Dual Irish/Aussie passports with Aust spouse

[petunia]

Are heading to UK, Ireland & Spain on a oneworld reward trip in J (thanks to the info in this great forum). We both have Aust passports but my Aust born husband has recently received an Irish passport, courtesy of citizenship by descent through his father. He has never had occasion to use it before.
What are others' experiences entering these countries on an Irish passport, and can I join him in the EU queue? I'd love him to use the Irish passport as it took several years of paperwork to achieve, but maybe it would be more hassle than it's worth??
I'd appreciate any advice from recent travellers.

 

[alieninperth]

Your partner should use the EU queue when entering the EU with the IRL passport. I've always taken my wife and kids with me (all AU passport holders only) but the kids are still quite small. In some ports you may get through quicker, in others, it won't make a difference. Travelling between IRL, UK and ESP should have no difference.

 

[oobi doobi]

Are heading to UK, Ireland & Spain on a oneworld reward trip in J (thanks to the info in this great forum). We both have Aust passports but my Aust born husband has recently received an Irish passport, courtesy of citizenship by descent through his father. He has never had occasion to use it before.
What are others' experiences entering these countries on an Irish passport, and can I join him in the EU queue? I'd love him to use the Irish passport as it took several years of paperwork to achieve, but maybe it would be more hassle than it's worth??
I'd appreciate any advice from recent travellers.

I am in the same position as your husband. Thanks to my grandfather, I have an Irish passport as well as an Aussie one.
I always use it in Europe as it is far quicker getting through immigration, however my wife has an Aust pp and so I usually have a considerable wait as she clears the barrier. It sometimes saves filling out forms. From memory my wife had to fill out an immigration form in Paris when boarding the channel train. I can't remember any forms when using my Irish document.
The only drawback, if you can call it that, is no stamps in your passport. I have a clean passport even though it's been used many times in Europe.
Dont forget of course to use the Aust PP in & out of Aust.

cheers

 

[petunia]

Thanks for sharing your experiences. I assumed we would need to be in the same queue as we're travelling together. I guess the worst thing that can happen is that I will be told to join the non EU queue!

 

[petunia]

Also, we're stopping in New York on the way home, and I wondered if it might get tricky when I have all the stamps from UK, Ireland & Spain in my passport, but my husband (who will use his Aust passport to enter USA) won't have these stamps in his passport as he'll have used his IRL passport for entry to those countries. Or am I overthinking it.......................
We found US border control quite intimidating last year.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Also, we're stopping in New York on the way home, and I wondered if it might get tricky when I have all the stamps from UK, Ireland & Spain in my passport, but my husband (who will use his Aust passport to enter USA) won't have these stamps in his passport as he'll have used his IRL passport for entry to those countries. Or am I overthinking it.......................
We found US border control quite intimidating last year.

overthinking it

many thousands of people travel using two passports. Immigration around the world are used to that and take it in their stride.

The only difficulties you will encounter are if (a) you try to leave a country on a different passport to the one you entered and (b) if you are using a second passport to circumvent some immigration ban (or to conceal something like a crime which would ordinarily deny you entry).

otherwise it's all pretty much business as usual. the only real thing the US will be concerned about is that you aren't on their 'no fly' list. this will be matched against the passport you provide at checkin. (as a side note, remember which passport you have for your ESTA to enter the states, we that one at checkin).

 

[petunia]

Thanks Mel_Traveller for your reassurance to a dual passport novice.