Ireland overwhelmed by surge in visa applications from South Africans
Almost a year after Ireland stopped allowing South Africans visa-free entry, the country is now overwhelmed by the high volume of visa applications.
Nearly a year after Ireland ended visa-free access for South Africans, the country has struggled to manage a surge in visa applications, causing widespread delays and growing frustration among travellers.
In July 2024, Ireland introduced new rules requiring South African and Botswanan nationals to apply for visas, including transit visas, to enter or pass through the country.
Visa-free access
This marked a major shift for South Africans, who had previously travelled to Ireland without a visa—one of the few European countries that allowed such access. At the time, the Irish government raised several concerns, including:
- A rise in forged South African passports, often used by nationals from other countries
- An increase in international protection (asylum) claims by South Africans upon arrival
- The need to align immigration policies with the UK, which shares a common travel area with Ireland
Irish Minister of State for International Development and Diaspora, Neale Richmond, admitted that the decision was “harsh but necessary.”
He cited a 100% rise in South African arrivals seeking asylum as a major factor behind the policy shift. Despite the change, Ireland continues to view South Africa as an important source of skilled migrants, with strong business, trade, and education links.
Many South African professionals, students, and entrepreneurs are pursuing opportunities in Ireland, which is actively seeking foreign talent to address post-pandemic skills shortages.
Visa chaos unfolds
Since implementing the policy, Ireland has received a massive influx of visa applications from South Africans.
Although authorities promised to process applications within three months, many applicants report delays of 12 to 16 weeks, forcing them to cancel travel plans, including business trips and family visits.
Former Irish Justice Minister Helen McEntee announced the creation of a dedicated “South Africa desk” at the Dublin Visa Office, supported by three local Visa Application Centres (VACs) run by VFS Global in South Africa.
However, this has proven inadequate.
The Irish government has now doubled resources in a bid to clear the backlog, aiming to reduce turnaround to 4-6 weeks.
“We’re seeing far more applications than expected,” Richmond said.
“We underestimated the demand, and we’re now scaling operations accordingly.”
Ireland has also proposed streamlining business and work permit visa processes, with a focus on faster approval timelines for skilled professionals.
Background: Long-standing security concerns
South African passports had faced scrutiny and misuse in Europe for several years prior.
In 2022, airline Ryanair sparked controversy by administering a test in Afrikaans to validate South African passports – drawing global backlash.
While the test was scrapped, questions over passport integrity remained.
The visa requirement aligns Ireland with UK immigration policies, but has sparked criticism from both travellers and stakeholders in the travel and tourism sector.
Looking ahead
Despite current frustrations, Irish officials insist the visa measures are not permanent and could be re-evaluated once security risks are resolved and application volumes stabilise.
In the meantime, thousands of South Africans are left navigating long waits and bureaucratic hurdles, a sharp contrast to the ease of travel they once enjoyed.