Multi-Entry Visa for 4EUFAM

bob.thebuilder

HI, I am travelling alone next week to Dubai for 10 days and i am currently on 4EUFAM stamp. I was going to apply for Multi-Entry Visa but my friend told me i don't need Multi-entry visa on my Passport as Possession of GNIB Card is sufficient for EEA spouse. But the thing is i cant find any info about that on INIS website.
So if any of our boards members have dealt with this issue before, Please let me know what are requirements and i will be very pleased if you can prove it with some source.

tatli_lokma

If you are a visa required national then AFAIK you will need a multi entry visa to return to Ireland. If you were travelling with your spouse it would be different as when travelling with them you are afforded the same rights to enter as they are. However as you will be travelling alone I would recommend getting a multi entry visa sorted.

veetwin

Holders of stamp 4eufam do not require an Irish entry visa.

http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/moving_country/moving_to_ireland/coming_to_live_in_ireland/visa_requirements_for_entering_ireland.html

tatli_lokma

veetwin wrote: »

Holders of stamp 4eufam do not require an Irish entry visa.

http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/moving_country/moving_to_ireland/coming_to_live_in_ireland/visa_requirements_for_entering_ireland.html

Only if they are not a visa required national. If they are they need an entry visa if not travelling with their EU family member. And that only applies to initial entry. If you subsequently leave the state and wish to reenter you need a reentry visa (details further down the page you quoted 'do I need a reentry visa?').

veetwin

tatli_lokma wrote: »

Only if they are not a visa required national. If they are they need an entry visa if not travelling with their EU family member. And that only applies to initial entry. If you subsequently leave the state and wish to reenter you need a reentry visa (details further down the page you quoted 'do I need a reentry visa?').

Your post makes no sense and is factually incorrect. Read the link.

tatli_lokma

veetwin wrote: »

Your post makes no sense and is factually incorrect. Read the link.

From the link you posted

Do I need a re-entry visa?

The first visa issued to you is valid for a single entry to the State. If you wish to leave the State for a short period of time you must apply for a re-entry visa. This includes travel to Northern Ireland when you will need a re-entry visa to re-enter the State. Before you can get a re-entry visa you must be registered with the Garda National Immigration Bureau (GNIB).If you apply for a single-journey visa, this will only be valid for one entry to the State within 90 days from the date of issue. If you apply for a multi-entry visa it will be valid from the date of issue until the expiry date on your GNIB card, or the expiry date of your passport, whichever is earliest. This will allow you to leave and re-enter the State any number of times while your visa is valid.


The link you posted is in relation to first entry to the state. OP is already resident in the state. From my own personal experience and that of several friends a multiple entry visa is needed when travelling without your EU or Irish family member. Some immigration gardai are happy with a valid resident permit but others ask for your reentry visa. Bu the end of the day every entry to the state is at the discretion of the immigration official, and having both proof of residence permission and a reentry visa is no harm. It is free for spouse of EU/Irish citizen to get a reentry visa and it can be sorted at the same time as your GNIB card and lasts for the duration of your residency permit, so why run the risk of an hour long wait at immigration upon your return (which recently happened a good friend of ours who is Iranian married to an EU citizen and has lived here for 8 years. His reentry visa was in his old passport and he was left waiting an hour at passport control while his details were checked and his wife contacted.)

veetwin

tatli_lokma wrote: »

From the link you posted

Do I need a re-entry visa?

The first visa issued to you is valid for a single entry to the State. If you wish to leave the State for a short period of time you must apply for a re-entry visa. This includes travel to Northern Ireland when you will need a re-entry visa to re-enter the State. Before you can get a re-entry visa you must be registered with the Garda National Immigration Bureau (GNIB).If you apply for a single-journey visa, this will only be valid for one entry to the State within 90 days from the date of issue. If you apply for a multi-entry visa it will be valid from the date of issue until the expiry date on your GNIB card, or the expiry date of your passport, whichever is earliest. This will allow you to leave and re-enter the State any number of times while your visa is valid.


The link you posted is in relation to first entry to the state. OP is already resident in the state. From my own personal experience and that of several friends a multiple entry visa is needed when travelling without your EU or Irish family member. Some immigration gardai are happy with a valid resident permit but others ask for your reentry visa. Bu the end of the day every entry to the state is at the discretion of the immigration official, and having both proof of residence permission and a reentry visa is no harm. It is free for spouse of EU/Irish citizen to get a reentry visa and it can be sorted at the same time as your GNIB card and lasts for the duration of your residency permit, so why run the risk of an hour long wait at immigration upon your return (which recently happened a good friend of ours who is Iranian married to an EU citizen and has lived here for 8 years. His reentry visa was in his old passport and he was left waiting an hour at passport control while his details were checked and his wife contacted.)

