Do China passport holders need a visa for Ireland?

4. Submit your application in person or by courier to the Embassy of Ireland in Warsaw

You are requested to hand in the following documents:

I confirm that I have submitted all the above documents to a VFS Ireland Visa Application Centre.

United Kingdom visitors who are nationals of a state or territorial entity specified in Schedule 3 and where the intended purpose of the travel to the State by the United Kingdom visitor concerned is solely for a visit of the shorter of the following periods

(b) who has entered the United Kingdom pursuant to the leave referred to in paragraph (a), and

from the covered countries will require an Irish visa for travelling to Ireland unless they

You must have landed in and gained lawful entry to the UK, using your current visa, prior to

(a) in Article 3(d), by the substitution of “31 October 2026” for “10 July 2020”,

This Order amends the Immigration Act 2004 (Visas) Order 2014. It extends the operation of the Short Stay Visa Waiver Programme until 31 December 2026. The Order will come into operation on 29 October 2026.

holders of a visa issued by the competent authorities of the United Kingdom that is endorsed by those authorities with the letters “BIVS”

(e) that the non-national, not being exempt, by virtue of an order under section 17 , from the requirement to have an Irish visa, is not the holder of a valid Irish visa;

3. It is hereby declared that the following classes of non-nationals are specified as classes the members of which are not required to be in possession of a valid Irish visa when landing in the State: (a) nationals of a state or territorial entity specified in Schedule 1;

“SCHEDULE 1 Article 3(a) Andorra Hong Kong (SAR) Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Antigua and Barbuda Hungary Samoa Argentina Iceland San Marino Australia Israel Seychelles Austria Italy Singapore Bahamas Japan Slovakia Barbados Kiribati Slovenia Belgium Latvia Solomon Islands Belize Lesotho South Korea Brazil Liechtenstein Spain Brunei Darussalam Lithuania Sweden Bulgaria Luxembourg Switzerland Canada Macau (SAR) Taiwan Chile Malaysia Tonga Costa Rica Maldives Trinidad and Tobago Croatia Malta Tuvalu Cyprus Mexico Ukraine Czech Republic Monaco United Arab Emirates Denmark Nauru United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies El Salvador Netherlands United States of America Estonia New Zealand Uruguay Eswatini Nicaragua Vatican City Fiji Norway Finland Panama France Paraguay Germany Poland Greece Portugal Grenada Romania Guatemala Saint Kitts and Nevis Guyana Saint Lucia

## How do I apply? To apply, follow these three steps: ### 1.     Create a visa application online * Use the Automated Visa Application and Tracking System (AVATS) to apply for your visa online * Answer all questions in AVATS fully and honestly * Follow the instructions on the Summary Application Form created by the online system. This summary form will contain information on where you are to submit your supporting documentation * Print, sign and date the summary form and submit it with your supporting documentation. The visa officer considers each application on its merits and may request additional information or documentation. ### 2.     Pay the visa application fee Details of the current visa fees are available here. The fee covers the administrative cost of processing your application. This will not be refunded if you withdraw your application or if we refuse your application. Some applicants are exempt and do not need to pay visa fees. Click here to check if you are exempt from paying Visa fees. You will receive an Application Summary Form when you complete your AVATS online application. This will let you know how to submit your application for processing and pay your visa fee. Payment methods and currency options may differ between offices. Extra charges may apply for some applications, such as consular fees. ### 3.     Send your supporting documents Prepare your documents carefully. They contain information that we need to make a decision about your visa application. It is your responsibility to provide all information to help us process your application quickly and fairly. Sending these documents does not guarantee that your application will be successful. #### Further information if you are required to submit your documents to the Dublin Visa Office When you are satisfied that you have prepared your application documents, put them in a strong padded envelope and send them to your application office. Be sure to pay the correct postage for large packages. * You must do this within 30 days of creating an online application via AVATS. We will not process your application until we receive everything. * If you are making a visa application for yourself and another person, you may send them together. To send together: * Place each person’s application documents into separate envelopes * Write the name and Visa Application Transaction Number of each applicant on each envelope * Place each envelope into a larger envelope and send it to the application office. * Original documents must be provided. We do not accept photocopies except where stated. * If you want to submit a document that is not in English or Irish, it must be accompanied by a full certified translation. * All letters submitted from a business, company or organisation must be original and on official headed paper. This is to make sure that they can be verified. They must show the organisation’s: * * Full name * Full postal address * Telephone number. This must be a fixed line number. We do not accept mobile or cell phone numbers. * Website address * Email address. Yahoo and Hotmail email addresses are not accepted. * A contact person’s name and title or position * Written signature of an authorised representative. Electronic signatures are not accepted. * In some cases, you may need to provide biometric information as part of your application. Contact your application office who will confirm if you need to provide biometric information and how to do so. The visa officer considers each application on its merits. They may request additional information or documentation. NOTE: Do not include false or misleading information or documents in your application. If you do, your application may be refused. In some circumstances, you may not be allowed to appeal the visa decision and may be blocked from getting an Irish visa for 5 years.

