Can non-British and Irish nationals cross the Irish border?

London: An Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) is a permit required for non-British and Irish citizens before arriving in the UK.

Non-Irish citizens who are legally resident in Ireland need an ETA to cross the border into Northern Ireland. But government sources indicate that some discussions are now underway to relax the system for certain individuals.

Under the Common Travel Area (CTA) migration agreement between the UK and Ireland, Irish citizens do not need an ETA. But like Polish nationals, those legally resident in Ireland need an ETA to cross the border into Northern Ireland, even for shopping. UK Immigration Minister Robert Gentick has said detailed discussions are underway on the possibility of a UK-Ireland data-sharing solution to determine whether someone is a legal resident of Ireland, and that some may be given exemptions in this regard.

Border control and the Common Travel Area - Your rights in the Common Travel Area

Only citizens of Ireland and the UK can exercise common travel area rights.

 If you are not a citizen of Ireland or the UK, you cannot exercise Common Travel Area rights. Or you need a visa

https://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/government_in_ireland/ireland_and_the_uk/common_travel_area_between_ireland_and_the_uk.html

For the purposes of the Common Travel Area, the UK includes England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands.

Irish and UK citizens have the right to live, travel, work and study in the Common Travel Area.

There are no normal passport restrictions for Irish and UK citizens traveling between the 2 countries.

However, at a port, you must show identification to board the plane, and some airlines and ocean carriers only accept passports as valid identification. An immigration officer may ask you to prove that you are a citizen of Ireland or the UK, so you should have a passport with you. You can also use an Irish passport card or other proof that you are an Irish citizen.

If you have family members who are not UK or EEA nationals, they may need a visa to enter Ireland or the UK.

Northern Ireland's tourism sector is also seeking some relief from the ETA. They point out that the law affects international visitors arriving in Dublin and planning to travel to Northern Ireland. Niall Gibbons, chief executive of marketing body Tourism Ireland, revealed to BBC News last January that many tour operators are excluding Northern Ireland from their itineraries to avoid complications with the ETA.

  "It is a relief that Northern Ireland does not have this rule. But there are those who want some kind of relaxation in this regard”, added Niall Gibbons. In his letter to the government, Gibbons called for a campaign to educate people about the ETA.