From 1 July 2011, access to Ireland from India becomes easier with the introduction of a new visa waiver programme that allows Indian citizens with a valid UK entry visa to visit Ireland without needing an additional entry visa.
Ireland's first-ever visa waiver programme came into force on 1 July 2011. Citizens of a number of fast-growing economies including India who hold a valid UK entry visa are exempt from the normal requirement to obtain a separate Irish entry visa, with the attendant cost and bureaucracy. For a trial period up to October 2012 - which covers the period of the London Olympics - visitors to the UK can travel on to Ireland without a further administrative requirement to obtain an Irish entry visa. This measure will particularly facilitate business people who are travelling to the UK as well as tourists who wish to travel on to Ireland, which is less than an hour's flying time from London. The visa waiver scheme also applies to long-term legal residents of the UK who hold Indian passports. Visitors under the scheme can stay in Ireland for up to three months or until the UK visa expires, whichever is the shorter. This welcome Government measure combines its twin approaches of eliminating unnecessary "red tape" and encouraging business links to vibrant economies such as India.