Again you post makes no sense and is factually incorrect. Read the link I provided. The op is the holder of a Gnib card with the status stamp 4eufam. They do not require a visa to enter Ireland.

veetwin

Who can land in Ireland without a visa?


You hold either a valid residence card 4 EU FAM or a valid permanent residence card 4 EU FAM issued by the Garda National Immigration Bureau under the European Communities (Free Movement of Persons) (No. 2) Regulations 2006 (SI 656 of 2006).


Pasted from the Citizens Information website. @tatli_lokma Please point out to me where in that is the requirement for the holder to be accompanied by their spouse or where any discretion on the part of the Immigration Officer arises?

I suggest you back up your stance with a valid link to a reputable website rather than relaying second hand stories and feeding false information

tatli_lokma

From the INIS website:

"Re-entry Visa Information

If you wish to leave the State for a short period of time you must apply, in advance of making any travel arrangements, for a re-entry visa. The onus to comply with this requirement rests fully with the visa required circumstances where an individual exits the State without a valid re-entry visa, the only option available to that individual is to submit a fresh visa application to the local embassy or consulate in their country of origin.  It should be borne in mind that the time frame for consideration of such visa applications can take up to 6 – 8 weeks for processing.Non – EEA nationals (who are visa required) are strongly urged to ensure that they comply with the above requirement.Please note that a Re-entry Visa is required for travel purposes only."

Even if you are married to an EU citizen, if you are from a visa required country you will need a visa. My own husband is a visa required national and is obliged to have a reentry visa if he wishes to leave and reenter the state. So my information is not just on hearsay but based upon personal experience.

Can I ask, are you a citizen of a visa required country living in Ireland? Have you been through the system where one website tells you one thing, a different website says another and yet a third immigration officer or garda interprets it yet another way? If so you would understand that for the sake of minimizing the chance of hassle but the border after a long flight a reentry visa is a good idea. Not to mention reducing the chance of an airline check in agent refusing you board your flight because you don't have a "visa". A lot of them don't understand the difference between residency and a visa. Again this has happened to us personally where we were almost refused boarding because the check in agent was insisting on seeing the "visa". Thankfully we had the reentry visa but the GNIB card wasn't going to cut it.

veetwin

Look we are going around in circles here. You are clearly unable to accept that your information is wrong and you are misleading the OP. I have provided a link to the Citizens Information Bureau which clearly states that visa required Non EU nationals who are the holders of stamp4 eufam Gnib cards do not require an Irish entry visa. It's that simple.

I would suggest such holders have a printout of this page from the site to inform any ignorant check in staff or Immigration Officer if they feel this is necessary.

tatli_lokma

veetwin wrote: »

You are clearly unable to accept that your information is wrong and you are misleading the OP.

Right back at you. I think the Inis website trumps the citizens information website.

OP I would recommend you contact Inis directly to clarify rather than face difficulties upon reentry.

And just as a matter of advice I would recommend against calling immigration staff 'ignorant' unless you want to make life difficult for yourself. A citizens information website isn't going to convince an immigration official, especially as they have the authority to refuse entry to a visitor at the border or request a further investigation

tatli_lokma

OP just another tip if you don't get a reentry visa, email Inis and get confirmation from them as number one, and secondly bring a photocopy of your EU family members passport and a marriage certificate if applicable as back up confirmation.

I've just been reading on the immigration boards of different experiences and a lot of EUFAM residence holders testify to difficulties with check in and immigration in other countries (mostly middle eastern countries). They recommend bringing these documents with you as back up.

I appreciate what other posters are saying about what *should* happen, but that is not often what does happen and there is nothing more stressful than arguing with an immigration official, especially in a foreign country who are convinced you have no right to return to Ireland.

veetwin

tatli_lokma wrote: »

Right back at you. I think the Inis website trumps the citizens information website.

Ok can you point out where on the inis website is there contradictory information to that which I have already posted?

tatli_lokma

veetwin wrote: »

Ok can you point out where on the inis website is there contradictory information to that which I have already posted?

I already quoted it.

bob.thebuilder

After doing enormous searching on google from last 2 days i have found some info about it. I dont know if i am interpreting it correctly but according to section 8 of this file, i dont need re-entry visa.
linkhttp://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/site/en/oj/2004/l_158/l_15820040430en00770123.pdf

Do you think this is applicable in my case? or i am looking at totally wrong info and thank you veetwin and tatli_lokma for your feedbacks and please let me know if the link provided above is applicable for 4EUFAM stamp holders

griman

if the there's still no answer: Owner of 4 EU FAM residence card DOES NOT NEED any visas! (btw, this stamp is ONLY issued to non-EU citizens).

This is my case and it has been checked many-many times.

And also, if a family member, which is on 4 EU FAM, can travel to countries like: Germany, Metherlands, Spain, Poland, Italy,... WITHOUT a visa (the rule is that U have to travel together with your EU spouse and U also have to show marriage certificate (legalized) on arrival to these countries).