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Original poster

Travel from Scotland to Northern Ireland

31 replies

Helensburghmiddleagedmum · 10/04/2021 11:17

My son and his girlfriend moved to Northern Ireland last summer and we have only seen them once since then. I am considering travelling over to see them soon. In Northern Ireland the rules are that one household can form a bubble with another household so we would be forming one bubble. We would have to isolate for 10 days though so wouldn't be able to leave their flat. Am I correct with my understanding of the rules and can anyone offer any advice on when might be a good time to attempt the trip?

OP posts:
rookiemere · 10/04/2021 12:11

Sorry I don't know the answer but am interested myself as would like to drive aging DPs to the ferry so they can go and stay with NI relatives. I can't find a roadmap for lifting of restrictions like we do here though. Actually I might ask my friend in NI - if I get anything I'll let you know.

Original poster
Helensburghmiddleagedmum · 10/04/2021 13:07

That would be great @roockiemere, thank you

OP posts:
Twistered · 10/04/2021 13:15

I don't think the bubble applies to a household in NI forming a bubble with a household in Scotland!

Tbh I'd hold off for now and wait until there is a timeframe for lifting restrictions. In NI at the moment there's no dates for shops, hairdressers etc to open. Hopefully soon though..... NI definately needs a light at the end of the lockdown tunnel!

hopeishere · 10/04/2021 13:20

They're making changes or at least announcing them on Thursday so I'd wait until then to see what they say.

rookiemere · 10/04/2021 13:23

Thanks @Twistered and @hopeishere . I thought we were behind the curve in Scotland- seems Northern Ireland is even more so. I'll be interested in that Thursday announcement then. I don't think my DPs have many more trips in them so I'd like to get them across while they still can.

Amandaclark · 10/04/2021 16:39

I travelled from Dublin to Edinburgh and back last month. Was just quieter than normal.

Twistered · 10/04/2021 19:39

Whats that got to do with the price of bacon?

I0NA · 10/04/2021 22:02

@Helensburghmiddleagedmum

My son and his girlfriend moved to Northern Ireland last summer and we have only seen them once since then. I am considering travelling over to see them soon. In Northern Ireland the rules are that one household can form a bubble with another household so we would be forming one bubble. We would have to isolate for 10 days though so wouldn't be able to leave their flat. Am I correct with my understanding of the rules and can anyone offer any advice on when might be a good time to attempt the trip?
If you are self isolating in their flat then NONE of you can leave the flat for the 10 days. So presumably son and his partner would have to take these 10 days as holiday ( unless they both work from home ).

And then once you return home you’d have to wait another 10 day a before bubbling with another household. So where would you live for that 10 days?

Why don’t you just wait until there’s no need to self isolate ?

Scottishskifun · 10/04/2021 22:09

Technically OP the wonderful "non essential" border travel legislation also applies to NI as the legislation states the common travel area (meaning rUK and Ireland)

Nobody has any idea if this is getting lifted on the 26th of April or not as it hasn't been confirmed but you might want to save off til the 26th and reassess it.
Tbh go anyway but you might need to come up with a "reason" weddings are a easy one to pick!

Haudyourwheesht · 10/04/2021 22:29

Pretty sure a friend of a friend went over for Easter (non essential, to see family). Not sure what their excuse was but it's obviously happening.

elaboratethen · 10/04/2021 23:16

I'm pretty sure the "self Isolation" is guidance, not legislation. It's just advised. Border restrictions for travel from Scotland to other parts of the UK are being lifted @17th May I think

rookiemere · 11/04/2021 08:43

Where did you get those dates for travel out of Scotland @elaboratethen ?

riverrunning · 11/04/2021 15:13

I've been following this closely due to family in rUK and they definitely said travel to common travel areas 'as close to 26 April as possible' - I don't take that to mean 17 may, and are there any grounds as yet for not making it 26 April?

I can't see any.

Chocolatepeanuts · 11/04/2021 15:19

There is another announcement due this Thursday regarding further lifting of restriction perhaps it will he a little clearer then for you. HTH

elaboratethen · 11/04/2021 16:01

I can't remember where I saw it. Sorry. Hopefully things will be a bit clearer later in this week

sushinelove · 11/04/2021 21:33

@riverrunning that's the same as I've picked up "on, or as near to, the 26th April as possible" I'm assuming it will be confirmed on the bigger update on the 20th. The date of 17th May is the date the English can start international travel again, not cross border.

MintyJulep · 11/04/2021 21:48

We have a booking in north of Scotland for the end of May,
Scots living in England.
As far we know, Scots living in Scotland are free to travel within Scotland from 26th April.
Atm non residents UK citizens can travel from 17th May to Scotland with some non sensical drinking restrictions.

Tbh I have friends who have decided to travel from England to Scotland from 12 April ( when England opens up) to support children who have had babies during lockdown and elderly parents.

Scotland is not an independent nation(yet) and we live in a part of Englandshire which has a significantly lower number of coronavirus cases so we will be making our own risk assessment.

MintyJulep · 11/04/2021 21:50

Apologies have posted on the wrong thread

Scottishskifun · 11/04/2021 22:01

@MintyJulep us in Scotland are hoping that it's lifted on the 26th of April alongside the rest of Scotland travel. The 17th of May doesn't matter for Scotland if they still haven't changed the legislation as its scottish legislation which is the travel ban which as it was put in place for public health purposes they do have control over it rather than a border law if that makes sense.

Us in Scotland are hoping they will be sensible and yes currently cases in Scotland is higher than rUK so hopefully they will be sensible about it.

MintyJulep · 11/04/2021 22:31

Spent this afternoon/ evening in the garden with friends originally from Northern Ireland who haven’t seen their family for months.
We’re from Glasgow originally and tbh we’re all askance about what’s happening in Scotland right now.
Our friends are hoping they’ll get to Northern Ireland from England June/ July.

We’ve all just turned 50 and have had our first jabs and will have had our second jabs before (hopefully) going to Scotland and Northern Ireland.

riverrunning · 12/04/2021 07:51

since we've hit zero covid deaths, and the % vaccinations look good, I can't see any reason for rUK/common travel area travel not to resume on 26 April.

I'd have thought a new grandchildren has always been a travel exemption for support reasons.

Scottishskifun · 12/04/2021 09:18

@riverrunning

since we've hit zero covid deaths, and the % vaccinations look good, I can't see any reason for rUK/common travel area travel not to resume on 26 April.

I'd have thought a new grandchildren has always been a travel exemption for support reasons.

You would have thought so but the SG only clarified this was allowed for support reasons in February...... 🙄
Original poster
Helensburghmiddleagedmum · 16/04/2021 03:49

No announcement about travel to Northern Ireland from the rest of the UK

OP posts:
Original poster
Helensburghmiddleagedmum · 16/04/2021 12:01

I have tweeted niexecutive looking for a definitive answer on this, they keep tweeting me a link to their rules. From what I can see you cannot travel to Northern Ireland unless you have an exemption for work or whatever. So I am assuming that I cannot go and there is no date given as to when I will be able to go. Am I missing something here, why didn't niexecutive just say no you can't go, is there a way round it? I am a bubble with my son and his girlfriend. Is this a justifiable reason?

OP posts:
elaboratethen · 16/04/2021 15:51

From the BBC today...

Travel from Scotland to Northern Ireland