hello,

thai national in belfast/ uk on a 10 year PR or ILR , she has been granted stay for further 10 years, originally she has been in belfast -uk on EEA family permit .

can she travel from dublin ( eire ) to bangkok ? or does she need a schengen visa. ( flights are chaeaper from dublin-bkk )

if my memory serves me i think her papers say she can travel throughout eu freely now , for next 10 years anyway.

advise please.

Hi Kranuan,

Note that both Ireland & the UK are not in the Schengen area. They didn't sign up for it.

However, with regard to persons that are from outside the EU, and that have family members that are EU citizens, and who wish to travel within the EU (UK & Ireland included) with their EU spouse/family member, I read that a European court found in their favor (approx 2 year ago).

I also read (a year later) that the Irish government had not yet officially accepted the courts findings. I'd advise you to check with an Irish Embassy on that.

The latest I heard is that you would need to obtain a visit visa in order to cross the border and travel down to Dublin.

Not sure if the additional costs and hassle incurred would negate any savings on ticket prices.

regards

PaddyBKK

Hi again Kranuan,

below is from the Irish Embassy London website (FAQ on visas) If the document referred to below ("Residence card of a family member of a Union citizen" ) is one and the same as what your friend has, then they do not need a visa to travel to Ireland. Please read the entire text.

regards

PaddyBKK

I am the family member of an EU national and resident in the UK: do I need a visa to travel to Ireland?

Holders of a residence card issued under Directive 2004/38/EC are not subject to an Irish visa requirement.

Family members of an EU citizen who are holders of a document called "Residence card of a family member of a Union citizen" as referred to in Articles 5 (2) and 10 (1) of Directive 2004/38/EC are not subject to an Irish visa requirement. Please be advised that the Visa Offices / Irish Missions are not in a position to provide guidance or advice as to whether a particular card or document held is sufficient to exempt the person concerned from the visa requirement. It is however, open to the person concerned to contact the appropriate issuing authority of the relevant Member State for guidance or advice as to whether the card or document comes within the definition of the Directive, as implemented by that particular Member State.

In circumstances where a person is in anyway uncertain as to whether or not they are exempt from a visa requirement, then it remains open to the person to apply for a visa. Such an application from a family member of an EU Citizen will be dealt with in an accelerated fashion. Whether or not a visa should be applied for is a matter of choice for the person themselves.

Please note: if you state on your application that you are travelling with your EU family member, then you will be issued with a visa stating "accompanying EU family member". If you then travel without that EU family member you may be refused entry to Ireland and/or have a visa warning entered on your passport.

Transfer through any 3rd party airport is not reliant upon a visa unless of course there is a criminal record or if there is transfer in/out arab countries with an Israeli stamp and vice versa.