The Short-stay Visa Waiver Programme

 Information Note
 
The Short-stay Visa Waiver Programme was announced by the Government as part of its Jobs Initiative with a view to promoting tourism from emerging markets.  It is due to commence on 1 July 2011.  The programme will run as a pilot up to end October 2012 but may be amended or expanded at any point depending on experience of the pilot.
 The main points of the programme are:

• Nationals of the following countries are proposed for inclusion in the programme:

 Eastern Europe 
Ø  Belarus, Montenegro, Russian Federation, Serbia, Turkey and Ukraine
 Other Asian 
Ø  India, Kazakhstan, Peoples Republic of China, Uzbekistan
 Middle East 
Ø  Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates
 
Only passport holders of those countries are included in the scheme.  Long-term residents in those countries, who are not nationals of that country, are not covered. 
 

• Please note an Irish Visa cannot be used under any circumstances to enter the UK (including Northern Ireland)
• If you wish to travel to Ireland and do not have a current valid UK Visa, and have no need to apply for a UK Visa, you must apply for an Irish Visa in order to enter Ireland.
• Nationals of the countries above, who are long-term legal residents in the UK, will still require an Irish visa, and can apply at the Irish Embassy in London. Their visa fee will be waived as part of the programme 
• “General visas”(C Visa) cover short-term visit, tourist and business visitors. Other types of visa, for example transit visas, long-term student visas, employment, join spouse or family reunification visas, are not encompassed. – UK Transit Visa holders will still have to apply for their Irish Visa at the accredited Irish Embassy/Consulate for their country of nationality.
• Holders of UK “general visas” who have been successfully admitted entry to the UK, will be able to travel to Ireland within the period of validity of that visa without the requirement to obtain a separate Irish visa. UK “General Visas” are virtually all multiple entry visas and the vast majority are valid for use for a period of 6 months. A small percentage of “General Visas” are valid for use for a period of 1 year, 2 years, or in exceptional cases 5 years. The maximum period of validity of stay of all such visas is 180 days. i.e. You cannot stay longer in the UK than 180 days in any single visit, or a total of 180 days as a combined total of visits in any 1 year period. The maximum stay in Ireland will be 90 days, or to the end of the period of validity of the visa, whichever is the shorter.  Overall, it is not envisaged that anyone could stay for longer than a combined total of 180 days in a year in the  Ireland/UK Common Travel Area,  

In order to avail of this programme, you must have the following
·         A valid UK “General Visa” that is still valid at the proposed date of travel to Ireland
·         This UK “General Visa” must have been used on the first occasion of use to enter the UK (not Transit). You must successfully pass through UK Passport Control in the appropriate Airport/Ferryport/Railway station in the UK. You do not have to stay in the UK for any minimum period. Lawful entry will be attested by the appropriate entry stamp of the UK Border Agency.  Therefore, transit passengers through the UK to Ireland, who do not pass through immigration in the UK, will still require an Irish visa, where their current valid UK Visa has not been previously validated for entry to the UK.. 

• The persons travelling to Ireland under the programme will be treated at their Irish port of entry just as they would have been previously if arriving with an Irish visa i.e. their passport will be further stamped by immigration officers at the Irish port of entry with an entry stamp and a date until which the visitor is allowed to stay.  Visitors will have to satisfy immigration officers as to the purpose of their visit in the normal way. 

• It should be stressed that the need for a visa to visit Ireland is not eliminated by this programme. Visitors from visa-required countries will still require a visa as outlined below

Those who do not have a current valid UK visa which has been used to enter the UK will still require an Irish visa.
A UK visa will be required for travel to Ireland via the UK.
What is eliminated by this programme is the need to have both an Irish and UK visa when visiting Ireland via the UK, on a first occasion, or subsequent occasion where the valid UK Visa has already been validated for entry to the UK on at least one occasion.
On subsequent visits to Ireland,  holders of a valid UK visa, which has been already used for entry to the UK, may travel to Ireland directly or via another country, e.g UK/Schengen/3rd country.
A person may return to Ireland within the period of validity of the UK visa but will not be able to stay in Ireland for more than 90 days in any one visit.  As above, the immigration officer at port of entry has the ultimate decision on the length of stay.