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EU and UK

I’m a South African passport holder, do I need a visa to go to the EU and/or UK?

Visa

Travel to the EU and UK and do I need a visa?

Important Notice:

You MUST have your Irish Residence Permit (IRP) approved BEFORE you can apply for a visa to travel to another country.

Without an IRP card, you cannot apply for a visa to another country, as you will not yet have residency status in Ireland.

If you are still in South Africa and plan to travel soon after arriving in Ireland, it is CRUCIAL to apply for your visa while still in South Africa. Ensure your application is based on the proof that you need to travel shortly after arriving in Ireland.

DO NOT wait until after you arrive in Ireland to apply for travel visas. Plan ahead to avoid delays and complications.

Scenarios Q&A:

Q. We are all South African, my partner and/or children and myself 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 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?

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.
Since the UK is no longer part of the EU, the freedom of movement no longer applies to South African passport holders. You will need to apply for a UK visa for both the UK and Northern Ireland.

For UK travel, including Northern Ireland, you still need a visa since the UK is no longer part of the EU.

B. For the EU… it depends on your stamp.

  • If you hold a Stamp 4 (Temporary permission), you have not yet received your 5-year permission. Yes, you will need a visa to travel to the EU.

  • If you have a Stamp 4 EUfam (5-year card) and you are traveling with or without the EU family member to an EU country, you do not need a visa. We recommend emailing and printing the response from Solvit (solvit-ie@enterprise.gov.ie), which is the “legal” arm of Europa, to confirm your rights.

For clarity on EU travel with a Stamp 4 EUfam, you can contact Solvit and keep a copy of the Directive for reference. DO NOT fly via the UK – if you fly for example: Dublin, Manchester/London to France- you WILL need a visa. If you fly Dublin to France, you will NOT need a visa.

Travel to to the EU

Here is the breakdown:

  1. For Non-Schengen countries:

    • You apply directly to the country you are planning to visit. Check the official government or embassy website of the country for detailed application instructions and requirements.

  2. For Schengen Zone countries:

    • If you plan to visit multiple Schengen countries, you need to apply for a Schengen visa to the country where you will first land or spend the most time.

    • If you are traveling through multiple Schengen countries and your primary destination is unclear, you should apply to the country of first entry.

  3. Timeframe for Application:

    • It is advisable to apply for your visa a few months in advance to ensure you have enough time for appointment scheduling, document collection, and processing.

    • Most consulates and embassies recommend applying for a Schengen visa at least 3 weeks before your planned departure, but no earlier than 6 months (9 months for seafarers).

For more details and to check the specific visa requirements for Schengen Zone countries, you can visit the official site: SchengenVisaInfo.

Travel to the UK

Important: Regarding Northern Ireland and the UK Border

While there is no physical border between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland, this does not mean that there is no border. If you plan to travel to Northern Ireland or any part of the UK, you are required to have a visa for the UK, as Northern Ireland is part of the UK.

Costs for UK visas:

You can check the costs for a UK visitor visa here:
https://www.gov.uk/standard-visitor/apply-standard-visitor-visa

To apply for a UK visa, visit:
https://pos.tlscontact.com/

Ensure you are fully aware of the visa requirements and start your application process well in advance of your travel plans.

On the recent Schengen Visa online application

Everything you need to know on the Schengen visa digitalisation

A recent article (November 2023) on ETA

What is an ETA?

An ETA (Electronic Travel Authorization) is an entry requirement for visa-exempt foreign nationals traveling to certain countries. It is an official authorization allowing travelers to enter a country for tourism, business, or transit purposes. The ETA is typically linked to your passport electronically, and it’s much easier and faster to obtain than a traditional visa.

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

South African citizens holding an Irish Residence Permit (IRP) card do not automatically have the right to enter the UK without a visa.

The UK is not part of the EU. This means that if you are a South African citizen with an IRP card and you wish to travel to the UK, you will need to apply for a visa.

In short, the IRP card does not grant you automatic entry into the UK. You will need to apply for the appropriate UK visa (usually a Standard Visitor Visa) before traveling.

Your answers

So, YES, South Africa is a visa required country to go to the UK

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…

https://homeofficemedia.blog.gov.uk/2023/10/25/electronic-travel-authorisation-eta-scheme-factsheet-june-2023/

if ALL of the following apply

Note ALL!!!

“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