Ireland's visa waiver for UK visa holders: extended to 31 December 2026

Update, 5 November 2026. Ireland has extended the programme until 31 December 2026. S.I. No. 541 of 2026 came into operation on 29 October and was published in Iris Oifigiúil on 30 October, after our check that morning. The waiver did not end on 31 October. Details and seller advice: Ireland extends its visa waiver for UK visa holders to 31 December 2026. The text below is kept as background.

Ireland's Short-Stay Visa Waiver Programme lets some visa-required travellers visit Ireland on their UK visa instead of an Irish one. Under S.I. No. 541 of 2026, the programme now runs until 31 December 2026.

The previous end date was 31 October 2026. The extension order came into operation on 29 October 2026, so there was no gap.

What the programme does

A traveller can visit Ireland without an Irish visa if all of these apply:

They hold a passport from one of the eligible countries (list below).

They hold an eligible UK short-stay visa. UK transit visas and visas to marry or enter a civil partnership do not count.

They first landed in the UK and were admitted on that visa. Each new period of UK leave needs a fresh entry to the UK first.

Their visit to Ireland ends before their UK permission ends. The maximum stay in Ireland is 90 days, or the time left on the UK permission if shorter.

A UK electronic travel authorisation (ETA) does not count. Gulf nationals who now travel to the UK on an ETA need an Irish visa, unless they still hold a valid UK visa issued before their country joined the ETA scheme.

Who is affected

The Irish Immigration Service lists these nationalities:

Region Countries

Europe Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, Türkiye, Ukraine (Ukrainians do not need an Irish visa anyway)

Middle East Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia

Asia China, India, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Philippines, Thailand, Uzbekistan, Vietnam

South America Colombia, Peru

The British-Irish Visa Scheme lets some Chinese and Indian nationals use one short-stay visa for both countries. It is a separate scheme, and this article does not cover it.

The legal position

The end date comes from the Immigration Act 2004 (Visas) Order 2014, as amended by S.I. No. 538 of 2021. That order reinstated the programme from 31 October 2021 and extended it "until 31 October 2026".

Ireland has amended its visa order four times since the start of 2025 (S.I. 68/2025, 164/2025, 17/2026 and 242/2026). None of them changed the end date. The Irish Immigration Service's programme guide says the scheme "is to continue until 31 October 2026 and may be amended at any time". Its web page does not mention the date.

In 2021 the reinstating order was signed on 21 October and published in Iris Oifigiúil on 26 October, a few days before it took effect. A late extension is possible this year too. We will update this article if one is published.

On 30 October 2026, Iris Oifigiúil published S.I. No. 541 of 2026, the Immigration Act 2004 (Visas) (Amendment) (No. 3) Order 2026. It extends the programme until 31 December 2026 and came into operation on 29 October 2026.

What travel sellers should do now

OTAs

The waiver applies to trips that end by 31 December 2026. For trips running past that date, plan for an Irish visa unless a further extension is published.

Travellers who cannot wait should apply for an Irish short-stay visa now. Irish visa processing takes time, and a late application puts the Ireland leg at risk.

TMCs

Check November trips where staff planned to add Dublin to a UK trip: nationals of India, China, Türkiye and the other listed countries, plus Gulf staff who still hold a pre-ETA UK visa. Build the Irish visa into the approval flow.

Gulf travellers who now use a UK ETA were already outside the programme. Say so in your policy notes.

Airlines and ground handlers

On flights from the UK to Ireland, document-check staff should know the waiver now runs to 31 December 2026.

What to do now

Use 31 December 2026 as the last day of the waiver. Check the traveller's nationality, UK visa type and first UK entry before confirming an Ireland leg. For travel from 1 January 2027, plan for an Irish visa until a new order is published.

FAQ

When does Ireland's Short-Stay Visa Waiver Programme end? On 31 December 2026, under S.I. No. 541 of 2026. The earlier end date was 31 October 2026.

Can the end date still change? Yes. The government can extend or end the programme by order. It extended it on 29 October 2026.

Who uses the waiver? Nationals of the countries in the table above who hold an eligible UK short-stay visa and were first admitted to the UK on it.

Does a UK ETA count? No. Gulf nationals who travel to the UK on an ETA need an Irish visa, unless they still hold a valid UK visa issued before their country joined the ETA scheme.

How long can a traveller stay in Ireland under the waiver? Up to 90 days, or the time left on the UK permission if shorter. The visit must end before the UK permission ends.

Is the British-Irish Visa Scheme affected? It is a separate scheme, and this article does not cover it.

What should travellers do for trips after 31 December 2026? Apply for an Irish short-stay visa unless a further extension is published.

Operational guidance for travel sellers, not legal advice. Entry decisions rest with Irish immigration officers. Updated 5 November 2026.

Sources

Iris Oifigiúil, issue of 30 October 2026, S.I. No. 541 of 2026 (extension to 31 December 2026) verified 5 Nov 2026 · Irish Statute Book, S.I. No. 538/2021, Immigration Act 2004 (Visas) (Amendment) (No. 3) Order 2021 verified 5 Nov 2026 · Irish Statute Book, S.I. No. 242/2026 (latest visa orders, end date unchanged) verified 5 Nov 2026 · Irish Statute Book, S.I. No. 17/2026 (latest visa orders, end date unchanged) verified 5 Nov 2026 · Irish Immigration Service, Short stay visa waiver programme verified 5 Nov 2026 · Irish Immigration Service, The Short-stay Visa Waiver Programme (PDF) verified 5 Nov 2026

Loris Mazloum

Founder, SimpleVisa

Loris Mazloum founded SimpleVisa and writes the coverage notes on this blog for airlines, OTAs, and other travel companies. Each note is checked against the government source named at the bottom before it publishes. SimpleVisa keeps requirement data for 190+ destinations and files applications where a government channel exists.