Do not submit documentation on file-sharing platforms such as Drop Box, Sharefile. Documents in hardcopy format only will be accepted

### Passport You must submit: * Your current passport – your current passport must be valid for at least 6 months after the date you plan to leave Ireland * A photocopy of each page from all previous passports you have (where available). Your application will be delayed if you do not provide copies of all previous passports you have * Type or write a letter that describes your travel plan to and from Ireland if you intend to: * Travel to Ireland from a different country (not your home country or a country where you are a legal resident), or * Travel from Ireland to a different country. The letter must also state if you need or do not need visas for those countries. Include the letter with your application. If relevant, apply for those countries’ visas before you apply for an Irish visa. We may refuse your application for a visa if your passport does not contain the expected visas. If you do not get the expected visas before you apply for an Irish visa, explain why in your letter. The visa officer will include those reasons when reviewing your application. If you are not a citizen of the country you are applying from you must submit proof you have permission to be in the country you are applying from. If you are not a citizen you must submit proof you have permission to be in the country. For example, a photocopy of your residence card. You must also show you have at least 3 months’ permission to remain in that country after the date you plan to leave Ireland.

Apply for a visa for each person travelling. Ireland do not issue Family visas or E-visas

## Eligible Countries Eastern Europe | Middle East | Asia | South America --- | --- | --- | --- Bosnia and Herzegovina | Bahrain | India | Colombia Kosovo | Kuwait^{2} | Indonesia | Peru^{2} Montenegro | Oman^{2} | Kazakhstan | Republic of North Macedonia | Qatar^{2} | Peoples Republic of China^{1} | Serbia | Saudi Arabia | Philippines | Türkiye | | Thailand | Ukraine^{3} | | Uzbekistan | | | Vietnam | | | | ### Note 1: China In the case of China, nationals of the Special Administrative Regions of Hong Kong and Macau are already on the list of those nationals who do not require a visa to travel to Ireland. ### Note 2: Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar and Peru In the case of nationals from the Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar and Peru, the United Kingdom (UK) Electronic Travel Authorisation cannot be used to travel to Ireland. Only those who enter the UK with an existing valid short-stay UK visa issued before the introduction of the ETA on 1 February 2024, including a multi-entry UK visa, are able to avail of the Short Stay Visa Waiver Scheme to travel to Ireland. ### Note 3: Ukraine As per the Minister for Justice’s announcement on 25 February 2022, citizens of Ukraine do not need a visa to travel to Ireland. For further information please visit the following link: The Minister for Justice, Helen McEntee TD has announced the immediate lifting of entry visa requirements for Ukrainian nationals – Immigration Service Delivery (irishimmigration.ie).

## How to use the visa waiver programme In order to avail of the programme you must have landed and gained lawful entry to the UK on foot of your current UK visa, prior to undertaking the journey to Ireland. Each distinct period of leave to remain in the UK (up to a maximum of 180 days each time) requires a prior legal entry into the UK before travel to Ireland under the programme, no matter what the duration of the UK visa. This programme is not reciprocal. It does not permit a person who is a visa required national under UK immigration rules to enter the UK on foot of an Irish visa. If you wish to enter the UK (including Northern Ireland), you must be in possession of a valid UK visa.

## Can I travel directly to Ireland on my valid UK Short-Stay Visa? No. You must first land and be granted permission to stay in the UK before travelling to Ireland. However, if you have already been to the UK and then travelled home, but still have time remaining on your UK permission, then you can travel directly to Ireland provided the visit is within remaining time on your UK permission. ## How long can I stay in Ireland? Your journey to Ireland must take place within the dates of your permission to be in the UK. The maximum amount of time you can come to Ireland for under the programme is for 90 days, or the remaining time left on you UK permission, whichever is the least amount of time. So, as an example, if someone has permission to be in the UK for 180 days and they have already been there for 160 out of those 180 days, then the most amount of time they can be allowed into Ireland for is 20 days, not 90. (i.e. 180 days – 160 days = 20 days remaining on their UK permission.) Similarly, if someone has permission to be in the UK for 180 days and they have already been there for 30 out of those 180 days, then the most amount of time they can be allowed to stay in Ireland for is still 90 days, not 150. (Although there are 150 days remaining on the UK permission, the most amount of time someone can come to Ireland for is 90 days).

