Travelling from Republic to Northern Ireland

Kdot

I'm thinking of taking my girlfriend to Belfast for our 1 year anniversary but I don't know if she will be allowed to travel there. She is Brazilian and is currently being denied a new Visa in Ireland so she is doing a college course so she can get a student Visa or something. I'm not certain on the details, I just know that she doesn't currently have a valid Visa. She also has to update her Brazilian passport which she hasn't done yet. So could she travel from Republic of Ireland to Northern Ireland without a valid Visa or passport?

whomitconcerns

Well you can certainly go there as there are no border controls. However if for some reason you got into a legal situation up there she would be in trouble. The likelihood of that happening is up to yourself.

So unless you plan on being arrested and her too, you'll be grand.... Technically

judeboy101

As a citizen you have a legal and moral duty to report anyone in the country without permission.

Tenigate

judeboy101 wrote: »

As a citizen you have a legal and moral duty to report anyone in the country without permission.

there isn't any legal duty. As for moral, well that's your opinion

Yamanoto

Kdot wrote: »

She is Brazilian and is currently being denied a new Visa in Ireland so she is doing a college course so she can get a student Visa or something. I'm not certain on the details, I just know that she doesn't currently have a valid Visa.

If she weren't being denied a visa, would she still be interested in the college course?

There are thousands of Chinese, Brazilians & Pakistanis working illegally in Ireland, many of whom apparently attend the longest and most arduous course of English language tuition known to man.

Folks who enter the country legally, abide by the terms imposed upon them and are prepared to make a positive contribution to society - for however long the duration of their stay, should most certainly be welcomed into Ireland. If from the get-go however, the plan is to be evasive & to ultimately disregard & circumvent the conditions of entry, those same folks should be given short shrift.

Tenigate

Yamanoto wrote: »

If she weren't being denied a visa, would she still be interested in the college course?

Wut?

If I wanted to spend a year in Brazil and wasn't eligible for a work visa and the tourist visa only last 3 months, I'd be more than happy to sign up for a Portuguese course and learn the language while doing whatever else within the scope of the visa.

In the case of Ireland, that may include part-time work. So, no problem for the op's gf there.

2 problems arise.

1.. entry to UK. She would need a valid tourist visa to legally be in the uk. Sounds like a huge hassle considering there is no physical border.

2. Re-entry into Ireland. The terms of the visa may specify points and conditions of exit, entry, and re-entry. She should be aware of the conditions of the visa.

Best option.. don't visit Belfast.
2nd best option.. get visas in order
Most convenient option.. visit belfast without visas and hope for the best. Prob akin to travelling without insurance. It's convenient but not without risk

Hrududu

It depends on how you get there and back. A lot of the time when I've gotten the bus from belfast to Dublin the guards have gotten on the bus shortly after the border checking IDs. I've never had any with me and they're grand. But one time they took some non Irish off the bus. So I guess they didn't have what they needed to have

coylemj

judeboy101 wrote: »

As a citizen you have a legal and moral duty to report anyone in the country without permission.

In which case we may assume that you inspect the tax, NCT and insurance discs on your neighbours' cars on at least a weekly basis.

Or does this imaginary 'duty' only apply to illegal aliens?

Kdot

Oh, it's nothing like that. She came here with her parents 6 years ago who both have been working since they got here and she just finished her Leaving Cert so she's due to go to college anyways.

Kdot

Yamanoto wrote: »

If she weren't being denied a visa, would she still be interested in the college course?

There are thousands of Chinese, Brazilians & Pakistanis working illegally in Ireland, many of whom apparently attend the longest and most arduous course of English language tuition known to man.

Folks who enter the country legally, abide by the terms imposed upon them and are prepared to make a positive contribution to society - for however long the duration of their stay, should most certainly be welcomed into Ireland. If from the get-go however, the plan is to be evasive & to ultimately disregard & circumvent the conditions of entry, those same folks should be given short shrift.

Oh, it's nothing like that. She came here with her parents 6 years ago who both have been working since they got here and she just finished her Leaving Cert so she's due to go to college anyways.

killbillvol2

There's a risk of being caught, however small. Is it really worth getting deported to visit Belfast? Seriously?

Yamanoto

Kdot wrote: »

Oh, it's nothing like that. She came here with her parents 6 years ago who both have been working since they got here and she just finished her Leaving Cert so she's due to go to college anyways.

On what basis is her visa being refused?

As others have said, travel to NI by car, as spot checks happen both on the enterprise train & on cross-border bus routes.

judeboy101

coylemj wrote: »

In which case we may assume that you inspect the tax, NCT and insurance discs on your neighbours' cars on at least a weekly basis.

Or does this imaginary 'duty' only apply to illegal aliens?

I report any car i see parked with no tax/insurance or nct. I would also report a fugitive rapist if i was made aware ones existence, the law is the law.

Quackster

Garda spot checks on the bus back from NI to ROI are regular enough in my experience and the Gardai engage in racial profiling, meticulously picking on anyone who is not white European in appearance.

So while you should be grand making the journey in your own car (if you're happy to take a small but ever-present risk), I would definitely consider it too risky making the journey by public transport.

XsApollo

Well it's coming near to Halloween and the usual illegal importing of fireworks from the north tends to bring out more Garda for checking vehicles and stuff,
Probably more risky time of the year to be going up.

munchkin_utd

Kdot wrote: »

Oh, it's nothing like that. She came here with her parents 6 years ago who both have been working since they got here and she just finished her Leaving Cert so she's due to go to college anyways.

you only need 5 years residence to be granted Irish citizenship.
Why hasn't she done this?

People on a student visa can't count their time in Ireland, but if she was there as a minor on a parents work visa (and went to school as is the requirement by law) then thats different.

kerry4sam

Thread closed by me.

Query answered.
Thread was going off-topic.

Thanks,
kerry4sam