16 January 2009

Irish, UK travellers now need passport checks

After 80 years of free movement, Irish and UK nationals will now need to have the passports formally checked at border controls, according to the UK Parliament's new legislation published yesterday, 15th January.

Over the next five years, the government will gradually introduce a multibillion-pound electronic system monitor the 15 million people who travel between the Britain and Ireland annually, reports the Guardian.

The border between the Irish Republic and Britain had been a common travel area since the Irish Free State was established in 1922.  The Irish government has also confirmed it would introduce a new border security system to monitor illegal immigration.

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The UK Visa Bureau is an independent consulting company specialising in UK visa and immigration services.

Article by Jessica Bird, UK Visa Bureau.