Post
by Dawie » Fri Oct 13, 2006 10:35 am
Ireland has its own and quite separate immigration policy from the UK and holding a UK residence permit does not exempt you from needing an Irish visa if your nationality requires one.
Although it is true that immigration control between the UK and Ireland is usually quite relaxed, be aware that your passport will ALWAYS be checked by Irish immigration officials when arriving at Dublin International airport.
All foreigners (except UK citizens who can use a drivers license) require a valid passport or national identity document (in the case of EU citizens) to enter the Republic of Ireland. Do not make the mistake of trying to enter Ireland with a UK drivers license if you are not a UK citizen. You will be refused entry if you are caught and almost certainly deported.
You may get away with not having a passport or visa by entering Ireland overland from Northern Ireland or by ferry from the UK mainland, but if you find yourself in a situation where you need to produce your passport to the police (at a roadblock for example) you will be in trouble.
In a few years time we'll look back on immigration control like we look back on American prohibition in the thirties - futile and counter-productive.