Ireland Short-Stay Visa Waiver Programme

Overview

The following are types of UK visas that are eligible for the programme:

1. Short stay visit visa (Standard Visitor Visa) of six months stay duration.
2. Entry Clearance for visit or business.

The programme excludes the following:

• Transit visas.
• Marriage visitor visas.
• Long-term visas.
• UK Long-term legal residents.

Eligibility Requirements

The following are the necessities to fulfil:

• You must be a citizen of one of the countries listed for the programme.
• You must not be a permanent resident of the UK.
• You must have a valid UK visa.
• You must have entered the UK with the visa.
• You must have a valid passport.
• You must have leave to enter or remain in the UK.

Overview

Travelling to Ireland from the UK still requires that you meet the entry requirement of Ireland. Check the INIS website for conditions, requirements, and restrictions attached to the purpose of your visit to Ireland.

You do not need to go through the primary vaccine series. The presentation of proof of vaccination ended in March 2022. Thus, you do not need to provide vaccine certificates or a receipt of an Irish passenger locator form. You also do not need to go through post-arrival testing or quarantine requirements. If you feel COVID-19 symptoms during your stay in Ireland, refer to the HSE guidance to isolate yourself and undertake antigen or PCR testing.

For Northern Ireland Travellers

You only require a UK visa if you want to travel from Northern Ireland to Ireland. Also, if you are travelling from Northern Ireland and plan on returning to Northern Ireland after your stay in Ireland, you will not be required to get an Irish visa.

You will need Irish and UK visas if:

• You travel to Ireland and then travel to Northern Ireland.
• You travel to Northern Ireland from Ireland and return to Ireland.

Documents Required

To travel to Ireland, you need a valid visitor short-stay visa. Here are the required documents for one:

• Two recent passport photographs.
• Valid passport. Its duration of validity must be three months beyond your visa expiry date.
• Evidence of financial support to fund living expenses. The evidence should be six months’ bank statements before the visa application.
• Proof of adequate accommodation.
• Letter of invitation from your host (UK resident). It should indicate your host’s identity, nationality, residence address, and financial status.
• Proof of visa fee payment.
• Proof of no criminal record.
• Present residence address in your country.
• Names of parents.
• Date of birth of parents.
• Sponsor’s name and address (if any)
• Proof of current status as a student, employee, or business person.
• Tuberculosis test results. (If applicable).

Read here for further information on applying for a UK visa.

How Much Does the UK Visa Cost?

The UK standard visitor visa fee costs £100.

How Long Does It Take To Get a Visa Decision?

Short Visa application processing typically takes three but may span into seven weeks due to a spike in the volume of applications, information verification, and other delays. However, some processing may take longer than seven weeks.

You may be able to access faster processing through the Priority Service. Priority Service is open to all countries listed in the Ireland visa waiver programme.

Verify your identity at your country’s local visa application centre and choose the Priority Service during your application. You need to pay an additional fee for the service.

After your appointment at the application centre, you will receive feedback on your application result within five working days.