Is it a risk to bring my non-Irish girlfriend to Belfast for the day?

roro1990

Hi,

Just wondering how big of a risk this is. My girlfriend is Asian and she needs a tourist visa to enter Ireland and visit me, which she has already obtained. I was considering taking her to Belfast for a day-trip, possibly two days, since she really wants to see the Titanic museum.

I fully understand she technically needs a visa to enter the U.K, so there's definitely a risk. However, how likely is it that immigration controls are enforced on say a train to Belfast from Dublin?

goingnowhere

You are breaking the law

There are random checks on the train regularly and to be honest if you look out of place they will challenge for passport and visa

Get a visa

Reati

roro1990 wrote: »

Is it a risk to bring my non-Irish girlfriend to Belfast for the day?

Na they only hate each other up there and us free-staters. Recently took an interest in the Gaza Palestine stuff but don't think they have anything against the Asians yet.

fleet

If she's from China or a number of other states then the UK and Ireland have mutual recognition of each other's tourist visas.

This is introduced after the UK Olympics in an effort to poach some tourists.

It's immensely useful to avoid dealing with Irish immigration, as UK visas are far easier to get.

otnomart

As above: don' t !
And bring her to the Titanic Experience in Cobh, instead.
Cobh was the last port of call of the Titanic,
I have been to the museum and loved it:
http://www.titanicexperiencecobh.ie/

0lddog

Is this thread relevant to you ?

https://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2057822019

redcup342

roro1990 wrote: »

Hi,

Just wondering how big of a risk this is. My girlfriend is Asian and she needs a tourist visa to enter Ireland and visit me, which she has already obtained. I was considering taking her to Belfast for a day-trip, possibly two days, since she really wants to see the Titanic museum.

I fully understand she technically needs a visa to enter the U.K, so there's definitely a risk. However, how likely is it that immigration controls are enforced on say a train to Belfast from Dublin?

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/british-irish-visa-scheme/british-irish-visa-scheme

Indian or Chinese she is fine

Not one of those then I wouldn't chance it, they regularly stop people going up north.

spurious

Depending on how far away the trip is, if she needs a visa it might be easiest just to get one.

facehugger99

roro1990 wrote: »

However, how likely is it that immigration controls are enforced on say a train to Belfast from Dublin?

Almost negligible chance.

BIGT4464

facehugger99 wrote: »

roro1990 wrote: »

However, how likely is it that immigration controls are enforced on say a train to Belfast from Dublin?

Almost negligible chance.

Drive a car up instead

franklyon

I had the same issue with my girlfriend, I was hesitant but she really wanted to see the Titantic and Game of Thrones stuff.
Went up on the bus and didn't have any issues, mind you I think I was more nervous than she was.
And before people say oh just get her a UK visa thats not how it works, it took her long enough to get the Irish one.
We had a great time, did some shopping and she is back in her home country now.

ignorance is strength

Is it likely that immigration controls are enforced on say a train to Belfast from Dublin?

goingnowhere wrote: »

There are random checks on the train regularly.

facehugger99 wrote: »

Almost negligible chance.

Which is it, I wonder?

Boxcar_Willie

Very high chance of being checked on a bus.
Cross-border busses are routinely stopped at the weighbridge just south of The border on the Belfast - Dublin road.
Train checks are less frequent but do occur between Dundalk and Dublin.

TheBoyConor

Just drive.

facehugger99

ignorance is strength wrote: »

Is it likely that immigration controls are enforced on say a train to Belfast from Dublin?





Which is it, I wonder?

Well, I can only speak to my own experiences. Worked in Belfast for two years and regularly commuted up from Dublin on the train. Never once saw any immigration checks - so doubt the checks are that regular.

Checks aren't regular but do happen. I'd guesstimate 2-3 times a year they do a checkpoint on the motorway. There was a story a few years ago about a Chinese girl who'd be in Dublin for over a decade went to Belfast and was caught on the bus on the way back and ended up getting deported. It can happen.

spurious

franklyon wrote: »

And before people say oh just get her a UK visa thats not how it works, it took her long enough to get the Irish one.

I had a friend visiting from Russia on a tourist visa once and we wanted to go to a concert up North. It was a very straightforward process once we showed them the concert tickets and return plane tickets to Russia.

Riskymove

spurious wrote: »

I had a friend visiting from Russia on a tourist visa once and we wanted to go to a concert up North. It was a very straightforward process once we showed them the concert tickets and return plane tickets to Russia.

who did you have to show them to?

where you stopped somewhere?

spurious

Riskymove wrote: »

who did you have to show them to?

where you stopped somewhere?

We showed the tickets to the people at the British Embassy when applying for the visa. I think you can do it online now, but this was a couple of years ago.

We were not stopped, but we had no worries anyway as we had all the right documents. My Russian friend is European looking. I did see other people (non-European looking) being stopped at the airport in the UK.

alastair

facehugger99 wrote: »

Well, I can only speak to my own experiences. Worked in Belfast for two years and regularly commuted up from Dublin on the train. Never once saw any immigration checks - so doubt the checks are that regular.

Conversely, I’ve been on about three busses and I’d say a half dozen trains where passports were checked. But that would have been ten years ago. Been driving since.

Butterface

I was on a bus between Belfast and Dublin about 6/7 years ago and it was boarded by a Garda who went through the bus asking for ID.
3 foreign nationals were removed from the bus, and on we went.