Irish authorities have quietly extended the Short-Stay Visa Waiver Programme that lets certain UK visa holders— including Indian passport-holders—enter Ireland without applying for a separate Irish visa. The extension, confirmed in an immigration notice last week and reported today by Condé Nast Traveller, pushes the scheme’s expiry from 31 October to 31 December 2026, giving festive visitors an extra two months’ grace. To use the waiver, travellers must first enter the UK on an eligible short-stay visitor or business visa issued by the Home Office. Merely holding a UK visa is not enough: proof of lawful entry such as an immigration-control stamp or e-visa entry record is mandatory. Crucially, Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) holders do NOT qualify—highlighting an important distinction for business visitors from Gulf states and other ETA-eligible nations. The waiver is popular with tour operators marketing ‘London-plus-Dublin’ packages, and its extension helps protect cross-border visitor flows at a time when peak-season airfares are already elevated. For corporates it removes administrative friction for multi-country meetings: an Indian executive can attend a week of board sessions in London, hop to Dublin for partner discussions, and fly home—all on the original UK visa. However, the stay in Ireland is capped at 90 days or the remaining validity of the UK permission, whichever is shorter, and Irish border officers retain discretion to refuse entry. Mobility managers should brief travellers to carry evidence of UK entry and onward travel plans to avoid Christmas-Eve surprises at Irish passport control.
Source: Condé Nast Traveller India
