity documents of all people entering the Republic from elsewhere in the CTA and refuse them entry if they do not have permission to do so. This effectively means that both Irish and British citizens need their passports to prove their nationality; unless they can do so by other means.

Fixed controls only exists at air and sea ports, but random checks, often intelligence led, are carried out at land crossings.

The UK do not carry out fixed checks, a proposal to do so in 2008 was abandoned following pressure from Ulster Unionists as it would have necessitated controls on all people arriving from the island of Ireland; including Northern Ireland which is, of course, part of the UK. The UK does, though, carry out random checks.

In addition to the above, all air and sea carriers between the RoI and the UK require photo ID from passengers; whichever direction they are travelling in. Most (all?) carriers between Northern Ireland and Great Britain require the same. If the passenger cannot produce such ID to show they have the right to enter their destination then the carrier will not allow them to board. Acceptable ID from British and Irish nationals varies from carrier to carrier (all will, of course, accept a valid passport) but EEA nationals will need a valid passport or national ID card and non EEA nationals will need a valid passport and, if required, visa.

In 2011 the British and Irish governments issued a joint statement on the CTA.

Whilst not legally binding, the statement does commit both governments to continuing co-operation through the CTA, to align their lists of visa free countries, to develop electronic border management systems, to engage in data sharing to combat the abuse of the Common Travel Area, and to work toward a fully-common short stay visit visa.

Edited December 28, 2013 by 7by7

[Ciaran Mc]

Perhaps the UK and Ireland should join and have a common visa policy with the rest of the Europe..

You have to understand the politics that go back over a century to appreciate that will never happen.

The anti English feeling runs deep. Just listen to the songs in a Temple Bar or Finglas pub on a Saturday night.

We are just two years away from the centenary of the 1916 Rising and events in O'Connell St.

Eire has what is best described as a truce with the UK which will probably take another generation or two before history is forgotten.

In the mean time I'd suggest anyone who has an Irish (Six Counties or Eire) parent or grandparent make use of their ancestry to get their partner home via the back door. Irish immigration officers are not like their English counterparts and have more latitude and compassion.

There is no queue outside the immigration office in Burgh Quay, Dublin so you can walk in although there will be a wait in the warm.

http://www.inis.gov.ie/

Like <deleted> year are U living in dude ?? You have heard of the Good Friday Agreement . . . and are aware that the Queen has recently visited Ireland and shook hands with a certain Martin McGuinness ??

[CiaranO]

Perhaps the UK and Ireland should join and have a common visa policy with the rest of the Europe..

You have to understand the politics that go back over a century to appreciate that will never happen.

The anti English feeling runs deep. Just listen to the songs in a Temple Bar or Finglas pub on a Saturday night.

We are just two years away from the centenary of the 1916 Rising and events in O'Connell St.

Eire has what is best described as a truce with the UK which will probably take another generation or two before history is forgotten.

In the mean time I'd suggest anyone who has an Irish (Six Counties or Eire) parent or grandparent make use of their ancestry to get their partner home via the back door. Irish immigration officers are not like their English counterparts and have more latitude and compassion.

There is no queue outside the immigration office in Burgh Quay, Dublin so you can walk in although there will be a wait in the warm.

http://www.inis.gov.ie/

Like <deleted> year are U living in dude ?? You have heard of the Good Friday Agreement . . . and are aware that the Queen has recently visited Ireland and shook hands with a certain Martin McGuinness ??

My fellow namesake - i totally agree with you in your statement. This guy is living in the past. "the anti English sentiment runs deep" - ridiculous statement.

As for JaySatas advice on here i find it woefully inaccurate and if listened too could lead you to having sever problems on arrival in Ireland or England. Its best to leave the answers to people who know what they are talking about and actually research the information and post links etc such as 7by7.