Irish Passport Benefits

irishinvestor

Hi,
What are the benefits you gain acquiring Irish passport?
1. Fast entry into EU
2. Right to work in EU w/o VISA requirement
3. Family heritage document
4. No VISA requirement for 150 countries "supposedly"

Any other benefits? I had though Irish got free national medical care but was corrected so that is not a benefit.

Peregrinus

Well, unless you are entitled to a passport from some other country, obtaining an Irish passport is essential if you wish to travel anywhere further than the UK.

But, basically, a passport is a travel document. Pretty well all of the benefits of an Irish passport will be travel-related. Access to medical services in Ireland does not depend on whether you have a passport or not; why would it?

irishinvestor

Peregrinus wrote: »

Well, unless you are entitled to a passport from some other country, obtaining an Irish passport is essential if you wish to travel anywhere further than the UK.

But, basically, a passport is a travel document. Pretty well all of the benefits of an Irish passport will be travel-related. Access to medical services in Ireland does not depend on whether you have a passport or not; why would it?

In some countries one must show identification of citizenship and even proof of residency. Passport is also an identity document as well as travel related.

Peregrinus

irishinvestor wrote: »

In some countries one must show identification of citizenship and even proof of residency. Passport is also an identity document as well as travel related.

Yes, passports can function as identity documents, but in that respect I don't see that an Irish passport offers any particular advantages over alternative identity documents.

Passports don't provide proof of residency.

roccab

irishinvestor wrote: »

Hi,
What are the benefits you gain acquiring Irish passport?
1. Fast entry into EU
2. Right to work in EU w/o VISA requirement
3. Family heritage document
4. No VISA requirement for 150 countries "supposedly"

Any other benefits? I had though Irish got free national medical care but was corrected so that is not a benefit.

sounds like your asking this question because you got citizenship by naturalisation .. If that is the case congratulations , we are in the same boat , new Irish citizens lol

Tokyo

I hold dual nationality, and the advantages I've experienced by holding an Irish passport over another country's are:

• Being from a neutral country has its advantages abroad and can keep you out of trouble.
• Can open a lot of doors in African and South American countries, considering all of the aid workers and missionaries we sent there.
• Allows you into countries that are difficult/impossible to get into as another nationality (Iran comes to mind).
• The right to assistance overseas from the Irish Embassy/consulate.

coylemj

mike_ie wrote: »

I hold dual nationality, and the advantages I've experienced by holding an Irish passport over another country's are:

• Being from a neutral country has its advantages abroad and can keep you out of trouble.
• Can open a lot of doors in African and South American countries, considering all of the aid workers and missionaries we sent there.
• Allows you into countries that are difficult/impossible to get into as another nationality (Iran comes to mind).
• The right to assistance overseas from the Irish Embassy/consulate.

I agree with the first three of those but surely other countries are more likely to be represented in far flung parts of the world? For example you won't find too many Irish embassies and consulates in Asia, Sth. America or Africa compared to the US, UK and a lot of other big countries.

But I guess it all depends on which country you're comparing us to.

Tokyo

We seem to be doing okay - and that map just lists embassies, as I see quite a few countries there where I know there is an Irish Consulate.

irishinvestor

Peregrinus wrote: »

Yes, passports can function as identity documents, but in that respect I don't see that an Irish passport offers any particular advantages over alternative identity documents.

Passports don't provide proof of residency.

if the only Irish docuemnt you have for identification is surely can verify who you are when a billing is also submitted to show residency.

irishinvestor

mike_ie wrote: »

I hold dual nationality, and the advantages I've experienced by holding an Irish passport over another country's are:

• Being from a neutral country has its advantages abroad and can keep you out of trouble.
• Can open a lot of doors in African and South American countries, considering all of the aid workers and missionaries we sent there.
• Allows you into countries that are difficult/impossible to get into as another nationality (Iran comes to mind).
• The right to assistance overseas from the Irish Embassy/consulate.

Can you cite a few examples for Arica and South America are special countries with opportunities besides just entry? Liek righ to work etc?

Beano

irishinvestor wrote: »

Can you cite a few examples for Arica and South America are special countries with opportunities besides just entry? Liek righ to work etc?

