IRELAND: Short-Stay Visa Waiver Extended

November 2, 2016


The Republic of Ireland”s Short-Stay Visa Waiver programme, which was introduced in 2011 and was due to expire on 31st October of this year, has been extended for a further five years to 31st October 2021.

The Short-Stay visa Waiver programme allows foreign nationals from eligible countries, who hold a UK short-stay visa, to visit Ireland without the need for an Irish visa.

The UK short-stay visa allows travellers to stay in the UK for up to 180 days per year. If a traveller does not spend the full 180 days in the UK and, therefore, has time left on their visa upon leaving the UK, Ireland”s programme allows them to travel across to Ireland without an Irish visa for the period remaining on their UK short-stay visa, up to a maximum of 90 days.

There are 18 eligible countries under the programme; these are as follows:

  • Bahrain
  • Belarus
  • Bosnia and Herzegovina
  • China
  • India
  • Kazakhstan
  • Kuwait
  • Oman
  • Montenegro
  • Qatar
  • The Russian Federation
  • Saudi Arabia
  • Serbia
  • Thailand
  • Turkey
  • Ukraine
  • The United Arab Emirates
  • Uzbekistan

The extension of this programme until 2021 will no doubt be beneficial for nationals of the above countries, as it facilitates tourism and is convenient for individuals conducting business in the UK and Ireland.

For further information on this topic or for advice on Irish immigration in general, please email us at [email protected].