 The Common Travel Area includes the UK, the Isle of Man, Jersey, Guernsey, and the Republic of Ireland The Common Travel Area (or, informally, the passport free zone) refers to the fact that citizens of the Republic of Ireland, the United Kingdom and the Crown Dependencies (the Isle of Man and the Bailiwicks of Guernsey and Jersey) may travel between their countries without a passport. There is no formal agreement between Ireland and UK regarding the common travel area, although the Common Travel Area is provided for in the Immigration Act, 1971 (UK). Passports have never been required in the zone (except during wartime). Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ...
Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ...
Crown dependencies are possessions of the British Crown, as opposed to overseas territories or colonies of the United Kingdom. ...
A bailiwick is the area of jurisdiction of a bailiff. ...
The Immigration Act of 1971 was an Act of Parliament of the United Kingdom concerning immigration which came into law in 1971. ...
The zone is similar to other areas such as the Nordic Passport Union and the Schengen Treaty. The Nordic Passport Union, created in 1954, allowed citizens of the Nordic countries (Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Finland and Iceland) to cross approved border districts without carrying and having their passport checked. ...
Schengen Treaty members are in dark blue, while signatories (where it is not yet implemented) are in light blue. ...
History
The zone is a historical artifact and is due to the fact that following Irish independence from the United Kingdom in 1922, no laws were passed requiring a passport for travel across the new border. The zone or Area was not codified, or indeed given an official name, until 1997, and then only at the EU level to distinguish it from the Schengen Treaty. Today, the zone still exists only because neither country has joined Schengen. The provisions of that treaty allow for a common visa and travel area, which, if either the United Kingdom or Ireland (but not both) were to sign, would end the zone. The reasons for each country remaining outside of Schengen are different and complex. The British Foreign Office says Territory of the Irish Free State Capital Dublin Language(s) Irish, English Government Constitutional monarchy Monarch - 1922–1936 George V - 1936–1936 George VI President of the Executive Council - 1922–1932 W.T. Cosgrave - 1932–1937 Eamon de Valera Legislature Oireachtas - Upper house Seanad Éireann - Lower house Dáil Éireann...
Schengen Treaty members are in dark blue, while signatories (where it is not yet implemented) are in light blue. ...
Entry visa valid in Schengen treaty countries. ...
| “ | Maintaining the UK's frontier controls is the most effective way for us to control immigration and combat international and organised crime. Given our island status, incoming traffic is naturally channelled through our ports and airports, giving us a particular advantage in controlling our frontiers. Other EU countries, by contrast, have to police long land borders, which is more difficult, and they therefore place a greater emphasis on in-country controls (such as identity cards) rather than frontier controls.[1] | ” | And the Irish Centre for Migration Studies: | “ | Measures comparable to the freedom of movement provided for in the Schengen acquis have been in place between the UK and Ireland from the early 1950s [2]. UK subjects and Irish citizens have the right freely to travel between the two jurisdictions without having to carry a passport. For this very reason, it has never been viewed as practicable for Ireland to adopt the full Schengen arrangements in the absence of a British decision to do likewise, as the logical outcome would be the imposition of border controls between the UK and Ireland. In the case of the North/South land frontier this would be virtually unworkable, while enormous inconvenience would undoubtedly be caused to people in two societies which, in trading and labour market terms, are still highly integrated.[3] | ” | Until 1997, there was free movement for all nationalities within the area. The Aliens (Amendment) (No. 3) Order, 1997 order empowers Irish immigration officers to carry out immigration checks on persons who are not Irish or British citizens arriving from the UK and to refuse such persons leave to land on the same grounds as apply if they arrive from outside the common travel area. [4].
Details As the zone is not the result of a treaty or law, it is subject to change without negotiation. In 1997, Ireland unilaterally brought in a requirement for photo ID at ports. However, this rule is currently only enforced in airports; the land border between the Republic and Northern Ireland is open. The level of enforcement of the photo ID requirement is also very varied. Officially, a bus pass with a photo is enough to enter, but in practice, you will be asked to state your nationality as you enter. It is also known for groups of people to be waved through regardless of their nationality - which creates its own problems if someone must have documentary record of when they left and entered Ireland or the UK. China ID card, front (top) back (bottom). ...
Anthem: UK: God Save the Queen Regional: (de facto) Londonderry Air Capital Belfast Largest city Belfast Official languages English (de facto), Irish, Ulster Scots 3, BSL, NISL, ISL Government Constitutional monarchy - Queen Queen Elizabeth II - Prime Minister of the UK Tony Blair MP - First Minister Ian Paisley - Deputy First Minister...
The zone also only applies to citizens of these countries. Other nationals must show a passport or a national ID card (for EEA citizens). The zone also does not extend to a common visa system. Irish and British entry visas are separate and issued by their respective embassies. However, bilateral agreements allow UK embassies to act as an Irish consulate when Ireland is not represented in a particular country. EFTA countries (except Switzerland) EU countries Together these form the EEA. The European Economic Area (EEA) came into being on January 1, 1994 following an agreement between the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) and the European Union (EU). ...
The Common Travel Area also involves some co-operation on matters relating to immigration issues. An alien, for example, may be refused permission to enter Ireland if it is his or her intention to travel onwards to the UK and he or she would not qualify for admission to the UK under the Aliens (Amendment) Order, 1975. In U.S. law, an alien is a person who is owing political allegiance to another country or government and not a native or naturalized citizen of the land where they are found. ...
Since being first codified in the 1997 Amsterdam Treaty, the term has been used in new legislation by both countries to define travel abroad for the purpose of tax and immigration[5].
