Ireland has quietly updated its visa legislation with Statutory Instrument 17 of 2026, signed on 29 April and now in force. The Immigration Act 2004 (Visas) (Amendment) Order 2026 modifies Schedule 2 of the 2014 Visas Order, extending the class of diplomatic-passport holders who can enter Ireland for up to 90 days without a visa. Added to the waiver are Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Colombia, Georgia, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Peru, Qatar and Serbia. For multinational firms headquartered in Dublin, the move simplifies short-term official travel by senior diplomats from emerging markets where many Irish businesses are expanding. Although the waiver applies only to diplomatic passports, corporate mobility teams often manage visits by embassy staff for trade-promotion events and investment talks—activities that no longer require advance visa processing. Conversely, the Order adds Moldova to the list of nationalities that must obtain an Irish transit visa when connecting through Dublin or Shannon airports. Travel managers with assignees or contractors holding Moldovan passports should update booking systems immediately; carriers are required to refuse boarding to transit passengers without the correct visa. No other categories, including short-stay business or conference visas, are affected. However, immigration advisers expect the Department of Justice to publish a consolidated ‘visa waiver programme’ list later this quarter, and companies are advised to check that their internal mobility databases are synchronised with the official Irish Statute Book feed. Failure to do so could see VIP visitors turned away at the gate, damaging commercial relationships. The Statutory Instrument forms part of a broader review aimed at aligning Ireland’s visa regime with EU and UK lists while retaining flexibility to support economic diplomacy. Stakeholders have until 31 May to submit feedback on further amendments planned for autumn 2026.
