British Embassy Dublin hosts citizen's outreach event
The British Embassy Dublin recently held virtual outreach event for British citizens living in Ireland answering questions on a range of topics including driving, pets and travel.
The summary below is current at the time of the event. For the latest information, please visit the Living in Ireland guide
Driving
If a British family member joins me next year, can they exchange their UK driving licence then?
Yes – you are only required to exchange your UK driving licence once you are resident in Ireland so they should do this after they arrive.
Will I be able to drive in the UK on my Irish licence on visits?
Yes. The UK has said we will continue to recognise Irish driving licences.
If I have a house in UK and a house in Ireland and travel back and forth every few weeks, which licence should I use?
The requirement to change to an Irish driving licence is for residents. If you are resident in the UK and visit Ireland then there is no requirement to exchange your UK driving licence. If you are resident in Ireland then you are required to exchange your UK driving licence.
I have an additional driver on my insurance who is resident in UK. Can they stay on my Irish insurance policy?
This is a question for your insurer. UK driving licences will continue to be accepted for visitors driving in Ireland.
I am coming to reside in Ireland in 6 months, will I be able to exchange my driving licence then?
You will be able to exchange your UK driving licence for an Irish one after you arrive, you only need to do this once you become resident.
I have an additional driver on my Irish insurance who is resident in UK with a UK licence. Can they stay on my Irish insurance policy after the transition period and drive my car during visits?
Your insurer will be better placed to give you a reply, though we can say that UK driving licences will continue to be accepted for visitors driving in Ireland.
Pets
I am coming to reside in Ireland in 6 months, will I be able to exchange pet passports when I arrive?
If you are travelling with a pet to Ireland and have UK pet documents, please follow the DAFM guidance. We recommend that you check for updated guidance a couple of months before you intend to travel to allow time for any tests that need to be done.
What about the status of dogs or other pets moving from Ireland to the UK and back. Will they be able to pass across the land border and into Scotland as always, or will there be formalities to go through?
Pets (dogs, cats and ferrets) will be able to move around the island of Ireland exactly as they do now. You will be able to travel with your dog to Northern Ireland and back without any checks or change. After 1 January 2021 the UK will become a third country, outside the EU’s pet travel scheme. The UK has decided to continue to accept EU pet documentation. If your pet has Irish pet documents (pet passport) they will be allowed to enter GB using the same documentation as now.
However there will be changes for bringing your pet back from GB even if it has an Irish issued pet passport. The UK is currently waiting to receive a ‘listing status’ from the EU that will determine what those additional requirements will be. Once we have that we will publish more detail on the requirements including for travelling through Northern Ireland.
An outline of the actions that will be needed subject to listing status can be found on the DAFM, Gov.ie and Gov.uk websites.
Pet owners can also contact the UK Pet Travel Helpline for any detailed questions on new requirements: (+44) 0370 241 1710 – Monday to Friday, 8:30am to 5pm (closed on bank holidays).
Travel to the rest of Europe
Is there a difference between travelling to Schengen and non-Schengen EU member states?
Many of the requirements will be the same if travelling to Schengen or non-Schengen EU member states. For example you need to have 6 months validity left on your passport, you won’t be able to join the EU queue and you might be asked to demonstrate that you have enough funds for your stay. But there are some differences particularly around the 90 day in 180 day visa limit. For full details check the visit Europe page and the FCDO travel advice page for the country that you plan to visit.
I work in a number of European countries (Germany, Netherlands, France, Spain etc.) I have lived in Ireland for 21 years. Do I now need to get a work visa for every country I work in?
This is subject to the FTA negotiation.
I am permanently resident in Ireland, have a British passport, my two children have special needs and they have Irish passports. Both are under 16. Will they be separated from me when going through the airports?
In Ireland you may already have seen that the airports have simply added “and UK” to the EU lanes, so you will be able to stay together. For travel elsewhere –while it will be up for each country to implement the rules, there has been no suggestion that families travelling with children or family members requiring assistance, will be split up. Whether you all use the EU or UK passport holder lane will be at the discretion of the airport authorities.
As a British citizen who has been an Irish resident for five years, how will I be able to continue to travel and stay in other member states without a visa or time restrictions. I have owned a Spanish property for thirteen years and wish to continue to use it, as freely as currently?
Nothing will change on your ability to reside in Ireland. Now that freedom of movement has ended though, there will be changes for your travel elsewhere. You will be able to spend up to 90 days of any 180 day period in most other EU states, Iceland, Lichtenstein, Norway and Switzerland without the need for a visa. That 180-day reference period is not fixed. It is a moving window, based on the approach of looking backwards at each day of the stay (be it at the moment of entry or at the day of an actual check, such as inland police control or border check upon departure.
