New Irish Visa Requirements for Citizens of South Africa and Botswana
From July 10, 2024, passport holders from South Africa and Botswana will require a visa to visit Ireland. The decision matches Ireland's visa rules with those of the United Kingdom and the Schengen Area. Citizens of both countries will additionally require a transit visa if they wish to travel through Ireland to another destination.
However, those with previous travel reservations to Ireland (made before July 10, 2024) will be able to make interim arrangements until August 9, 2024.
“This decision brings Ireland closer to the Schengen area regarding these two countries and aligns with the UK's requirements for South Africa. Our visa policies are regularly reviewed to ensure effective immigration control while facilitating travel for visits, work, study, or family reunification.”
Irish Justice Minister Helen McEntee
The new visa requirement aims to reduce asylum claims from South Africa and Botswana.
To support this change, the Dublin visa office will establish a dedicated desk for South African applications. Additionally, the Department of Justice will open three visa application centres across South Africa in partnership with visa service provider Global VFS.
“The visa system is crucial for managing who can travel to Ireland. We consider various factors when introducing visa requirements to ensure our processes are robust, effective, and fair.”
Irish Justice Minister Helen McEntee
Ireland Updates Its Safe Countries of Origin List
The Irish Ministry of Justice has also added five more countries to its list of safe countries of origin:
- Brazil,
- Egypt,
- India,
- Morocco and
- Malawi
This list indicates that applications for international protection from these nations will be processed quicker.
Other countries on the list include Algeria, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, North Macedonia, Kosovo, Montenegro, and Serbia.
Citizens of these countries can still seek international protection in Ireland. Since the introduction of accelerated processing in November 2022, applications from these countries have decreased by over 50%, according to the Department of Justice.
CITIZENS OF THE FOLLOWING COUNTRIES NEED A VISA TO ENTER IRELAND | |||
Afghanistan | Ecuador | Liberia | Russian Federation |
Albania | Egypt | Libya | Rwanda |
Algeria | Equatorial Guinea | Madagascar | Sao Tome and Principe |
Angola | Eritrea | Malawi | Saudi Arabia |
Armenia | Ethiopia | Mali | Senegal |
Azerbaijan | Faroe Islands | Marshall Islands | Serbia |
Bahrain | Gabon | Mauritania | Sierra Leone |
Bangladesh | Gambia | Mauritius | Somalia |
Belarus | Georgia | Micronesia | South Africa |
Benin | Ghana | Moldova | South Sudan |
Bhutan | Great Britain (UK) – Protected Person | Mongolia | Sri Lanka |
Bolivia | Guinea | Montenegro | Sudan |
Bosnia and Herzegovina | Guinea-Bissau | Morocco | Suriname |
Botswana | Haiti | Mozambique | Syrian Arab Republic |
Burkina Faso | Honduras | Myanmar | Tajikistan |
Burundi | Hong Kong (SAR) (Document of Identity) | Namibia | Tanzania |
Cambodia | India | Nepal | Thailand |
Cameroon | Indonesia | Niger | Timor-Leste |
Cape Verde | Iran | Nigeria | Togo |
Central African Republic | Iraq | North Macedonia, Republic of | Tunisia |
Chad | Jamaica | Oman | Turkey |
Colombia | Jordan | Pakistan | Turkmenistan |
Comoros | Kazakhstan | Palau | Uganda |
Congo (Brazzaville) | Kenya | Palestinian National Authority | Uzbekistan |
Congo (Democratic Republic of) | Korea (North) | Papua New Guinea | Vanuatu |
Cote D'Ivoire (Ivory Coast) | Kosovo | People's Republic of China | Venezuela |
Cuba | Kuwait | Peru | Vietnam |
Djibouti | Kyrgyzstan | Philippines | Yemen |
Dominica | Laos | Qatar | Zambia |
Dominican Republic | Lebanon | Refugee or Stateless | Zimbabwe |
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