Ireland & Northern Ireland - any Brexit related issues with flying into one and out of the other?

[Nyland]

We are looking at a trip to Ireland and Northern Ireland with 2 young teens. It looks like it would work well to base ourselves in Dublin for part of the trip and Belfast for the other part.

If we fly into one city and out of the other, will we create problems re entering and leaving Europe?

When I have been to other European countries since Brexit, my passport has been stamped for entering and leaving, but if we fly to Dublin (get passport stamped as entering Europe), drive to Belfast (assume no option to stamp passport as leaving as we can just drive over the border with no border control) and then fly back to England from Belfast, it would look like we had not left Europe. As there is a max number of days per year that we can be in Europe, would this cause a problem, or are there different arrangements for Ireland?

Any tips for best things to see and do with young teens on this trip would also be very welcome!

I actually can’t comment on the legalities but I live in NI and we use Belfast or Dublin airports interchangeably and have never given it any thought. You won’t be stamped between the UK and Ireland. There’s a free travel agreement.

@DamnitCarol - that's reassuring, thank you

Also from NI and regularly fly out of both Belfast & Dublin. You won’t have any issues whatsoever as Ireland is part of the common travel area. You’re effectively travelling domestically.

Your passport won't be stamped. Ireland isn't like the rest of the EU for British people, you can come and go as you please.

No there'll be no issues. Highly recommend the Titanic museum and Kilmimahan Jail to name.my favourite Belfast and Dublin attractions.

You will be fine if you are UK citizens due to Common Travel Area rules. Plus, the 90 day limit is a Schengen limit and Ireland is not part of Schengen.

We did this last year, flew into Dublin, took the train to Belfast and flew out of Belfast International. No questions, no issues

if we fly to Dublin (get passport stamped as entering Europe)

You won't get your passport stamped on arrival at Dublin, any more than you would get it stamped if you drove over this tiny bridge from Northern Ireland. (I once stood on that bridge and watched a woman come out of a house in Ireland, walk over the bridge just into Northern Ireland where her car was parked, drive back into Ireland, do a 3-point turn in the drive of the house she had just come out of, and head off back into Northern Ireland.)

Ireland is in the EU but it is not part of the Schengen zone, because that is a common travel area (as well as a common visa area) and Ireland is already part of a common travel area with the UK, and you can't be part of more than one. There is no 90-day limit for UK citizens, who are in fact free to move to Ireland and live and work there for as long as they like (and vice versa). It was always like this for the past 75 years or so — Brexit changed nothing.

deleted because for some reason it posted twice!

I'm in NI and have flown out of both Belfast and Dublin with no problem apart from the time I forgot my passport and I don't talk about that!

Where are you planning on visiting? Belfast is buzzing now. There's the Cathedral Quarter and the Titanic Museum, and you should absolutely drive the causeway coastal road from Belfast to Ballycastle/Portrush. The scenery is stunning, especially if you are lucky enough to get a sunny day, and there's lots of little villages to stop off in like Carnlough and Cushendall. Have a fish supper from Morton's in Ballycastle or Chequers in Portrush! You could also see the Giant's Causeway, the Dark Hedges and the east and west strands of the beaches in Portrush.

Co Down also has lovely scenery, as the song says, "where the mountains of Mourne sweep down to the sea!. It's beautiful!

No idea why that posted twice!! For RoI my favourite places are Galway City (very cosmopolitan!), Cork and Clare. Enjoy!!

Thank you all for clarifying and for the tips. Off to do some more research now before booking. Very excited!

Only thing is if you're hiring a car I think it's extra to pick up in one place and return to another.
When we go they always ask if we're taking the car into the North. But I've never asked why!