Originally Posted by
WHBM
Actually, if you are visiting Ireland as well you need three visas, there are separate ones, separately applied for, for the UK and for Ireland. The Common Travel Area for movement between the two countries does not extend to those who need visas. Actually trying to get Irish visas is a significant issue due to few consulates outside Western Europe, very lengthy processing times (I understand every application has to be faxed to Dublin for approval, though why this adds weeks to the process I am not sure) and regular refusals. And I speak from personal involvement.
It is pretty much impossible to enforce though. Unless travelling by air then no one checks a passport going between the UK and Ireland. Even then when you land in DUB, it's just a man behind a glass screen who glances as you walk past with your ID on display, not proper immigration. Coming back in to the UK you don't even do that!
If someone wanted to get to the ROI without a visa, they can just apply for a UK one and then hop on a flight to Belfast or Derry and then take a train or bus to Dublin without ever going through Irish immigration! I once took a bus from Belfast to Dublin and we got pulled over as we entered ROI. The police came on and asked for ID, but half the people didn't have anything official (no one was told to have it for the journey) so they were just let off. None of the cars or trucks were being stopped so this leads me to think they were looking for a specific person. No stops or checks at all coming back in to NI the next day.
Same for the reverse. Get an Irish visa and then just cross the NI border and fly to mainland UK!