You can make multiple entries during that 180 day period, but your period of overall stay must not exceed the overall total of 90 days within any 180 period. Periods of previous stay authorised under a residence permit or a long-stay visa are not taken into account in the calculation of the duration of visa-free stay. Residence permits and long-stay visas are subject to different rules and the above explanations and calculations do not apply to them.
Will non-EU spouses of UK nationals who have valid Stamp 4 EU family residence cards in Ireland be able to travel visa free with their UK national spouse to EU countries from 1 January 2021?
If you have a valid Irish Residence Card/Stamp 4 EUFAM, you’ll be able to swap that for a new one stating that your rights derive from EU free movement under the withdrawal agreement, and will retain your right of residence here in Ireland. But From 1 January 2021, your new card, or if you have not yet obtained it, your Stamp 4 EU Fam Residence card, does not have visa exemption effect, except in the host EU Member State (in your case Ireland) so you may need a visa, and should check the visa requirements of your intended destination before you travel.
Travel to the UK
If we have visitors from outside both UK and Ireland, whether EU or non-EU, will they also be able to travel freely to Northern Ireland from us in Ireland?
After 1 January 2021 EU visitors will still be able to take holidays and short trips to all parts of the UK, including Northern Ireland without need for a visa. Longer trips will require a visa. There is no change for non-EU visitors, who will be required to abide by the same rules that they do now and may need a visa. You should check here for guidance.
Will non-EU citizens who hold valid Stamp 4 EU FAM status in Ireland due to being a spouse of a UK citizen still be able to travel to the UK visa free with the UK spouse?
You’ll be able to swap your valid Irish Residence Card/EUFAM stamp for the new Irish card very easily and up until end of December 2021. Check the INIS website for details. Non-EU family members will be able to come to the UK for up to 6 months at a time on holiday for example. But they might need a visit visa - whether they do so will depend on their nationality – the fact they are visiting with a British citizen isn’t relevant, as they have to come as a visitor in their own right.
Travel to the UK
If I register with a GP and dentist in Ireland do I lose my UK NHS registrations to the same in the UK?
If you are entitled to be registered with a GP/dentist in both the UK and Ireland (for example because you are a frontier worker or a student) then registering in Ireland will not impact your registration in the UK.
We heard that health services are available on the same basis as Irish citizens - but will automatic medical card entitlement for UK pensioners continue?
UK pensioners who moved to Ireland before 31 December 2020, will continue to have life-long reciprocal healthcare rights under the Withdrawal Agreement. In Ireland this includes the right to automatic medical card entitlement. Healthcare entitlements for UK pensioners who move to Ireland after 31 December 2020 are subject to the outcome of negotiations. Whatever the outcome of those negotiations, UK citizens who live in Ireland will have the right to access healthcare on terms no less favourable than apply to Irish citizens under the terms of the CTA.
Benefits
My family have lived In Ireland for 12 years - I have two daughters with special needs who claim both DLA in the UK & DA in Ireland - does this change from January?
From the circumstances set out in the question, your benefits should continue as now following the end of the transition period. You can access more guidance on benefits here.
Shopping in the UK/VAT/other import costs
If I go shopping in Northern Ireland and bring goods back to Ireland, can I reclaim the VAT?
Under the Northern Ireland Protocol, EU VAT rules will continue to apply in Northern Ireland after the end of the transition period in respect of goods.
What implications are there for importing/buying goods (as a consumer) from UK to Ireland e.g. using Amazon? Will there be any taxes, duty or delays?
We understand that Amazon has now written to customers who use their services between the UK and Ireland detailing any changes that might be applicable. Guidance on VAT requirements and buying goods online in Ireland can be found here.
Will moving personal furniture from UK to Ireland incur customs checks and/or fees/tax?
If you are transferring your residence from the UK to Ireland you can qualify for relief from import duties on goods you already own. You will need to complete a declaration. Details can be found here.
Banking
I am a British citizen living in Ireland. I still have a UK bank account. Do I need to do anything?
A: We have seen some banks making changes to the services they can provide to UK bank account holders who live in the EU and there has been coverage in the newspapers. However most people living in Europe should not see any change to their banking after 31 December 2020.
Your bank or finance provider should contact you if they need to make any changes to your product or the way they provide it and most have good webpages with FAQs. If you have any concerns about whether you might be affected we recommend you contact your provider or seek independent financial advice.
Citizenship/Withdrawal Agreement rights
I’m a British citizen. Is it possible for me to get an Irish passport?
A. You can apply online for an Irish passport. In order to so you will first need Irish citizenship – check your eligibility.
Can/should I apply for dual citizenship?
You do not need to apply for “dual citizenship” - you can apply for Irish citizenship and retain your UK citizenship. The decision on whether or not to apply for Irish citizenship will depend on your unique circumstances and eligibility.
