Ireland Requires Visas for South Africans: Impact and Reactions

• Many netizens have blamed the alleged corruption at the Home Affairs Department for Ireland’s decision to scrap visa-free entry for South Africans
• The country announced that as of 10 July 2024, South Africans and Batswana travelling to Ireland would need to apply for a visa
• Ireland reportedly noted a surge of South Africans and Batswana applying for International Protection despite being from safe countries of origin

Zingisa Chirwa is an experienced Briefly News journalist based in Johannesburg, South Africa, who has covered current affairs on the radio for over 15 years.

Many netizens blamed the alleged corruption at the Home Affairs Department for Ireland’s decision to scrap visa-free entry for South Africans.

Irish travel visa application costs

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As of 10 July 2024, South Africans and Batswana (Bostwana) must apply for a visa to travel to the country. According to BusinessTech, the application for single-entry visas would cost R1,200, while multi-entry visas would cost R2,000. Ireland’s Justice Minister, Helen McEntee, who announced the new regulations on 8 July 2024, said that those who intend to travel via Ireland to another destination must also apply for a transit visa.

Over the last few years, Ireland reportedly saw an increase in the number of citizens from South Africa and Botswana applying for International Protection (asylum) despite both countries being deemed safe countries of origin.

Citizens of both countries who had already made travel arrangements were advised to check Irish immigration.ie for further information. McEntee added that the Dublin Visa Office would establish a ‘South Africa desk’ to process applications from South African nationals.

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South Africans weigh in

Many netizens believed Ireland's decision to scrap visa-free travel for South Africans was since many foreign nationals allegedly used fraudulent SA passports to enter Europe.

@Who_flungdung said:

“I'm surprised they hadn't done this a long time ago, same as the UK and others mainly, as they say, brought about by other nationalities travelling on illegal passports.”

@darealestlebza added:

“The reward of being the friendliest country in the world. So nice.”

@Nelisiwe94 commented:

This is all the @MYANC government's fault. They allowed all this corruption nonsense @HomeAffairsSA to happen from the early 2000s. There are thousands of foreigners who entered the UK and Ireland using the SA passport. Ireland was the remaining European country that was still allowing Visa Free to South Africans.”

@JJMM215 said:

“Foreigners are not using fraudulent passports from other countries but SA; it clearly shows there's a serious loophole in our system.”

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@francis_nkosi stated:

“These are the things we were hoping the new home affairs minister will concentrate on, but he feels otherwise...”

South Africa extends visa concession

Briefly News reported that Dr. Leon Schreiber extended the temporary concession for foreign nationals waiting for a visa, waiver, and appeal outcome.

Netizens had mixed feelings; some expressed concern about unemployment, while others welcomed the relief.

The concession expiry date was extended to 31 December 2024.

Source: Briefly News