Art. 3(d) amended S.I. No. 538 of 2021, arts. 2(a), 3(a) S.I. No. 262 of 2020, arts. 1(2), 2 S.I. No. 502 of 2016, arts. 1(2), 2

## Introduction The British Irish Visa Scheme (BIVS) allows certain people to travel to and around the Common Travel Area (CTA) (Ireland and the United Kingdom – excluding the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands) on a single visa for short stays only. To avail of this scheme your visa must be endorsed with the letters ‘BIVS’. A Visa officer will consider whether to endorse each eligible visa with ‘BIVS’. There is no appeal against a decision not to endorse a visa with ‘BIVS’. ## Who is eligible * Chinese nationals who are living in China (including Hong Kong and Macau) at the time of the application * Indian nationals who are living in India at the time of the application. ## UK visas eligible under the scheme * Permitted Paid Engagement visas * All standard visitor categories where the maximum period for a single visit is six months (except ‘visitor in transit’ and ‘visitor for marriage or civil partnership’).

## Further information ### Availing of British Irish Visa Scheme If you are availing of the British Irish Visa Scheme, and have a visa endorsed ‘BIVS’, you must first travel to the country that issued the visa. In other words, if you have an Irish short stay visa and want to also visit the UK for a short stay, you must travel to Ireland first. If you have a British visitor visa and want to also visit Ireland, you must travel to the UK first. ### Single entry visas A single entry ‘BIVS’ endorsed visa means a single entry to the CTA. You may travel a number of times between Ireland and the UK on a single journey to the CTA. While you are required to enter the country which issued the visa first, you can leave the CTA from either country. ### Multiple entry visas (a) Irish visa scheme You will have to enter Ireland first. Once you leave the CTA, the next time you enter the CTA you must arrive in Ireland first. The duration of your stay in Ireland will be decided by the Irish immigration officer and placed on a stamp in your passport. The duration of stay which may be granted is up to 90 days. (b) UK visa scheme For example, if you have entered the UK or have been granted leave to enter the UK by a UK immigration official (for up to 180 days) using this visa and your intended visit to Ireland ends before your leave to remain in the UK ends, you may be permitted to travel directly to Ireland from a 3rd country without arriving into the UK again. The duration of stay in Ireland may be up to 90 days or to the end of the UK permission, whichever is the shorter period. An immigration officer decides how long you can stay in Ireland. Important An eligible visa (British or Irish) under this programme will only allow you to travel to Ireland to visit for up to 90 days, it does not guarantee entry into Ireland. If you arrive via the border with Northern Ireland, you must report to an Immigration Officer at the Dundalk Immigration Office, a port of entry at Dublin Airport or Port, or a local Garda Síochána (police) immigration office within 30 days of your arrival, or within 7 days if you are engaging in business or employment. The maximum permitted stay in Ireland is up to 90 days or to the end of the UK permission, whichever is the shorter period. You can visit as many times as you like, within the permitted duration of stay as decided by  the Irish immigration officer when you first arrive. Your permitted duration of stay will be  stamped on your passport when you first arrive. When you apply for an Irish visa, you will  need to demonstrate that Ireland is your primary destination.

“United Kingdom visitor” means a person— (a) to whom leave to enter the United Kingdom has been granted, (b) who has entered the United Kingdom pursuant to the leave referred to in paragraph (a), and (c) whose leave referred to in paragraph (a) remains valid, or to whom leave to remain in the United Kingdom has been granted, which leave remains valid;

(e) United Kingdom visitors who are— (i) nationals of a state or territorial entity specified in Schedule 4, and (ii) holders of a visa issued by the competent authorities of the United Kingdom that is endorsed by those authorities with the letters “BIVS”, where the intended purpose of the travel to the State by the United Kingdom visitor concerned is solely for a visit of the shorter of the following periods— (I) 90days or less, or (II) the remaining period of validity of that person’s leave to enter the United Kingdom, or, as the case may be, leave to remain in the United Kingdom;

SCHEDULE 4 Article 3(e). India People’s Republic of China