Ireland is which country? In fact, Ireland is a country, namely the Republic of Ireland, which is a parliamentary republic in Western Europe. In the early 20th century, after World War I, Ireland gained independence from the United Kingdom. After independence, Ireland became a highly developed capitalist country. It is also a permanently neutral country and a member of the European Union, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, the WorldWay Organization, and the United Nations. It is also one of the fastest-growing economies in the world.
However, Ireland and the United Kingdom can be said to have the same roots and a high degree of similarity. There are many similarities between the two in terms of culture, politics, and social life. After the United Kingdom left Europe, Ireland became the only country in the European Union where English is the native language. Choosing to invest and immigrate to Ireland not only allows one to enjoy Ireland's unique national atmosphere but also to experience the lifestyle of the United Kingdom.
Question: After immigrating to Ireland, can I also settle and live in the UK?
Answer: After immigrating to Ireland, if you only obtain permanent residency (Stamp 4 visa) without Irish citizenship, you will still need to apply for the appropriate UK visa to go to the UK. However, if you also have Irish citizenship, Irish citizens can reside in the UK because the UK refers to the four regions of the British Isles as a common travel area, including Ireland, the Isle of Man, and the Channel Islands. As part of the common area, Irish citizens automatically enjoy the right to reside legally in the UK.
Question: What are the benefits of immigrating to Ireland?
Answer: The environment is good, welfare is high, and the economy is developed; these are two of the most typical points:
First, Ireland is one of the six countries where English is the native language and is one of the few countries in Europe where English is the native language, aside from the United Kingdom. Therefore, children studying in Ireland receive pure English education, and credits from Irish primary or secondary schools can be directly applied to UK schools without conversion.
Second, Ireland is an EU country and has a special relationship with the UK in the Common Travel Area (CTA). Therefore, after the UK exited the EU, Ireland will be the only country that can enjoy both EU and UK benefits. After the UK announced its intention to leave Europe, many British citizens began applying for Irish passports.
With Brexit almost a certainty, many applicants wishing to immigrate to Europe are concerned that even if they obtain citizenship from an EU member state, they will still need to go through complex procedures to enter the UK. However, there is one country that may be an exception, which is Ireland, as Ireland and the UK have a registered tax agreement that allows Irish citizens to easily enter the UK.
The CTA, fully known as the Common Travel Area, is a large area with open borders that includes the UK (excluding overseas territories), Ireland, the Isle of Man, and the Channel Islands. According to relevant agreements, the internal borders of the Common Travel Area (CTA) are controlled to a minimum, and the exchange between residents of the UK and Ireland only requires a few documents.
In this common travel area, there are basically no border checks. Citizens in this area can freely move to other places within the area to work, study, and live. In the past, they enjoyed the same rights as local residents, including the rights to education, study, and healthcare. They are treated the same as local residents. They can move freely in the true sense, but they are limited to their own citizenship. For applicants holding residence permits from both countries, they do not enjoy complete freedom of movement.