I think he means in terms of just general goodwill not afforded to citizens of other nations. The locals tend to be much friendlier towards us because of the good work previously by missionaries.

Tokyo

Again, I can only speak from personal experience here, but there are quite a few benefits that aren't listed on paper. A fair percentage of Africa formally being part of the British Empire, animosity can still run high, and quite often when I'd meet an official I'd be met with "Ah, you're from Ireland! So you hate the English too...". Coupled with that, many of my border crossings were free, and unrestricted compared to my British counterparts who had to pay £50 per border crossing and had to leave within 30 days. Regarding work, I was offered positions in Kenya and Tanzania based on my being Irish, and the positive associations with the nationality. I've also had no issues getting work visas form South Africa - not sure how that compares to other nationalities though.

South America, I have a friend who was working there quite a few years ago (not sure of the country as it's been a few years, but I can ask) when a local militia group boarded a bus and got everybody to step outside. Passports were examined and foreigners were stood to one side, locals were stood on the other. And the Irish were placed with the locals. Locals and Irish were told to board the bus and leave, not sure exactly what happened with the group of foreigners but I doubt it was good. My friend found out later that they were let go because of being Irish, and the good work that Irish missionaries had done over the years in the area.

coylemj

mike_ie wrote: »

We seem to be doing okay - and that map just lists embassies, as I see quite a few countries there where I know there is an Irish Consulate.

That map probably looks good on the wall of Eamon Gilmore's office in St. Stephen's Green but it gives a misleading impression. It might appear for example to show that we have more than half of Sth America covered when in fact all we have is an embassy in Brasilia and an honorary consul in Sao Paolo - we have no representation at all in Rio De Janeiro and in Argentina there is an embassy in Buenos Aires and nothing else.

In Russia we have an embassy in Moscow and an honorary consul in St. Petersburg - nothing east of Moscow so good luck if you need consular assistance anywhere in that vast swathe of blue stretching from the Urals across Russia to the Bering Strait.

Tokyo

coylemj wrote: »

In Russia we have an embassy in Moscow and an honorary consul in St. Petersburg - nothing east of Moscow so good luck if you need consular assistance anywhere in that vast swathe of blue stretching from the Urals across Russia to the Bering Strait.

You could argue the same point for pretty much every other country due to the whole lot of nothing that is Siberia. The majority of embassies/consulates are in Moscow and St. Petersberg, and outside of that, a few countries have representation in Yekaterinberg, which still leaves a whole of of empty space before you hit the Bering Strait. Holdign an irish passport means that you are also entitled to be protected by the diplomatic and consular authorities of any other EU country if there isn't an Irish embassy nearby.

K.Flyer

irishinvestor wrote: »

if the only Irish docuemnt you have for identification is surely can verify who you are when a billing is also submitted to show residency.

Passports, Utility bills and bank accounts by themselves are not proof of residency..

Peregrinus

irishinvestor wrote: »

if the only Irish docuemnt you have for identification is surely can verify who you are when a billing is also submitted to show residency.

Sure. But from that point of view an, e.g., British passport will prove your identity just as thoroughly as an Irish passport. And electricity bills, etc, are equally persuasive (or not) as proof of where you live whether you have an Irish passport, a British passport or no passport at all.

coylemj

mike_ie wrote: »

Holdign an irish passport means that you are also entitled to be protected by the diplomatic and consular authorities of any other EU country if there isn't an Irish embassy nearby.

Agreed but we are discussing the benefit of specifically having an Irish passport.

Tokyo

coylemj wrote: »

Agreed but we are discussing the benefit of specifically having an Irish passport.

I would consider it a specific benefit, compared to holding say, an American or Australian passport. Depends on perspective I guess.

huskerdu

irishinvestor wrote: »

if the only Irish docuemnt you have for identification is surely can verify who you are when a billing is also submitted to show residency.

Yes, but that's all it is. Its is not more important, or offers any more benefit to person resident in Ireland over other proofs of identity.

irishinvestor

K.Flyer wrote: »

Passports, Utility bills and bank accounts by themselves are not proof of residency..

