Migrants in Northern Ireland wishing to travel to Republic suffering 'disproportionate discrimination'

Innocent Ike from Nigeria, a representative of international students at Ulster University in Derry, said it was 'surprising' students like him 'cannot even visit Buncrana' in Donegal without going through 'an expensive and very tedious' visa application process. Picture: North West Migrants Forum

A migrant rights group in Northern Ireland has called on the UK and Irish Governments to extend Common Travel Area rights to non-nationals who are suffering “disproportionate discrimination”.

The North West Migrants Forum, in conjunction with the Committee on the Administration of Justice (CAJ) and the Irish Network Against Racism (INAR), said the lack of free movement for non-British and non-Irish citizens between both sides of the border is “intentional discrimination”.

Currently, non-British and non-Irish citizens married to British or Irish nationals, international students and those granted refugee status to remain in Britain cannot travel across the border without a visa.

The forum said the restrictions were “disproportionately discriminating” against minority ethnic groups who cannot travel short distances to visit friends without going through a “lengthy and costly visa process”.

CAJ director Daniel Holder said despite many Irish and Northern Irish people living daily cross-border lives, “the border isn’t open to everyone who lives here”.

“There is a technical fix to this that is within the gift of the Irish Government and we really want to see progress on that,” he said.

Mr Holder said there was also a “selective” passport control on the open border leading to “blatant racial discrimination” which must be addressed.

INAR director Shane Curry said the Good Friday agreement enshrines the principles of parity, equal treatment, and human rights for all on our shared island.

A border regime which discriminates disproportionately against our minority ethnic friends, neighbours, and colleagues amounts to institutional racism and runs directly counter to these principles and to those in the Irish constitution.

“It is time to do away with a regime which creates a two-tier system of rights and restricts some while allowing others to pass freely,” he said.

Innocent Ike from Nigeria, a representative of international students at Ulster University in Derry, said his visa allows him to study, live and work in Britain yet said it was “surprising” students like him “cannot even visit Buncrana” in Donegal without going through “an expensive and very tedious” visa application process which can take up to a month before being approved.

“The border is just minutes away, I don’t see any reason why some people would be given this free right to move freely, while some other people are not,” he said.

It’s a form of discrimination. We are very limited in terms of exploring the Republic of Ireland, It has a hugely negative impact.” 

Mr Ike, a 41-year-old postgraduate student studying international business with data analytics arrived in Northern Ireland in 2022 and has not been able to visit his younger brother in Dublin since arriving.

“So many of us who have family in the Republic, who are their support system. The visa process is not flexible at all,” he said.

Even with a visa to visit next month, Mr Ike said he was nervous about crossing the border, worrying he will be denied access.