Transit Visa For Chinese Wife Of Irish Citizen Travelling To Ireland

SuperS54

Trying to book flights from HongKong to Ireland for myself and the wife, I'm Irish, she's Chinese (mainland not HK). It appears as though transfer in Londons heathrow requires a transit visa when transiting to Ireland. Seems as though Paris CDG and Amsterdam do not...assuming luggage is checked through to Ireland and perhaps depending on which terminal arrival and transfer flights are in. Anyone have any recent experience or advice? One of the guys in the office is insisting that Heathrow would have to allow transit as my wife has a visa for Ireland and they cannot restrict movement of an EU spouse, my preferred transit is through Paris though and I don't fancy trying to argue the point with French immigration...plus the airline could just refuse boarding in HK.

steve-o

I don't know about your wife's EU rights, but the UK is a bit complicated because of the single travel area - when you are changing in the UK to/from Irish flights might need to cross the UK border and enter the UK (depending on airport/terminals/airlines/time). That doesn't happen in other places like Paris or Amsterdam where there will be no immigration check, making life much simpler.

SuperS54

Thanks Steve-o, think that might be the issue alright. Weird addition on this is that it seems Ireland accepts UK visa's to enter Ireland under the short visit visa waver scheme but UK doesn't seem to accept an Irish visa...upshot is that it may have been better to get a UK visa and then be able to transit in Heathrow and visit Ireland...

veetwin

If your wife has a valid reside visa for Ireland she can transit through Heathrow without a transit visa assuming she holds an onward ticket within 24 hours.

http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/visas-immigration/transitthroughtheuk/visa-to-transit-landside/

She can also transit through AMS, CDG or FRA without a visa assuming she will not be going "landside".

SuperS54

Unfortunately she only has a single entry visit visa for Ireland and is a visa national. Also she will be travelling to Ireland, in the "common travel area"...http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/visas-immigration/transitthroughtheuk/travelling-through-the-cta/

tatli_lokma

veetwin wrote: »

If your wife has a valid reside visa for Ireland she can transit through Heathrow without a transit visa assuming she holds an onward ticket within 24 hours.

http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/visas-immigration/transitthroughtheuk/visa-to-transit-landside/

She can also transit through AMS, CDG or FRA without a visa assuming she will not be going "landside".

this only applies if you have an EU Fam residence, and usually spouse of Irish citizens do not have this.

SuperS54, from my experience it is worth the trouble of getting a visa for the UK. My husband is a visa required national for Ireland, but he has full residence as spouse of an Irish national. However, we still had to get a tourist visa when transiting via the UK (Belfast). Upon arrival, the border protection guy was waiting for us, because obviously at check in they were aware of somone travelling on a non-EU passport. The guy was lovely, said, ah here's the people I'm waiting for! now, he said he would happily allow transit onto Ireland because hubby was with me, had an Irish residence and proof of address. However, he did point out that this is at his descretion, and some officers believe that all transit via the UK must be accompanied by a transit or tourist visa if the traveller is a visa required national for the UK.

From my own experiences, personally I would not take the chance. It is usually free for the spouse of an Irish person to apply for a UK visa, and although its a bit of a pain, I would still rather have that stamp in the passport that proves you have been granted passage via the UK than have to argue with a border patrol officer after a long flight.

tatli_lokma

SuperS54 wrote: »

my preferred transit is through Paris though and I don't fancy trying to argue the point with French immigration...plus the airline could just refuse boarding in HK.

I'd rather go via PAris also, as you can apply for a schengen visa much easier than a UK one - and the UK visa info hotline is very expensive and not much help, other than an automated message.
You might even be allowed to transit without a visa at CDG provided you are not changing terminals and you accompany your wife at all times. I would say an email to the French embassy would clarify this. If they confirm your wife can transit with you, without a visa, then print the email and bring it with you.

Stinicker

Why not transit via Abu Dhabi or Dubai instead and fly direct into Dublin?

ardmacha

AMS or CDG are no different than the UAE, you stay in the International zone of the airport and do not encounter immigration.

http://www.diplomatie.gouv.fr/en/spip.php?page=article_imprim&id_article=10877

I would avoid LHR for this reason as the common travel area isn't really common.

In any case AMS is a better airport to transit through.

SuperS54

Thanks all for the replies, it helps to share the load! Will avoid Heathrow and try either Ams or CDG with an airline combination that checks luggage all the way to Dublin.

SuperS54

Transited through Paris in the end with cathay/airfrance combination, luggage all the way through and no need to leave the airport/pass immigration.

robclay26

If your wife has
(1) reentry visa for Ireland
(2) gnib card
(3) stamp 3 or 4

She can transit Heathrow or Frankfurt with out a transit visa.
My wife is Ukrainian she needs same visas as your wife to reside in Ireland, but as I said if she has the above, no transit vide required.
I know this because me and my wife cane home from Canada via Heathrow.

Your wife will also get a uk border control 24hr stamp for entry to the uk on her way in. In fairness the uk border control guys are sound out!

RADIUS

Robclay26, There are different rules for different nationalities passing through UK.

My wife is also Ukrainian and can avail of the 24 hour visa free transit through UK international airports, but you should note that this 24 hours grace is for all Ukrainians passing through UK regardless of who they are married to.

Best check with the officials on the rules for his wife's particular nationality before he travels.

robclay26

Hi Radius,

Ah, learnt something new today!