How Long Can I Stay in Ireland Without a Visa?

If you are a European Union or European Economic Area (EEA) citizen or a national of one of the EFTA countries, then you don’t need a visa to enter Ireland. As long as you book a flight and pass through Border Control, then you can stay in Ireland for up to 90 days without any special requirements.

Free movement of EU/EEA citizens

Free movement of EU/EEA citizens, and their family members, has been a cornerstone of EU law since the creation of the European Union (EU) in 1995. This means that you can travel, work and study in Ireland without a visa if you have an EU/EEA passport.

The ‘Citizens’ Rights Directive’, which sets out rules that member states must follow, includes how free movement applies to family members of EU citizens. These rules are transposed in Irish law by the European Communities (Free Movement of Persons) Regulations 2015.

EU and EEA nationals can travel, work and study in Ireland without having to apply for a visa. This is particularly the case for EU/EEA citizens who have an ‘exchange of information’ card or residence card, issued by another EEA country or Switzerland.

However, if you do not have this kind of ‘exchange of information’ card or residency card, you may need to get one from the Irish immigration authorities. This will require you to fill out a form, and will take some time.

If you are travelling to Ireland with an ‘exchange of information’ card and you plan to stay in the country for more than 90 days, you will need to be registered with the Irish Immigration Services. If you are not registered, you could be given a Removal Order which could mean that you would be sent back to your home country.

You can also apply for a’residence card of a family member of an EEA citizen’ which will allow you to stay in Ireland for longer than 3 months, without any restrictions. This is especially useful if you are looking for a job, or if your unemployment benefit from your home country will be transferred to Ireland and you need to remain for more than 3 months in order to claim it.

A spouse, partner or child of an EEA worker can also move to the host state with their employer on the same conditions as the employee and enjoy similar rights for education, vocational training and social assistance. They also have the right to reside and work there as long as they are deemed to be ‘lawfully resident’, as defined by the legislation.

Free movement of non-EU/EEA citizens

If you are an EEA citizen and your country is part of the European Union, you can travel in Ireland for up to 6 months without a visa. You can also apply for a residence card to stay in Ireland for longer.

If your country is not part of the EU or the Schengen area, you need to get a visa before you can visit Ireland. This will depend on where you are going and what your plans are.

Free movement of people within the EU is regulated by secondary legislation, as well as through Directive 2004/38/EC on the right of citizens of the Union and their family members to move and reside freely in the territory of the member states. This allows non-EU/EEA nationals to live in the EU and take advantage of many benefits such as education, work, access to healthcare and social security, etc.

The right of free movement for EU/EEA citizens also extends to Switzerland, Iceland and Liechtenstein. This is because they are connected to the EU through the EEA and EFTA, and their citizens enjoy the same rights as EU citizens in the host countries.

Nevertheless, the free movement of EU/EEA citizens may be restricted for reasons such as public policy or public health. The decision to refuse entry should be disclosed to the person concerned.

EU/EEA citizens may also be subject to a criminal vetting process, which is designed to make sure that they are not dangerous and can meet their obligations in the EU or elsewhere. This may include a background check, criminal record checks and vaccinations against infectious diseases.

As a result, there is a chance that your stay in Ireland may be delayed or even denied due to your immigration status. However, the government is making changes to improve your chances of a positive outcome.

To ensure you can continue to stay in Ireland, it is important that you apply for a residence card as soon as possible. You can do this by registering with your local registration office and bringing your approval letter (for EEA nationals) or a passport that has been issued by an authority recognised by the Irish government.

Free movement of Swiss citizens

The free movement of people is a key feature of the European Union (EU) and its member states along with Norway, Iceland and Lichtenstein which are part of the European Economic Area (EEA). It means that EU citizens can move freely between 27 member states, including Switzerland.

All EU and EFTA citizens are required to register with the residents’ registry office in their canton within 14 days of arrival. They will then need to apply for a residence permit, which doubles as a work permit if they plan to work.

Those with jobs can also use the EURES (European Employment Services) network. This service offers a wide range of employment opportunities for EU, EEA and Swiss workers in Switzerland and other member states.

For more information on the EURES service, visit the EURES website. The EURES service helps employers and employees find each other, and is available in all 25 EU and EEA member states as well as in Switzerland.

If you are an EEA or Swiss citizen, you can also apply for a residence permit if you wish to work in Ireland. You will need to prove that you have a job offer or are working on a project that is in the public interest.

The EURES service also provides a range of services for families whose members are living in another EU or EEA state or Switzerland, and are transferring from one to the other, such as childcare, education, health care, social support and welfare. Family members do not need to have a residence permit and will receive a certificate that shows they are entitled to free movement.

However, it is important to note that if you are staying for more than 90 days and do not meet the relevant criteria, you could be issued with a Removal Order. This is especially true for family members who are not EU or EEA nationals.

This means that if you are an EU or EEA citizen, you can live in Ireland for up to 5 years without having to obtain a visa before you can apply for permanent residence. This will allow you to open a business, get a mortgage, buy property and enjoy all the same benefits as a Swiss citizen.

Free movement of British citizens

British citizens living in Ireland have a number of rights and privileges. They are allowed to work, study, and vote in certain elections as well as access social welfare benefits and health services without restrictions. This is possible because of an agreement called the Common Travel Area (CTA), which is between Ireland and the UK.

The CTA allows Irish and British citizens to move freely between the two countries. It also enables them to access social security, healthcare, and education in either country.

However, the Irish and British governments have not always agreed on how to protect the CTA. This has resulted in a patchwork of different rules and policies that have affected the ability of Irish citizens to exercise their CTA rights.

Despite this, the Government of Ireland and the Government of the UK have both signed a Memorandum of Understanding stating that they will continue to ensure that the CTA is upheld. This will include protecting the rights of both Irish and British citizens in the future, regardless of what happens with the Brexit negotiations.

In addition to this, the UK and Ireland have also signed a joint statement that says that they will ensure that the free movement of people between the two countries is protected as a matter of priority. This is important because it will allow both Irish and British citizens to enjoy their freedom of movement within the CTA after the UK leaves the EU.

A recent report commissioned by Irish and Northern Ireland human rights watchdogs highlights the gaps in protections for Irish citizens that exist under the CTA. The report suggests that the rights of Irish citizens in the UK would benefit from being put into a single international treaty, rather than the current patchwork of different laws and policies.

Another concern raised is that the UK and Ireland may need to differentiate further between Irish and British citizens, a practice that could undermine their existing free movement rights under the EU. This could be problematic because it is not in accordance with the basic EU freedom of movement principles and anti-discrimination and equality provisions.