THE IRISH government says holders of South African and Botswana passports will be subject to Irish visa requirements with effect from July 10.
They will need to obtain an Irish visa before travelling to Ireland and this news comes as a shock to many South African students wanting to study in Ireland.
If you’re planning on studying and visiting Ireland, Brent Morris, managing director: Study Abroad, Sable International, dissects what you need to know.
Understanding the change
“As of immediate effect, students from South Africa and Botswana will need a visa to study in the Republic of Ireland. Previously, a visa was not needed to enter Ireland, students could enter with their South African passport and receive a visa on arrival or upon registration,” Morris said.
He said with the law having changed, students will need an entry visa to study in Ireland.
“All South African students who book to travel from July 10 onwards, will need the entry visa.
“This means students would have to go through the online application process as other countries, they would need to provide and send required documents as evidence to VFS (visa facilitation services) Global, attend required meetings and wait for a decision,” Morris said.
He highlighted that the news came as a shock to South Africans as other countries were given a few months’ notice period, however, South Africa was only given a few days.
“It’s a big change and will affect a lot of students starting their studies in September 2024,” Morris said.
What about South African students already studying in Ireland?
When it comes to existing students, Morris said they would not be affected as they would have already arrived in Ireland and received their visa for long-term stay.
“Previously, students could arrive on their South African passport, and they would still require a visa once in Ireland to remain for the duration of their studies. Students who are already in the system won’t be affected,” he said.
What about South Africans who want to go on holiday or work in Ireland?
Morris said all South Africans need a visa to visit Ireland, regardless of what they want to do in Ireland. Whether it’s visit, study, work, travel, it affects everybody across the board.
What documentation is now required?
The visa expert said that students now need to provide financial evidence that they can afford their studies, which was not a requirement under the old system.
“Students wanting to attend an Irish university in September need to start the procedure immediately, as the visa process can take up to four weeks to receive a decision,” he said.
Morris said other required documents include accommodation, motivation letter and proof of acceptance from the university, passports, photos and CVs.
How can South Africans apply for an Irish visa?
Visa applications will need to be made in the usual way on the AVATS system, and all the necessary supporting documentation will be required including the personal statement and financial form.
He said the visa application portal opened on Thursday July 10, for South Africa and Botswana nationals to begin their applications.
“Applicants will need to treat an South African or Botswana application with the same rigour as anywhere else, as VFS will reject an application that is not complete, wasting weeks of time.
“VFS offices in Cape Town, Pretoria and Joburg will receive applications in person or by courier, but all applications need a pre-arranged appointment time to drop off the documents,” Morris said.
Applicants can submit their passports with the application docs, and VFS will hold the passports.
“VFS are being allowed to issue visa stamps to successful applicants in order to speed up the process and passports will be returned by VFS. The electronic application file will be processed by a visa team in Dublin.
“There is a separate South Africa desk set up to deal with this,” Morris said.