Where can British citizens obtain a card/confirmation of exercising rights under the Withdrawal Agreement?
The Irish Department of Justice and the Immigration and Naturalisation Service will be responsible. We do not yet have full details but expect there to be an online application process for a card that shows your rights derive from the withdrawal agreement. It is important to note that your rights are secured, whether or not you apply for the card.
What are the implications/benefits/risks for moving to Ireland from UK after 31 December 2020 as opposed to already residing there?
A. The decision on whether to move is up to each individual and will ultimately depend on your unique circumstances. You might find our Living in Ireland guide a useful tool when considering your options. Whenever you arrive(d) in Ireland, your rights are protected by the CTA, which will continue in all circumstances. British citizens resident in Ireland before 31 December 2020 will additionally be covered by the Withdrawal Agreement, whereas those arriving from 1 January 2021 will not.
Non-EEA family members
I am a British citizen, living and working in Dublin since 2016. Can I bring my non-EU parents after 31 December 2020 as my dependent family member?
Arrangements are being put in place by the Irish Immigration Service for non-EEA family members and/or dependants of UK nationals who are currently resident in Ireland exercising their EU Treaty Rights under the EU Free Movement Directive. This will involve an exchange of your family member/dependent’s current valid Irish Resident Permit Card/EU Fam stamp with an equivalent card stating your rights derive from EU freedom of movement under the Withdrawal Agreement.
You will have until the end of December 2021 to swap. A separate, but very similar, scheme will be in place for non-EEA family members and dependents who intend on arriving in Ireland with their UK national family member from 1 January 2021. You can find details of both schemes here.
Will non-EU spouses of UK nationals who have valid Stamp 4 EU Fam Residence Cards in Ireland be able to travel visa free with their UK national spouse to EU countries from 1 January 2021.
If you’ve got a valid Irish Residence Card/ EUFAM stamp, you’ll be able to swap that for a new card stating your rights derive from EU free movement under the withdrawal agreement, and will retain your right of residence here in Ireland. But from 1 January 2021, your new Irish document (or if you have not yet obtained it, your existing Stamp 4 EU Fam/ Residence card) does not have visa exemption effect except in the host EU Member State (in your case Ireland) so you might well need a visa, and should check the visa requirements for other EU Member States before you travel.
Will there be immigration formalities for non-British/non-Irish citizens on entry to the UK? Will there be entry formalities for non-British/non-Irish citizens going into Northern Ireland and thence to Britain, and, if so, how and where they will happen?
The UK does not operate routine immigration controls on journeys from Ireland, including when crossing the land border to Northern Ireland. That will not change from 1 January 2021. However, it is still a requirement for individuals who wish to enter any part of the UK to do so in line with the UK’s immigration framework, and intelligence led checks do take place, including at GB ports of entry. EU, EEA and Swiss citizens will continue to be able to travel to the UK for holidays or short trips – up to 6 months when travelling via Ireland - for other nationalities you may need a visa for even short trips.
What is the effect of the new Immigration Act and the Immigration Rules that result from it, and how do these affect EU26 or non-EU citizens married/civilly partnered with Irish citizens?
A. UK nationals living in the EU will have until 29 March 2022 to bring their existing close family members – a spouse, civil partner, unmarried partner in a long-term relationship, child or dependent parent – to the UK on EU law terms. The family relationship must have existed before the UK left the EU on 31 January 2020 (unless the child was born or adopted after this date) and must continue to exist when the family member seeks to come to the UK.
Those family members will then be eligible to apply to remain in the UK under the EU Settlement Scheme, under which resident EEA citizens and their family members can also obtain the UK immigration status they need to remain here.
There will remain scope for UK nationals to return to the UK from the EU with their family members after 29 March 2022, but to do so they will, like other UK nationals wishing to be joined here by foreign national family members, then need to meet the requirements of the UK family Immigration Rules.
The 2022 cut off does not affect Irish citizens who can enter the UK freely, without any immigration restrictions. Their third country national family members (which includes EEA citizens for the purposes of this answer) will require leave under the Points Based Immigration System if they are not otherwise eligible for the EU Settlement Scheme (for which they would have to be resident in the UK before 1 January 2021).
Post 29 March 2022, British and Irish citizens will both be able to bring EU26/non-EU family members into the UK on the basis of a visa application under UK immigration rules for family members, which amongst other things includes the Minimum Income Requirement and the requirement to prove the relationship is genuine.
Unlike other non-British citizens however, Irish citizens are considered “settled” from the point they enter the UK and can therefore bring family members in under these rules immediately. Nor do Irish citizens have to make the move first - their family members can apply for a visa in order to accompany them from day one, as well as join them later.
This offer reflects the unique CTA arrangements and does not apply to other non-British nationals who are required to have permanent residence before being joined by family members.