Effective immediately, South Africa and Botswana nationals must obtain visas before travelling to Ireland.
Additionally, a transit visa is required for those passing through Ireland en route to another destination.
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‘This decision aligns Ireland closer with the Schengen area for both countries and with UK policies regarding South Africa,’ stated Justice Minister Helen McEntee on Monday.
McEntee noted an increase in international protection applications from Botswana and South Africa, referred to as refugee status in South Africa.
The Dublin visa office will establish a dedicated desk for South African passport holders, with three visa application centres in South Africa through VFS Global.
Transitional arrangements are available until 9 August for Botswana and South Africa nationals who arranged travel before 10 July, 2024, with updates on irishimmigration.ie.
Ireland is reinforcing its borders against illegal entry. Dublin Airport conducted over 3 700 ‘doorstop’ operations in the first half of 2024, resulting in 115 arrests for lacking proper documentation.
Other nationalities needing visas for Ireland include Afghanistan, Bahrain, Belarus, Egypt, India, Jamaica, Nigeria, China, Qatar, Rwanda, Thailand, Venezuela and Zimbabwe.
A year ago, South African passport holders could enter 106 countries visa-free, including Sri Lanka, Thailand, Malaysia, Argentina, Israel, Seychelles, Peru and Qatar. Visas were needed for 121 countries, such as Morocco, Mexico and Malta.
Two years ago, South African passports allowed visa-free access to 105 countries, ranking 55th worldwide, down from 35th in 2008 and 2009. Experts suggested reducing passport fraud and upgrading to an efficient e-visa system for processing applications.
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Picture: On The Go Tours