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A new British Irish Visa Scheme, officially launched today, will see tourists, business travellers and other eligible visitors now be able to visit both the UK and Ireland on a single, short-stay visa.  The first phase of the Scheme involving visitors from China and India is commencing this autumn, with further roll out of the Scheme to other countries to follow.

This new visa will replace Ireland’s Short-Stay Visa Waiver Programme, which allows nationals of 18 countries to travel from the UK to Ireland using their UK visa. Under the current system, many overseas tourists and business visitors who wish to visit both Ireland and the UK, including Northern Ireland, need separate visas. While the Irish Visa Waiver Programme allows travel in one direction only, the new Scheme will allow travel throughout the UK and Ireland including moving freely to and from Northern Ireland. 

The Scheme is part of the Government’s 2014 Action Plan for Jobs, and is expected to result in a major boost for business visitor numbers and tourism, as well as making it easier for travellers to visit Ireland and the UK. The number of visitors from the countries in question grew by 68% from 2010 to 2013. 

The British Irish Visa Scheme is jointly initiated by the Department of Justice and Equality and the UK Home Office. The Scheme will be run by INIS, the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service, in the Department of Justice and Equality. 

Read more about this new visa scheme.

Find out more about the Government’s programme to promote job creation, Action Plan for Jobs 2014.