The Republic of Ireland requires that all visitors from the United States, Canada, New Zealand, South Africa, or Australia have a valid passport. The passport must be valid for the entire length of the stay. No visa is necessary for visits of up the three months.
The Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) is responsible for reviewing visa applications and issuing visas for all visitors who require them. The INIS issues several types of visas, including a business visa, study visa, and visit/holiday visa. The agency has partially automated the process by setting up a computerized system, AVATS, which has also begun operating online. Ireland also offers a Working Holiday Program that allows people from Australia, Canada, Hong Kong, Japan and New Zealand the opportunity to stay in Ireland for up to two years and accept temporary employment during that time.
For British citizens traveling to the Republic of Ireland from Great Britain, as well as EU nationals, only proof of identification is required. British travelers who arrive in Ireland from outside Great Britain, however, must have a passport. If the passport carries an endorsement of British citizenship or nationality, or shows the holder to be a citizen of a British overseas territory, then no visa is necessary.
Northern Ireland enforces the same passport and travel restrictions as the rest of the United Kingdom. U.S. visitors must carry a passport but do not need a visa for visits of less than six months. Visitors from Canada, Australia, Brazil, Japan and South Korea may also enter without a visa. Immigration officers will ask the reason for the visit and endorse the passport with a stamp indicating the permitted length of stay. Those traveling between Ireland and Northern Ireland may cross the border freely. There are no customs posts and no passport controls, although visa holders are required to carry their passports with them across the border.
Since 2004, when the European Economic Area (EEA) was enlarged to include former Communist naions in central Europe, Ireland has allowed EEA members to reside in the country and find employment, without having to apply for a work permit. From outside the EEA, however, a work permit is still necessary. The type of permit depends on salary, and a bona fide offer of employment is necessary.
