Ireland ends visa-free travel for South African citizens
South African citizens will be required to obtain a visa to travel to Ireland from next week. Read why here.
Citizens of South Africa – and Botswana – will be required to obtain a visa to travel to Ireland from next week under arrangements announced by Minister for Justice Helen McEntee.
In addition, a transit visa will also be required, if travellers intend to transit through Ireland en-route to another destination.
And, no, the change is not related to the Springboks’ victory over Ireland at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria last Saturday!
To date, travellers from either of the African countries have not required visas to enter the Ireland as both have been designated as safe countries of origin.
LESS THAN 500 APPLICATIONS
According to The Irish Times, the move is being taken in light of what the Department of Justice has described as “a significant number of international protection applications” being received from nationals of Botswana and South Africa.
Curiously, neither country featured in the top five nationalities of the more than 9 000 people who applied for international protection in the five months to the end of May.
Nearly one in three (2 843) applications were made by citizens of Nigeria, followed by Jordan (718), Pakistan (677), Bangladesh (600) and Somalia (586).
Less than 500 applications combined were made by those from South Africa and Botswana.
VISA OFFICES TO OPEN IN SOUTH AFRICA
Speaking on Monday, McEntee said South Africa and Botswana were the only countries on the safe list that did not require its citizens to obtain visas before travelling to Ireland.
“This is a carefully considered decision which will bring Ireland into closer alignment with the Schengen Area in respect of both of these countries, and into line with the UK in respect of South Africa,” she said.
“Irish visa requirements are kept under ongoing review, having regard to the need to ensure that effective immigration controls are in place whilst also facilitating those who wish to travel to Ireland for the purposes of a visit, to work, to study, or to join family members.”
The Minister said the Dublin visa office would now establish a dedicated “South Africa desk” to process applications from South African nationals.
She said the Department of Foreign Affairs would also establish three visa application centres, located throughout South Africa, with visa service provider Global VFS.