What type of visa does my Thai wife need to visit the UK and Ireland?

UK Visitor Visa Thai Visa Requirements Ireland Visa Visa for Thai Citizens Travel to Ireland and UK UK-Ireland Immigration Policy British-Irish Visa Scheme

Jan 23, 2025

a day ago

Kenneth **********

ORIGINAL POSTER

I'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?

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TLDR : Answer Summary

An Irish citizen living in Thailand inquires about the visa requirements for their Thai wife to visit the UK and Ireland. Responses indicate that generally, a UK Visitor Visa is necessary for entering the UK, while traveling to Ireland from the UK is straightforward due to immigration agreements. However, some comments caution about the timing and potential complications, especially post-Brexit, suggesting focusing on obtaining a Schengen visa for Ireland or even using alternative routes like traveling via Northern Ireland.

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

12 hours ago

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

17 hours ago

Andy **********

British-Irish Visa Scheme only applies to Chinese and Indian nationals. British-Irish visa scheme - GOV.UK

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17 hours ago

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

18 hours ago

Kenneth **********

ORIGINAL POSTER

@James *******

we can fly into and out of Belfast,train to Dublin?

18 hours ago

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

18 hours ago

Reply to

James ********

Bob **********

She probably won’t get a visa by April I know visas to the US could take more than a year

19 hours ago

Kenneth **********

ORIGINAL POSTER

@Bob *********

3 weeks according to UK emigration

19 hours ago

Bob **********

@Kenneth *********

go for it good luck

19 hours ago

Kenneth **********

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 trip

18 hours ago

Bob **********

@Kenneth *********

they can only say no

14 hours ago

Reply to

Bob **********

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.

a day ago

Stephen ********

@Paul *******

the common travel area beten the UK and the Republic of Ireland is still in place.

20 hours ago

Reply to

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

a day ago

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

a day ago

Reply to

Stephen ********

Henry *********

UK Visitor visa for the UK. Presumably a Schnengen visa for Ireland/EU.

a day ago

Bosco *******

@Henry ********

Ireland unfortunately not part on schnengen. Visa agreement

20 hours ago

Kenneth **********

ORIGINAL POSTER

@Bosco ******

neither is 🇬🇧

14 hours ago

Reply to

Kenneth **********

Graham ******

@Henry ********

Ireland is not in the Schnengen area

20 hours ago

Kenneth **********

ORIGINAL POSTER

neither is 🇬🇧

Graham ******

nss

Reply to

Graham ******

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 valid

a day ago

Henry *********

@Stephen *******

Thanks. I didn't know that.

16 hours ago

Reply to

Henry *********

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