In principle, persons holding a valid Irish residence permit (IRP) in the “Stamp 4 EU Fam” category do not require a visa to enter the Schengen area or other EU Member States, at least if they are accompanying or joining a family member who is an EU citizen.

According to Article 5 paragraph 2 of Directive 2004/38/EC, possession of a valid residence card as referred to in Article 10 of Directive 2004/38/EC exempts family members of EU citizens, who are not themselves EU citizens, from the visa requirement.

According to our understanding, the Irish residence permit (IRP) in the category “Stamp 4 EU Fam” is such a residence card according to Article 10 of Directive 2004/38/EC, if the reference “Family member EU Article 10 Directive 2004/38/EC” is included on the back.

The relevant regulations can be found on the website of the European Union: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/DE/TXT/?uri=CELEX:32004L0038 (Directive 2004/38/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 29 April 2004 on the right of citizens of the Union and their family members to move and reside freely within the territory of the Member States).

The most important provision in this regard is Article 5, paragraph 2, 2^nd sentence of Directive 2004/38/EC: “For the purposes of this Directive, possession of the valid residence card referred to in Article 10 shall exempt such family members from the visa requirement.”

Another important provision in this regard is Section 3 of Freedom of Movement Act/EU: “(1) Dependants of the EU citizens specified in Section 2 (2), nos. 1 to 5 shall possess the entitlement pursuant to Section 2 (1) (right of entry and residence ) if they accompany the EU citizen or subsequently immigrate to the federal territory to join the EU citizen (…) ”. Details of this regulation can be found here: https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/freiz_gg_eu_2004/__3.html

In case of queries at border control, we recommend that you carry a printout of this information leaflet and any other relevant documents (e.g. documents proving your relationship to an EU national, such as a marriage certificate or birth certificate) with you when travelling.

Please note that this information sheet only provides some general information. Additional regulations may apply in individual cases. If you require further information regarding your specific situation, please feel free to contact us.

Note: The relevant border authorities decide on entry into the country and the Embassy Dublin has no influence on the decision of the border authorities.