9/21/22, 4:30 AM Short stay visa waiver programme - Immigration Service Delivery

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Short stay visa waiver programme
Home / Coming to visit Ireland / Short stay visa waiver programme

In This Section
 Introduction
 Who is eligible
 Eligible countries
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UK short stay visas
How to use the visa waiver programme

Introduction
The Short-Stay Visa Waiver Programme allows nationals of certain countries, who
have entered the UK on foot of certain UK short stay visas, to travel to Ireland
without the requirement to obtain an Irish visa. They instead may use the time
remaining on their current leave to remain in the UK. This programme is subject to
the conditions outlined below.

Who is eligible
You may be able to visit Ireland, for less than 90 days, without an Irish visa if you can
answer “yes” to each of these questions:

 Do you have an eligible UK short stay visa?

and

 Does your visit to Ireland end before your permission to stay in UK ends (this is
granted by an UK immigration official when you pass through UK
immigration)?
and

 Was your passport issued by one of the countries listed in the list below?

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You do not need a visa if you are a British citizen. Check if you need a visa for Ireland.

 Note: Chinese and Indian nationals may visit the United Kingdom and
Ireland in some circumstances using a single short stay visa issued by
either country. Read a longer description of the British-Irish Visa
Scheme.
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Eligible Countries

Middle South
Eastern Europe Asia
East America

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Belarus Bahrain India Colombia

Bosnia and
Herzegovina Kuwait2 Indonesia Peru

Kosovo Oman2 Kazakhstan

Peoples Republic of
Montenegro Qatar2
China1

Republic of North Saudi

Philippines
Macedonia Arabia

Russian Federation Thailand

Serbia Uzbekistan

Turkey Vietnam

Ukraine

Note 1: China
In the case of China, nationals of the Special Administrative Regions of Hong Kong
and Macau are already on the list of those nationals who do not require a visa to
travel to Ireland.

Note 2: Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman and Qatar

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In the case of nationals from the Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman and Qatar,
the United Kingdom (UK) Electronic Visa Waiver (EVW) cannot be used to travel to
Ireland from a third country.

The EVW is only valid for a single journey and the passenger has to specify the exact
flight he or she will be getting to the UK.

With an EVW the traveller can fly to the UK and directly onto Ireland within the 
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allowed time period, without an Irish visa; but only if they fly directly from the UK to
Ireland.

UK short stay visas

UK short stay visit visas are permitted except those issued for:

 Visitors in transit
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 Visitors seeking to marry or to enter a civil partnership.

Long term visitors to the UK are not allowed, for example:

 Long term student visas

 Persons seeking to join a spouse or for family reunification.

How to use the visa waiver programme

In order to avail of the programme you must have landed and gained lawful entry to
the UK on foot of your current UK visa, prior to undertaking the journey to Ireland.

Each distinct period of leave to remain in the UK (up to a maximum of 180 days each
time) requires a prior legal entry into the UK before travel to Ireland under the
programme, no matter what the duration of the UK visa.

This programme is not reciprocal. It does not permit a person who is a visa required
national under UK immigration rules to enter the UK on foot of an Irish visa. If you
wish to enter the UK (including Northern Ireland), you must be in possession of a
valid UK visa.

This page was last updated on June 2, 2022

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