Travel to the EU and UK and do I need a visa?
Usually you need to have your Irish residence permit approved BEFORE you can book a visa to travel to another country.
If you DO NOT have your IRP card you cannot usually apply for a visa to another country as you do not yet have residency status in Ireland.
If you are still in SA and know you will be travelling soon after arrival in Ireland, apply for your Visa whilst still in SA, based on the fact that you have proof of requiring to travel to that country shortly after arrival in Ireland.
Q. My partner and/or children and one of us is Irish the rest of the family (including children) are on South African passports, Stamp4 (dependants on the Irish sponsor) and we want to go to the UK (including Northern Ireland) or EU. Do we need visas?
A. YES, you need a visa for the UK and any EU country
Q. My partner and/or children and one of us is British the rest of the family (including children) are on South African passports on pre-Brexit Stamp4 (Article50Teu) or post Brexit Stamp4D (dependants on the British sponsor) and we want to go to the UK (including Northern Ireland) or EU. Do we need visas?
A. YES, you need a visa for the UK and any EU country
- For British citizens who moved under the EU treaty BEFORE Brexit to Ireland: "Can I move freely and reside in other Member States of the European Union after 31 December 2020?
A. Your entitlements to move freely and reside in other Member States of the European Union ceased to apply from 31 December 2020. If you intend travelling to another EU Member State after that date, you will need to check the relevant visa requirements before you travel" Withdrawal Agreement- Irish Immigration
Q. My partner and/or children and one of us is EU sponsor the rest of the family (including children) are on South African passports on Stamp4 or Stamp4eufam (dependants on that EU sponsor) and we want to go to the UK (including Northern Ireland) or EU.
A. YES, you need a visa for the UK.
B. For the EU... it depends which stamp you hold (at what stage of the EU treaty process you are at) and it depends if the EU sponsor is travelling with you or not:
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If you have the Stamp4 (Temporary permission) you have not yet received your 5 year permission. Yes you need a visa to go to UK and EU
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If you have the Stamp4Eufam (5year card) and you are travelling WITH OR WITHOUT the EU member to an EU country you do NOT need a visa
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If you want to go to the UK including Northern Ireland. You need a visa. Uk left the EU and therefore EU freedom of movement no longer applies to you.
- for anyone who wants clarity on EU travel with stamp4eufam HERE is SOLVIT who you can get in writing its ok to travel, and travel with a copy of the DIRECTIVE
You apply to visit the UK here: https://pos.tlscontact.com/
On the recent Schengen Visa online application
https://home-affairs.ec.europa.eu/news/everything-you-need-know-schengen-visa-digitalisation-2023-12-01_en#
A recent article (November 2023) on ETA has caused some discussion on the SA in Ireland groups, and reading the text in full will confirm that a visa is stillr equired by SA passport holders living with residency permission in Ireland:
1. If I hold an SA passport do I need a visa for the UK?
Click here: https://www.gov.uk/check-uk-visa
So, YES, South Africa is a visa required country to go to the UK
Let's look at the ETA for the UK
The ETA is a an Electronic Travel Authorisation. This is an online permission allowing certain passport holders to apply for permission to travel to the UK without need of a visa application
https://www.etauk.uk/uk-to-launch-eta-system/
It is only valid for certain countries listed there
South Africa is not one of these countries, it is still a Visa required country to go to the UK
And secondly...
"Check if you need an ETA if you live in Ireland and you're not an Irish citizen.
You do not need an ETA if all of the following apply:
- you’re legally resident in Ireland
- you do not need a visa to enter the UK
- you’re entering the UK from Ireland, Guernsey, Jersey or the Isle of Man"
The ETA does not apply to SA passport holders, we need a visa to go to the UK
We hope this helps. Make sure you book well in advance for an appointment to visa EU or UK as some appointments particularly leading to summer take quite some time
