Stamp 4 eufam holder visiting UK

[miamiheat]

I am interested in finding out how the OP got on.
I am an EU national living with a non-EU girlfriend who has been granted an EUFAM4 card on the basis of our steady and well proven relationship in Ireland.
We have travelled to Spain several times, Germany and are now flying to Italy without her needing a visa and using EU directive 2004/38/EC.
I have email confirmations from French and Italian consulates confirming she does not need visas as long as she travels with me. Got a verbal OK for Spain and only got checked once and approved in 30 seconds at the border.
In Germany it was special, we ended up in the office of the immigration/police and they "took my word for it" as i had a few bit of legislation printed out and they let us through, but they did mention that another officer another day could very well decide otherwise... They were very nice and the process took 20-30 minutes so it wasn't bad at all.

Anyways we need to go to London as she will need a new passport and the closest embassy for her is London: passport is not expired yet so I was thinking of going to London with her so she could apply for a new one a few days before it expires (they issue in one day) and get it sorted.
I have been skimming through the threads and can't find a sure answer: I know that under EU treaty rights we should not have any issues passing immigration in London but it would also seem that UK immigration may be giving people a hard time?? Can anyone share their experience on that?

[zahmed05]

There is no immigration when you travel from ROI to UK via air.

Just book tickets and get the passport done its that easy and simple.

Speaking from personal experience!!

[ireland2016]

I am interested in finding out how the OP got on.
I am an EU national living with a non-EU girlfriend who has been granted an EUFAM4 card on the basis of our steady and well proven relationship in Ireland.
We have travelled to Spain several times, Germany and are now flying to Italy without her needing a visa and using EU directive 2004/38/EC.
I have email confirmations from French and Italian consulates confirming she does not need visas as long as she travels with me. Got a verbal OK for Spain and only got checked once and approved in 30 seconds at the border.
In Germany it was special, we ended up in the office of the immigration/police and they "took my word for it" as i had a few bit of legislation printed out and they let us through, but they did mention that another officer another day could very well decide otherwise... They were very nice and the process took 20-30 minutes so it wasn't bad at all.

Anyways we need to go to London as she will need a new passport and the closest embassy for her is London: passport is not expired yet so I was thinking of going to London with her so she could apply for a new one a few days before it expires (they issue in one day) and get it sorted.
I have been skimming through the threads and can't find a sure answer: I know that under EU treaty rights we should not have any issues passing immigration in London but it would also seem that UK immigration may be giving people a hard time?? Can anyone share their experience on that?

Hi
Congratulations... is it temporary Stamp4 card/ GNIB CARD or
5 years residence card the one you traveled with to Germany and Spain with your partner.
Please let me know.
Cheers

[mkhan2525]

There is no immigration when you travel from ROI to UK via air.

Just book tickets and get the passport done its that easy and simple.

Speaking from personal experience!!

I beg to differ. Whilst there may be no immigration checks as such, arline staff are instructed at the boarding gate to look for photo ID that proves you are a citizen of either Ireland or UK else you to have show a valid passport and a visa.

My wife was holding a Stamp4 EUfam and was refused boarding and I had to demonstrate to them that she was a family member of an EU national exempt from requiring a visa. I showed them a print out of the IATA website and UK gov web site confirming a visa is not required if you hold Stamp4 EUfam (Article 10) residence card. After making some further queries they let us board the plane.

[zahmed05]

Hi,

That's a training issue but most of the airline staff do know about this.

[Cisco12]

@ mkhan2525. It seems you didn't validate the passport at the Airline checking desk before going to the gate, that would have saved you the troubles. Talking from experience.

[mkhan2525]

@ mkhan2525. It seems you didn't validate the passport at the Airline checking desk before going to the gate, that would have saved you the troubles. Talking from experience.

That wouldn't have made a difference as the guy at the boarding gate did query with the Airline check-in desk and they didn't have a clue either. After holding up the queue for half an hour they only let us board by taking our word for it. The fact that I had sufficient proof to show that wife did not require a visa if she has a valid Article 10 residence card went in our favour.

The airline we flew with was Aer lingus. Which airline did you fly with and did you go from Dublin or another airport?