Since July 10, 2024, the Irish government has approved a visa regime for citizens of Botswana and South Africa. Now, representatives of these countries will need to obtain the appropriate permission before traveling. The changes will affect even transit passengers. Find out in detail about the new procedure and what exceptions were made
The Irish Ministry of Justice announced that the country’s authorities have decided to approve visa requirements for citizens of Botswana andThe Republic of South Africa. The new changes came into force on July 10, 2024.
What has changed for the citizens of Botswana and South Africa in Ireland in 2024?
Given that citizens of Botswana and South Africa will no longer be exempt from the visa regime in Ireland, representatives of these countries will need to apply for a visa to enter the state for tourism, business, work, as well as transit through Ireland.
Only holders of diplomatic passports will be exempt from visa requirements.
To simplify moving abroad, as well as facilitate the employment procedure, seek advice fromto a migration specialist. We help you solve complex and simple issues for your comfort and safety anywhere in the world.
Transitional conditions for citizens of Botswana and South Africa
Transitional conditions have been approved for certain categories of citizens. In particular, South African and Botswana passport holders who have booked a trip to Ireland before July 10, 2024 and plan to enter Ireland before August 10, 2024, can travel to Ireland under simplified conditions. To enter, these citizens must have:
– A valid passport.
– A document from the carrier indicating the date of ticket purchase, the passenger’s name, flight number(s) and date of travel.
This documentation will need to be provided at the request of the immigration officer.
Please note!
– Anyone who has booked a trip to Ireland before July 10, 2024 and travels to the country after August 9, 2024, cannot take advantage of the limited transitional conditions and will have to obtain an Irish visa before traveling.
– Any person booking a trip to Ireland after July 10 cannot take advantage of the limited transitional conditions and must obtain an Irish visa in advance, even if they travel to Ireland before August 10, 2024.
– Persons with a valid Irish Residence Permit (IRP) card do not need to apply for an Irish visa separately.
How do I apply for a visa to Ireland?
The Irish authorities announced that they plan to create a special “South African service” to process visa applications for South African citizens, as well as open three visa centers in Cape Town, Johannesburg and Pretoria.
The current standard government processing time for Irish visa applications is about two months.
Why did Ireland introduce such changes to migration policy?
The Irish Minister of Justice, Helen McEntee, said that the Irish authorities had implemented these reforms as part of work aimed at improving compliance with the visa rules of the Schengen area and the United Kingdom.
The Irish authorities also reported that the introduction of the visa regime was influenced by an increase in the number of asylum applications from citizens of Botswana and South Africa.
In general, with the help of these changes, the Irish authorities are trying to reduce illegal migration to the country.
It is worth noting that Irish citizens can enter Botswana and South Africa without a visa for tourism and business purposes, and the Governments of Botswana or South Africa have not reported a change in these rules.
Recall that you can read more about the procedure for moving to Ireland in 2024 and how to obtain citizenship here.
Who needs to apply for a Schengen visa to travel around Europe in 2024 was told in this article.
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