Common Travel Area - No UK Visa
So just something I've been wondering...
If someone is granted entry to ROI but has no UK visa, are they allowed to travel to NI due to the CTA? I have a Bolivian friend wanting to travel and he can enter ROI without a visa, just an outward ticket, but he wants to visit NI while there. I know that he could just drive up and most likely no-one would even notice, but my question is would that actually be legal? I don't understand the CTA at all.
Thanks in advance!
Best Answer
The UK's guidance on the British-Irish Visa Scheme has this to say (about people who aren't eligible for BIVS):
If a national of a country requires a visa for the UK but not for Ireland, those nationals will still require a visit visa to travel to the UK. The same will apply to any nationals who are not required to have a visa to visit the UK but are required to have one for Ireland.
This describes the current situation in law.
So far only nationals of India and China can receive BIVS visas. Everyone else must apply for the visas separately as described there.
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What is Common Travel Area UK?
Details. The Common Travel Area (CTA) is a long-standing arrangement between the UK, the Crown Dependencies (Bailiwick of Jersey, Bailiwick of Guernsey and the Isle of Man) and Ireland that pre-dates both British and Irish membership of the EU and is not dependent on it.Who can travel to UK without visa?
EU , EEA and Swiss citizens can travel to the UK for holidays or short trips without needing a visa. In other cases, find out if you need to apply for a visa to enter the UK . You can cross the UK border using a valid passport which should be valid for the whole time you are in the UK .Will the Common Travel Area be affected by Brexit?
Summary. The Government will protect the Common Travel Area (CTA) arrangements between the UK, the Crown Dependencies and Ireland. The future border and immigration system will fully respect the UK's long-standing approach to movement within the CTA.Is there free travel between UK and Ireland?
If you are a UK citizen, you have free movement between the UK and Ireland as part of the Common Travel Area (CTA). In general, travel to the EU from the UK has changed from January 1, 2021.Common Travel Area: rights of UK and Irish citizens
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