Well, I know someone who was able to show through utility bill in Ireland who was really permanently resident in US eligible to file for citizenship and passport in Dublin.

The utility bill proved their residence.

If the person was in the US(west coast) it would have had to go through the San Francisco Irish Conulate who then mails citizenship & passport applications ti Dublin and return to SF before to the US citizen.

K.Flyer

I find it hard to believe that citizenship and a passport was granted to someone living outside the state solely on the presentation of a utility bill. I don't think its quite as easy as that.

irishinvestor

K.Flyer wrote: »

I find it hard to believe that citizenship and a passport was granted to someone living outside the state solely on the presentation of a utility bill. I don't think its quite as easy as that.

You misunderstood. The focal had Irish heritage through grandparents.
Irish Conulates have strict rules...if you are permanently in US,...you must file ONLY to the Irish consulate in the region.

Since tho person was temporarily in Dublin, had a utility bill, the applications were processed in Dublin all within 4 weeks.

I ahd to go through SF Consulate who sent them to Dublin and took 18 month just for citizenship.

Peregrinus

Yup. This is a matter of process, not outcome. The applicant either was or was not a citizen. His application for a passport would lead the state to make a determination one way or another. The outcome of the application does not depend on where the application is lodged; it would have the same outcome regardless of whether it was lodged in Dublin, in San Francisco or anywhere else.

By pretending to be resident in Dublin, the applicant had his application processed more quickly. But he got the same outcome that he would have got had he lodged in San Francisco. He just got it sooner.

K.Flyer

Thats a bit clearer.
To try and answer your original question...
My brother in law (Irish) holds both U.S. and Irish Passports. With his work he travels all over the world and the subject of which passport he uses most at Airports recently came up in conversation. He said that it really depends on where he is going to and where he may be travelling onto afterwards but in the main he always carries his Irish one for I.D. purposes and arriving into Europe and his U.S. one for re-entering the States.

Peregrinus

I have two passports - Irish and Australian - and they are largely interchangeable, except that I always use the Irish passport to enter EU countries, and the Australia passport to enter Australia. In both cases, this is largely because I get the benefit of shorter queues.

There are a few countries where one passport will get me in without a visa, whereas if I relied on the other I would need a visa, or be subject to some other requirements. For example, as the holder of an Australian passport I can visit New Zealand with (fractionally) less formalities than I would apply if I entered on an Irish passport. The opposite applies if I want to visit, say, Brazil, Zambia or Ukraine. But unless you are a very active traveller these are pretty marginal distinctions.

The Irish passport does give access to a larger consular network than the Australian passport, since as an Irish passport holder I can avail of the services of other EU countries in places where there is no Irish consular presence. But as I have never had to avail of consular services at all, in practice this hasn't meant much.

Khomeini

Let's be clear, no one likes to see a British passport produced. I've seen the looks myself and I do enjoy it.

That said, the Free State isn't innocent anymore.

Jude13

mike_ie wrote: »

Again, I can only speak from personal experience here, but there are quite a few benefits that aren't listed on paper. A fair percentage of Africa formally being part of the British Empire, animosity can still run high, and quite often when I'd meet an official I'd be met with "Ah, you're from Ireland! So you hate the English too...". Coupled with that, many of my border crossings were free, and unrestricted compared to my British counterparts who had to pay £50 per border crossing and had to leave within 30 days. Regarding work, I was offered positions in Kenya and Tanzania based on my being Irish, and the positive associations with the nationality. I've also had no issues getting work visas form South Africa - not sure how that compares to other nationalities though.

South America, I have a friend who was working there quite a few years ago (not sure of the country as it's been a few years, but I can ask) when a local militia group boarded a bus and got everybody to step outside. Passports were examined and foreigners were stood to one side, locals were stood on the other. And the Irish were placed with the locals. Locals and Irish were told to board the bus and leave, not sure exactly what happened with the group of foreigners but I doubt it was good. My friend found out later that they were let go because of being Irish, and the good work that Irish missionaries had done over the years in the area.

On Tanzania, I went there last year with a group of other nationalities, Yanks saffers and canucks. There was a sign that said 50 dollar for a visa except for Irish citizens whom have to pay 100 dollars. Any idea why this is? I asked the officials but they had no idea.

