I wasn't sure which section to put this in but this one gets a lot of traffic from those based in the UK.
In a few days, Ireland (the Republic) opens to vaccinated Americans. They warn that the rules for Northern Ireland include quaarantine. But what is the status of the border between Ireland and the North? Are they checking people or is it open? How are they enforcing the test/quarantine rule?
I haven’t seen anything about how this will operate, as there is no physical border. Presumably when you show your passport to check into a hotel in NI, it would be flagged. You wouldn’t be able to take a flight elsewhere, as your country of travel origin would show.
Maybe they are hoping that the threat of breaching the quarantine rules would be enough of a deterrent? Maybe more info will come to light over time about how this will work in practice.
Ireland is part of the Common Travel Area (CTA) along with the UK and as such there is no physical border and no restrictions on travel within the CTA. The UK has placed the USA on the amber list meaning that visitors must quarantine for 10 days and provide negative tests on days 2 and 8 (double vaccinated UK residents do not need to quarantine except for those travelling from "amber +" countries).
As there is no physical border there are no checks being made on people travelling between Ireland and the UK however if you are stopped and found to be in contravention of the requirements then you face a fine of up to £10,000.
I think I was looking at the bus tours from Dublin to Giants Causeway and back. For that we're not checking into any hotel, just disembarking at some spots and returning... presumably getting lunch. So not sure how one can be checked or flagged here - but, for fully vaccinated US citizens, the Irish embassy told me in writing that going to NI should be fine, but the UK embassy says since US is an amber country and we'll have spent less than 10 days in Ireland before the NI trip, we'll be in violation even if we enter NI and return to Ireland the same day.
they told you correctly
