Fake Irish documents being used to gain entry to Britain

Thousands of non-EU nationals are paying up to €29,000 for fake documentation which purports to show they have lived in Ireland, in order to gain entry into Britain.

Professionals such as immigrant advisers, lawyers and accountants are behind the multimillion-pound fraud which is exploiting European free movement rules, according to File on 4: Breaking into Britain, which was aired on BBC Radio 4 last night.

It claimed documentation is being used by British nationals who want to bring in close relatives from outside the EU.

If a British national lives and works in another European country for a period of time, they can be considered under EU rather than British law on their return.

That means if they have been joined by a non-European Economic Area spouse, they are allowed to bring them into Britain without having to meet certain immigration requirements.

Det Supt Stephen Courage of the Garda National Immigration Bureau, says a “facilitator” will often set up a company making the person an owner or director.

“They will also create a work history for you,” he told the programme’s maker.

“They will create pay-slips, they will open bank accounts, and also pay nominal tax so when the immigration service receives an application to exercise EU treaty rights, they will look at the paperwork and on the face of it, it will appear that you have a life in Ireland.”

Det Sup Courage said the profits being made by those facilitating those looking for the paperwork are “staggering”.

He also said gardaí were examining cases from the past three years and had already identified 600 where they believed someone had obtained EU treaty rights illegally.

Last month, the British government introduced new regulations allowing them to remove those who gain entry into Britain through illegal means. It also has the powers to ban them from re-entering Britain for 10 years.