Peregrinus

Jude13 wrote: »

On Tanzania, I went there last year with a group of other nationalities, Yanks saffers and canucks. There was a sign that said 50 dollar for a visa except for Irish citizens whom have to pay 100 dollars. Any idea why this is? I asked the officials but they had no idea.

Probably a misunderstanding - should have been the other way around. The standard fee for a single-entry Tanzanian visa is USD50. This applies to nearly all countries, Ireland included. However there is a special fee of USD 100 applying to the holders of US passports, under a reciprocal arrangement between the US and Tanzania whereby visa fees and vis conditions were equalised.

catbear

Jude13 wrote: »

There was a sign that said 50 dollar for a visa except for Irish citizens whom have to pay 100 dollars. Any idea why this is? I asked the officials but they had no idea.

Maybe they heard some speeches by Seanie Fitz back in bubble times an thought we were loaded!

Jude13

Peregrinus wrote: »

Probably a misunderstanding - should have been the other way around. The standard fee for a single-entry Tanzanian visa is USD50. This applies to nearly all countries, Ireland included. However there is a special fee of USD 100 applying to the holders of US passports, under a reciprocal arrangement between the US and Tanzania whereby visa fees and vis conditions were equalised.

No misunderstanding pal, there were signs all over the place saying 50 dollars for a visa except Irish Citizens being 100. I had to go there twice in one month and those signs were still up.

A girl I know did Kili recently, this year, I will ask her if its the same in 2014.

Jude13

"USD 50 in cash if flying on a British passport, or USD 100 in cash if flying on a US passport. Those of other nationalities are advised to have USD 100 in cash ready, though in most cases the cost will be only USD 50."

Irish passport holders fall into the 100 USD. The americans paid 50 the two times I went and the signs singled out Irish passport holders.

Peregrinus

Jude13 wrote: »

No misunderstanding pal . . .

Sorry, Jude, I didn't mean to suggest that you had misunderstood the position; I meant the staff on the ground at DES airport (or whatever point of entry you came in by).

And, of course, the concept of "misunderstanding" can stretch to "spotting an opportunity". Once there's any degree of differentiation in visa charges, then, um, it's always possible that through "misunderstanding" people can be asked to pay more than they should be. Tanzania is one of Ireland's bilateral aid partners and a large slice of the Irish people passing through DES airport are travelling on official or development aid business, and are not paying their own costs, and may not be inclined to quibble over the fee charged for the visa. Just sayin'.

The other possible explanation is that USD 50 is the fee for a single-entry visa, but USD 100 is the fee for a multiple entry visa, and possibly Irish visitors are routinely given multiple-entry visas (though why this might be I have no idea). The USonians who pay USD 100 get a multiple entry visa.

Check your passport. If you paid USD 100 and have been issued only a single-entry visa, you've been ripped off, and someone at the airport has trousered USD 50.

Jude13

Well they must have gone through the trouble of putting signs up in the airport also (not microsoft word ones). Its not a misunderstanding on their part its the requirement.

Just a heads up its 100 USD for an Irish passport holder in Tanzania and 50 USD for most other countries so I guess that's a set back holding one. And its a single entry not multiple.

"Those willing to take the risk involved with trying to obtain a visa at the border (we have only ever heard of a small handful of persons who had problems) should have USD 50 in cash if flying on a British passport, or USD 100 in cash if flying on a US passport. Those of other nationalities are advised to have USD 100 in cash ready, though in most cases the cost will be only USD 50."

http://www.teamkilimanjaro.com/visas.html

But does anyone know why its more than other nations?

Peregrinus

According to the Tanzanian Ministry for Home Affairs it's not more than other nations; it's USD 50. It's USD 50 for everyone except (a) nationals of countries not requiring a visa to enter Tanzania, or (b) nationals of the US, for whom it's USD 100.

So there's a tension between (a) what the Ministry is saying on its website, and (b) what officials at at least one airport are actually doing.