British and Irish citizens may live and work freely in each other's countries. This is possible both because both countries are EU member states and because the nationality laws of the two countries do not consider citizens of the other country to be 'Aliens'. Under Irish law, this applies only to British citizens, rather than the broader definition of 'British national'. (British Overseas Territories citizens, British Overseas citizens, British subjects, British protected persons, British National (Overseas) are excluded.) // British Nationality Act 1981 The British Nationality Act 1981 came into force on 1 January 1983, and divided Citizens of the United Kingdom and Colonies (CUKCs) into three categories: British citizens CUKCs with the right of abode in the United Kingdom and Islands (i. ...
In British nationality law, the status of British Overseas citizen (BOC) is one of several categories of British national. ...
In British nationality law, the term British subject has at different times had different meanings. ...
British Protected Person (BPP) is a form of British nationality under the British Nationality Act 1981. ...
This article concerns matters of British nationality law in relation to Hong Kong. ...
Also, citizens of Ireland and the UK may vote in general elections of either or both countries, although British citizens in Ireland may not vote in presidential elections or referendums unless they become Irish citizens. This is because British citizens do not elect their head of state and vote in referenda only exceptionally, whereas referenda are a regular feature of Irish politics. A general election is an election in which all or most members of a given political body are up for election. ...
Other EU nationals may only vote in local and European Parliament elections while resident in either the UK or Ireland. Maltese and Cypriot citizens have full voting rights in the UK (but not Ireland) on the basis of being Commonwealth citizens. The European Parliament is the directly elected parliamentary body of the European Union. ...
In the UK, the Terrorism Act 2000 requires the pilot of a private aircraft to notify police Special Branch as to the identity of all on board the aircraft, the departure point, and the destination, at least 12 hours prior to departure, for all flights from Great Britain to both Northern Ireland and the Republic, and vice versa.
Visas Unlike the Schengen Agreement, the Common Travel Area provides no mechanism for a common visa system. The UK and Ireland operate entirely separate visa systems with different, though similar, entry requirements. A UK visa will not allow a traveller entry to the Republic of Ireland, nor will a Republic of Ireland visa allow entry to the UK. In addition neither visa will allow entry to any other EU member state or the Schengen area. (Although Switzerland does allow entry of holders of UK residency visas). The Channel Islands and the Isle of Man generally do allow entry to holders of UK visas, but there are some cases when a special visa is required. Such a visa would be issued by a British Embassy. A Republic of Ireland visa does not allow entry to the Isle of Man or the Channel Islands. Implementing countries Members (not yet implemented) Expressed interest in joining A monument to the Agreement in Schengen A typical Schengen border crossing without any border control post, just the common EU-state sign welcoming the visitor, as here between Germany and Austria The 1985 Schengen Agreement is an agreement among...
This article is about the British dependencies, for the islands off Southern California, please see Channel Islands of California. ...
Enforcement of these rules is sporadic. There are passport checks in all airports in the Republic of Ireland, and occasional passport controls on bus and train passengers entering the Republic from the Northern Ireland . When travelling between the Republic of Ireland and the UK it is the legal responsibility of the foreign traveller to ensure that their passport and visa is checked at the border. This can present certain difficulties if the traveller arrives to a small airport or port or a crossing point from Northern Ireland which does not have an immigration control point. In this case, the traveller should go to the nearest Garda station. Garda SÃochána na hÉireann (pronounced ; Irish for Peace Guard of Ireland, often rendered[1] as The Guardians of the Peace of Ireland) is the police force of the Republic of Ireland. ...
There is far less enforcement when travelling to the UK from Ireland. UK airports generally do not check passports for travellers arriving from the Republic as these flights arrive in the domestic sections of airports or they have a special channel for arrivals from the common travel area. At certain airports, random identity checks may be carried out.
See also Schengen Treaty members are in dark blue, while signatories (where it is not yet implemented) are in light blue. ...
The Republic of Ireland is involved in a number of outstanding international disputes. ...
British Prime Minister Tony Blair (left) conducting diplomacy, hosted by the President of the United States, George W. Bush at Camp David in March 2003. ...
Enabling legislation for the British national identity card was passed under the Identity Cards Act 2006 [1]. The multi-billion pound scheme [2] has yet to enter procurement. ...
Irish nationality law is the law of the Republic of Ireland governing citizenship. ...
After the independence of the Irish Free State from the United Kingdom in 1922, no specific problem of nationality existed. ...
British nationality law is the law of the United Kingdom concerning British citizenship and other categories of British nationality. ...
The Republic of Ireland-United Kingdom border, also referred to as The Irish border, or (in Ireland) as The Border, is the international boundary between the north-east part of Ireland, Northern Ireland, which is part of the United Kingdom, and the rest of Ireland, which forms the Republic of...
External links - Irish Government description of the Common Travel Area
- Text of the Treaty of Amsterdam (see protocol B)
Notes - ^ British Foreign Office Website
- ^ This date refers to the Irish Nationality And Citizenship Act, 1956 and the UK's Ireland Act 1949, which together regularised the special 'non-alien' status of Irish and British citizens in each other's countries. Before this the situation was more complex, however passports were still not required, except for the war years during which UK citizens carried ID cards and most travel required a permit. Also during this time, Irish citizens required both a passport and an exit visa to cross the Irish sea, but not to visit Northern Ireland.
- ^ Irish Centre for Migration Studies Website
- ^ [1]
- ^ For examples see British Home Office Website and Irish Department of Social and Family Affairs Website
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