Does travel to Republic of Ireland count as time out UK?

[sammie40]

Hi

I am applying for ILR in a couple of month's time. I have travelled to Dublin twice in the last 4 years spending 2 days and 4 days on each occasion. I got Irish to go to Dublin and stamped in at the airport in Dublin. On both occasions, on my return to the UK, I was not stamped in at Gatwick. I was told by the officers that it is a domestic travel.
Do I need to capture these travels in my immigration history for ILR application? Since I was not stamped in at Gatwick, there is no proof to confirm my return to the UK on those two occasions.

Please advise me anyone out there

[mr_mar]

Yes

RoI is an independent country and has nothing to do with the UK.
You do have the visa and entry stamps so don't risk not mentioning it.

[ouflak1]

Yes

RoI is an independent country and has nothing to do with the UK.
You do have the visa and entry stamps so don't risk not mentioning it.

This isn't strictly true. They are an independent country, but they have a Common Travel Agreement with the United Kingdom. This means that travel to and from the ROI is considered 'domestic'. You can think of it as effectively being a British/Irish version of the Schengen agreement.

[Wanderer]

Yes

RoI is an independent country and has nothing to do with the UK.
You do have the visa and entry stamps so don't risk not mentioning it.

This isn't strictly true. They are an independent country, but they have a Common Travel Agreement with the United Kingdom. This means that travel to and from the ROI is considered 'domestic'. You can think of it as effectively being a British/Irish version of the Schengen agreement.

For 200 years Ireland as whole was part of the UK, only gaining independence in 1922. I'd imagine travel to and from UK/Eire is only considered domestic for UK/Irish citizens.....