I did find this completely unofficial explanation of the reason; apparently Ireland charges Tanzanians EUR 60 for an Irish visa. Possibly the Ministry of Home Affairs website is out of date, or possibly the fee increase for Irish entrants has been introduced on an, ahem, administrative basis, without bothering to amend the legislation which prescribes a fee of USD 50.

Jude13

It sounds more legit that my pals telling me its because they don't like potatoes or the price of Guinness.

Beano

Khomeini wrote: »

Let's be clear, no one likes to see a British passport produced. I've seen the looks myself and I do enjoy it.

That said, the Free State isn't innocent anymore.

how is this relevant?

Tokyo

Jude13 wrote: »

On Tanzania, I went there last year with a group of other nationalities, Yanks saffers and canucks. There was a sign that said 50 dollar for a visa except for Irish citizens whom have to pay 100 dollars. Any idea why this is? I asked the officials but they had no idea.

No idea to be honest - I used to cross at a land border crossing between Kenya and Tanzania, and it was a few years ago, but that shouldn't make any difference. Maybe things have changed since and my information is out of date?

But the reason it sticks to mind is that I have both Irish and UK passports, and with the Irish one it was a stamp at the border and ushered on, with the British one it would have been £50....

I've yet to use my my British passport for this reason - the only reason I carry it is so that I have a way home if my Irish passport gets lost or seized.

Fred Swanson

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catbear

I came back from Italy recently and noticed that a lot of Italians ahead of me needed only a basic ID card rather than a passport. Is there is an Irish equivalent?

Fred Swanson

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catbear

Fred Swanson wrote: »

This post has been deleted.

Any reason why?

Beano

catbear wrote: »

Any reason why?

No benefit over existing driving licences and passports.

catbear

Beano wrote: »

No benefit over existing driving licences and passports.

Not having to pay the cost of a passport is a benefit to the citizen if a driving license will suffice for EU travel; one cost instead of two.

Of course the silver service wouldn't agree.

Beano

catbear wrote: »

Not having to pay the cost of a passport is a benefit to the citizen if a driving license will suffice for EU travel; one cost instead of two.

Of course the silver service wouldn't agree.

Are you asking for the introduction of separate identity cards or for driving licences to be de-facto national identity cards? The problem with driving licences as de-facto identity cards is that not everybody in the state can get a licence. They are not universal.

irishinvestor

Peregrinus wrote: »

Yup. This is a matter of process, not outcome. The applicant either was or was not a citizen. His application for a passport would lead the state to make a determination one way or another. The outcome of the application does not depend on where the application is lodged; it would have the same outcome regardless of whether it was lodged in Dublin, in San Francisco or anywhere else.

By pretending to be resident in Dublin, the applicant had his application processed more quickly. But he got the same outcome that he would have got had he lodged in San Francisco. He just got it sooner.

Only partially true. If a person is in Ireland and can prove temporarily living then DUblin office will process citizenship or passport from Dublin.

If a person has Irish ciztenship and is permanently in US but goes to stay in Ireland temporaily again Dublin will process the passort if citizenship is already recieved.

If you apply in Dublin turnaround time is 4 weeks for citizenship/passport.

If you go through the San Francisco Consulate they route to Dublin eventually and take 18 months just for citizenship, then an additional 3-4 months for passport after mailing back teh citizenship papers.

Clearly, bypassing the SF Consulate is an advanatge if possible.

Fred Swanson

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Beano

Fred Swanson wrote: »

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how much do you think such a card should cost? how many people would actually buy one? They want €55 off me for one of the new driving licences that is jsut a piece of plastic with my photo on it. I couldnt imagine them introducing an ID card for much less. It wouldnt pay for itself at all.

catbear

Australia a proof of age card sufficed for a driving license, they're both issued by the same authority and are equally valid. It only cost $20.

Beano

catbear wrote: »

Australia a proof of age card sufficed for a driving license, they're both issued by the same authority and are equally valid. It only cost $20.

we're not australia. Our driving licence is €55

Fred Swanson

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catbear

Beano wrote: »

we're not australia. Our driving licence is €55

Well done on knowing Ireland is not Australia although I don't know what your interjection adds to the debate. Why can't Ireland rationalise such costs, surely everyone wins in savings.