bandit

Hello Guys

Sorry, I know I've been a rather annoying poster here, but I have another question.

I have had in previous Canadian Passports, the lovely stamp

" Given leave to enter the United Kingdom for an indefinate period "

However, my last one hasn't got it. If I were

a) To get the stamp - Not sure where from these days, would I then be eligable to return at any time after leaving the UK?

This would be in addition to me already being in possession of an Irish passport (purple EU one).

My most recent Canadian passport was issued after some 10 years of not having one, although entitled. Where does one get the afore mentioned stamp, and I suspect I'll be told its worth having.

Help and thanks in advance!!!!

Bandit!

edsask

Since you have an Irish passport - as do I - you've got full rights to enter the UK any time you please. And stay there, too, IIRC. This would make any future entry into the UK infinitely easier.

You could, in theory, show your Irish passport when entering the UK, and show your Canadian one when entering Canada, although I wouldn't risk it myself. Customs and immigration officials take a keen interest in those holding multiple passports …

See the footnote on the relevant Wiki article.

bandit

Hello

Thanks for your message.

My question really arises from a point made by JAJ about the 'possible' withdrawl of Ireland / England from the EU.

Hence I wanted to know if that stamp would be ever-renewable into my Canadian Passport, should the need to come back to the UK, and if the Irish or English had decided not to be in the EU......

Unlikely but nevertheless a possibility!

Bx

Biiiiink

Take the old passport with you. That's what my Dad was told to do - same as you, Canadian passport with relevant UK stamp, got new Canadian passport no stamp, and got hassle at UK immigration one time.

Travelled with expired stamped passport and new one next time, no hassle

edsask

Unlikely is the word. Even though there is quite a bit of let's-get-out-of-the-EU-now sentiment in the UK, I'd think it would take something totally cataclysmic for the UK to withdraw from the EU. Even then, I'd be amazed if there were restrictions on Irish passport holders entering the country. Having said all that, getting that stamp you had is a good insurance policy. Dunno where you'd get that stamp, though. Sorry.

bandit

Biiiiiiink!

Cheers - Will definalty be travelling with that old one! Hopefully they'll be nice and stamp my new one too

Ice Man

Even if the UK was to withdraw from the EU, which is highly unlikely, an Irish passport will still give you the same entitlements there. Because Northern Ireland is part of the UK, the Republic is the only European country to share a land border with the UK and that makes it different in itself. But there are also a series of agreements (Anglo-Irish agreement and the like) that predate anything in the EU or EEC that ensure free travel and work between both countries.

JAJ

All this is true, but that does not in itself mean that nothing could change. For example, Irish citizens could retain the right to work in the U.K. but could be restricted in terms of the full range of citizenship rights.

Couldn't happen? No-one could have predicted that Australia would do something like this to New Zealand citizens, but it happened 6 years ago.

JAJ

No, that wouldn't work. Even if you could get the stamp (not necessarily possible as your status as an Irish citizen is more in terms of de-facto exemption from immigration control rather than formal ILR), it does not give a right to return to the U.K. indefinitely. Once you are no longer living in the U.K. indefinite leave may be withdrawn and certainly once you're out for a continuous 2 year period you'd need returning resident entry clearance.

http://www.ukvisas.gov.uk explains the rules that returning residents must meet.

You are looking for an answer that isn't there. If you want to keep open your option to return to the U.K. with 100% security (or as close to 100% as possible) then getting British citizenship is the only way.

JAJ

Urban mythology.

There is no problem doing what you suggest.