Ireland’s Department of Justice has pushed the expiry of its Short-Stay Visa Waiver Programme from 31 October to 31 December 2026. The extension, confirmed in an immigration notice last week and reported by The Economic Times on 13 November, allows eligible Indian nationals to enter Ireland for up to 90 days without applying for an Irish visa—provided they first clear UK immigration on a qualifying short-stay UK visa. The scheme, introduced in 2011 and expanded in 2022, aims to encourage “twin-centre” tourism and business trips that combine the United Kingdom with the Republic of Ireland. Nationals of 21 countries, including India, China, Indonesia and most Gulf states, may travel onward to Ireland so long as their UK leave to remain is valid and they meet Irish entry conditions. Why mobility teams should care: The waiver slashes lead times for last-minute business visits to Ireland by Indian executives who already hold UK visas—particularly relevant for tech and pharmaceutical firms that maintain R&D hubs in Dublin and Cambridge. It also reduces compliance risk because travellers need only monitor one set of biometric appointment slots (at VFS for the UK) instead of two. Caveats remain. Travellers must physically enter the UK first—airside transits in London without passing immigration do not count—and Irish Border Management retains discretion to refuse entry. Long-term assignees (greater than 180-day UK visas) are excluded and must still apply for the standard Irish ‘D’ visa. Practical pointers: HR teams should (1) validate that the UK visa will outlast the planned Irish stay; (2) remind employees that a separate health-insurance requirement applies in Ireland; and (3) update automated travel-approval workflows to recognise the waiver as a permissible route.
Source: The Economic Times
