Ireland

Ireland is an island that is divided into Northern Ireland (14,120 km2 ) as part of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and the independent state of Ireland, which occupies the bulk of the island. Ireland is a land of forests and mountain ridges and a mixture of three ancient cultures – Celtic, Norman and Anglo-Saxon. Ancient culture is remembered at every turn – the ruins of castles, fortresses, abbeys, but also still living legends. Despite growing tourism, which breaks down Irish isolation, green hills and white beaches remain intact. Some cities host festivals of traditional Irish music and jazz, and sometimes folk dance, during the summer. And as for the locals, it is perhaps enough to quote the old saying: There are no strangers in Ireland, only friends you have never met.

About Ireland

The cornerstone of Irish cuisine is quality and fresh ingredients, which are a gift from the local countryside. Green pastures and a long seafront ensure a supply of quality lamb, beef and pork, fish and seafood. Excellent salmon and trout come from unpolluted rivers. Oysters even have their own festival in the Gulf of Galway, and the term Dublin Bay Prawn means small lobsters (also called langoustines, scampi). Irish beef is exported and is world famous for its quality. Irish cuisine is based on meat, but the basic food is also the ubiquitous potatoes. Their cultivation was introduced in the country in the 16th century, and potatoes then significantly influenced Irish history (see Irish famines after the 19th century potato crop failure). Fast food dishes are also popular in Ireland, such as fish and chips – fried fish with chips, which was first sold here by an Italian immigrant in the 1980s.

Travel Documents and Entry Requirements for non-EU Nationals

All EEA citizens and Swiss citizens can travel to Ireland under the visa-free regime. Third-country nationals are required to apply for a visa to travel or live in Ireland. The visa depends on nationality and purpose.

The documents you need to present to the Irish border officer are as follows:

Passport validity
You must have at least 6 months left on an adult or child passport to travel to most countries in Europe. The document has to be issued within the previous 10 years and valid for at least 3 months after the date you intend to leave the EU. Beware that EU members such as Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Ireland and Romania are not part of the Schengen Area.

Schengen Visa
If you do not know if you need a visa to enter Schengen, click here. Download the Schengen Visa Application Form or visit the Irish Ministry of European and International Affairs to check the current status regarding the visa and the conditions for issuing it here.

Schengen Insurance
Confirmation that you have travel and health insurance for Ireland and the whole territory of Schengen, which meets Visa Code (Regulation EC No. 810/2009) conditions for a Schengen visa. Travel health insurance policies for foreigners travelling to Ireland that fulfil Irish Visa requirements can be purchased online from schengen.insure and it‘s accepted by Irish Embassies and Consulates worldwide.



Visa policy of Ireland
The visa policy of Ireland is set by the Government of Ireland and determines visa requirements for foreign citizens. If someone other than a European Union, European Economic Area, Common Travel Area or Swiss citizen seeks entry to Ireland, they must be a national of a visa-exempt country or have a valid Irish visa issued by one of the Irish diplomatic missions around the world. Although Ireland is a member of the European Union, it has an opt-out from the Schengen Area and therefore sets its own visa policy. Ireland also operates the Common Travel Area with the United Kingdom, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man which specifies open borders between the countries and territories. Established in 1923, it permits British and Irish citizens freedom of movement around the Common Travel Area and to cross its borders with minimal or no identity documents. Visa policy of Ireland is similar to the visa policy of the Schengen Area. It grants visa-free entry to all Schengen nationalities.