South African and Botswana passport holders will be required to obtain a visa before travelling to Ireland from Wednesday 9th July, the Irish Minister for Justice, Helen McEntee, has announced. She said a transit visa will also be required if passport holders of either country intend to transit through Ireland en-route to another destination. She claimed the “carefully considered decision” will bring Ireland into closer alignment with the Schengen Area in respect of both countries.
United Kingdom was forced to do the same a few years ago, for the same reason. The Irish decision, which comes only two weeks after Irish News revealed the abuse of the existing visa free system by Africans, was made due to what the Irish Department of Justice has described as “a significant number of international protection applications” being received from passport holders of Botswana and South Africa. Note we say “passport holder” because they are not necessarily “nationals” having obtained the passport illegally.
Almost 500 applications combined were made by individuals from South Africa and Botswana, which is high considering that both countries are designated as safe countries of origin for International Protection purposes. Whilst both countries are designated as safe countries of origin for International Protection purposes, they are the only countries on that list which are not currently visa required.
Ireland says the introduction of the visa requirement is set to bring Ireland in closer alignment with entry requirements for the Schengen Area and the United Kingdom. Ireland does not belong to the Schengen Visa Area. This means that a separate visa must be obtained to enter Ireland.
The decision has sparked some reactions from South Africans who are not pleased with the move, with many blaming the ANC’s South African Dept. of Home Affairs for the fraudulence and corruption that has continued for several years. Africans from any African country can buy legal passports from the South African home affairs for only 2,000 Euros. This is then used by Africans to fly to Dublin and claim asylum.
@Nigel_Farage has a video.
Zimbabweans buy real South African passports from the corrupt South African @HomeAffairsSA for 2,000 Euros. Then fly direct to #Dublin and claim asylum. They then admit passport is fake as #SouthAfrica is a safe country with @UNmigration @LeoVaradkar— Irish News (@IrishNewsNet) June 28, 2024
Entry visas must be obtained by travellers before arriving in both the Schengen Area and the United Kingdom. Transitional arrangements will now be put in place for passport holders of South Africa and Botswana who have existing arrangements to travel to the State until 9 August.
“Irish visa requirements are kept under ongoing review, having regard for 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,” McEntee said.
The Dublin Visa Office will now establish a dedicated ‘South Africa desk’ to process applications from South African nationals. The Department will also establish three Visa Applications Centres (VACs) in South Africa with visa service provider Global VFS.
“The visa system is an essential part of our immigration system to determine who can travel to Ireland,” McEntee said.
“A wide range of factors are taken in account when introducing visa requirements to ensure we can continue to facilitate travel with processes that are robust, effective, and fair.” She added.
The Department said the visa requirement will not be applied to diplomatic passport holders of South Africa, and reciprocal arrangements apply for Irish diplomats travelling to this county.
It advised nationals of South Africa and Botswana who have existing travel arrangements to check the Irish Immigration Service’s website for more information.
Read also:
