This is NOT an official government website. We are an independent resource providing information and assistance to travelers.
What type of visa does my Thai wife need to visit the UK and Ireland?
UK Visitor VisaThai VisaIreland VisaVisa Requirements for Thai NationalsSchengen VisaBritish-Irish Visa SchemeTravel from UK to IrelandVisa Process and Application
Jan 23, 2025
a year ago
Kenneth **********
ORIGINAL POSTERI'm Irish citizen living in Thailand,I intend to visit UK and Ireland 🇮🇪 in April with my Thai wife.What visa will my wife need to visit both countries?
TLDR : Answer Summary
An Irish citizen living in Thailand is seeking advice on what visa is needed for their Thai wife to visit the UK and Ireland. The consensus among commenters is that a UK Visitor Visa is typically required for entry into the UK. If entering from the UK, the wife can subsequently visit Ireland without needing an additional visa, as long as she enters the UK first. However, if entering Ireland first, she will require both a UK visa and an Irish visa. Concerns about processing times and changing visa regulations are mentioned as factors to consider.
Pelle Eriksson★★★★★
Absolutely Bangkok's best service I highly...recently on Facebook
Luca G.★★★★★
I used this agency for my DTV Visa...recently on Google
Trusted Thai Visa Agent
OVER 100,000 EXPATS SERVED
#1 VISA AGENT IN THAILAND
Don *********
It depends which country you visit first. If it's the UK then you can travel south of the border afterwards with only the UK visa. Weirdly If you enter Ireland first and then go to the uk you will need both an Irish Visa and a uk visa
Tim *********
It's unlikely you have time to get a UK visitor visa. Focus on a Schengen visa. Use it to visit Ireland then quietly head to Belfast for a ferry
Don *********
@Tim ********
Ireland is not in SchengenTim *********
@Don ********
OK thanks Don, I didn't know thatKenneth **********
ORIGINAL POSTER@Don ********
neither is UKDon *********
@Kenneth *********
I know thanks. The comment I was replying to was saying about getting a schenghan visa to use to visit the Rebublic of Ireland.Reply to
Don *********
Reply
Ray ********
My wife is Thia we live in the UK I'm Irish 3 years I tried to get her a visa to take her to my country but the Irish Embassy wanted this they wanted that so in the end I gave up. Now I'm confused do I need a visa to take her or not advice please thank you
Andy **********
British-Irish Visa Scheme only applies to Chinese and Indian nationals. British-Irish visa scheme - GOV.UK
************************************
James ********
If you get the UK visa you can visit Ireland through the north and come down but I know if you are coming from Ireland to the UK you definitely need a separate visa for the UK. My wife and I live in Ireland and we had to make a trip to the embassy in London to renew her passport during covid and there were no such facilities in Ireland at the time. We applied for the visa and were waiting about 2 weeks and she was granted the visa to travel to England. To apply for the visa we had to go an office in dublin that handles the visas for the UK for a interview to answer a few questions and bring all the paperwork with us
Kenneth **********
ORIGINAL POSTER@James *******
we can fly into and out of Belfast,train to Dublin?James ********
Well, if you get the UK visa before you travel then yes you can! That would save you getting separate visas, as if you were to get the irish visa before you left to fly into Dublin you would need a separate UK visa then to fly to the UK so your best bet would be to try and acquire the UK visa and fly into Belfast and just get the train down as you said, you're killing 2 birds with the one stone as they say with the visa for the uk
Reply to
James ********
Reply
Bob **********
She probably won’t get a visa by April I know visas to the US could take more than a year
Kenneth **********
ORIGINAL POSTER@Bob *********
3 weeks according to UK emigrationBob **********
@Kenneth *********
go for it good luckKenneth **********
ORIGINAL POSTER@Bob *********
Cheers, I might have a problem,because I'm not a British citizen, worked in UK for 35 years and wanted to bring my Thai wife to meet some old work friends,and attend a family wedding in Dublin in the same tripBob **********
@Kenneth *********
they can only say noReply to
Bob **********
Reply
Paul **********
I would drop the Embassy in BKK a note.
As UK is out of the EU some reciprocating agreements are no longer in place.
I am a UK citizen and before Brexit Eire had a visa waiver scheme for Thailand nationals that had a UK visit visa. Which was great as France declined a visit visa so we spent a week traveling around Eire and very nice to it was.
As UK is out of the EU some reciprocating agreements are no longer in place.
I am a UK citizen and before Brexit Eire had a visa waiver scheme for Thailand nationals that had a UK visit visa. Which was great as France declined a visit visa so we spent a week traveling around Eire and very nice to it was.
Stephen ********
@Paul *******
the common travel area beten the UK and the Republic of Ireland is still in place.Reply to
Stephen ********
Reply
Stephen ********
Uk visitor visa is all she needs. This was confirmed by the Irish immigration. Provided she is stamped into the UK and that that stamp is still valid, she can travel from the UK to Ireland. The reason I know this as fact is the while my thai partner was stamped into the UK, we departed Dublin to Thailand and back to Dublin within her 6 month stamp
Kenneth **********
ORIGINAL POSTER@Stephen *******
Cheers mate,confirmed what I thought,Stephen ********
BUT, with you being Irish maybe it will be difficult to get a UK visitor visa. The same 'should' work with an Irish visa due to the common travel agreement. Good luck
Reply to
Stephen ********
Reply
Henry *********
UK Visitor visa for the UK. Presumably a Schnengen visa for Ireland/EU.
Bosco *******
@Henry ********
Ireland unfortunately not part on schnengen. Visa agreementKenneth **********
ORIGINAL POSTER@Bosco ******
neither is 🇬🇧Reply to
Kenneth **********
Reply
Graham ******
@Henry ********
Ireland is not in the Schnengen areaKenneth **********
ORIGINAL POSTER@Graham *****
neither is 🇬🇧Graham ******
Reply to
Graham ******
Reply
Stephen ********
@Henry ********
Ireland isn't part of the schengen zone. So a schengen visa would be of no use. But she can travel to Ireland on a UK visitor visa provided she is in the UK and the entry stamp is still validHenry *********
@Stephen *******
Thanks. I didn't know that.Reply to
Henry *********
Reply
20 comments
2 years ago
30 comments
2 years ago
36 comments
2 years ago
127 comments
2 years ago
87 comments
2 years ago
15 comments
2 years ago
60 comments
2 years ago
71 comments
2 years ago
14 comments
2 years ago
10 comments
2 years ago
23 comments
2 years ago
10 comments
2 years ago
41 comments
2 years ago
24 comments
3 years ago
40 comments
4 years ago
12 comments
4 years ago
55 comments
4 years ago
5 comments
4 years ago
4 comments
4 years ago
22 comments
5 years ago
25 comments
6 years ago
2 comments
6 years ago
25 comments
8 years ago
11 comments
9 years ago
60 comments
9 years ago
7 comments
a month ago
9 comments
a month ago
21 comments
a month ago
16 comments
a month ago
8 comments
a month ago
The ask:thailand community, consisting of multiple Q/A groups with over 100,000 members, powers this platform. It is not an official government resource. Our members actively contribute to this resource, and while we strive for accuracy, we cannot guarantee its complete reliability. Assistance to travelers is provided as a community service.