Ireland makes it easier for UAE nationals to visit

It is now easier for UAE nationals to travel to Ireland following the Irish government’s decision to allow UAE nationals to participate in the country’s new visa-waiver programme.

Under the terms of the programme, UAE nationals who visit the UK can now travel to Ireland from the UK without the need to obtain a visa prior to travel.

Ambassador of Ireland to the UAE, H.E. Ciarán Madden, welcomed the new programme saying: "The new programme will make it significantly easier for UAE nationals to visit Ireland. Ireland is continually being named among the best places in the world to visit and this new programme will make it easier for UAE nationals to visit Ireland and experience everything that Ireland has to offer."

General manager Tourism Ireland, Middle East and Asia, Amanda Burns said Ireland's tourist visa waiver programme offered “exciting possibilities for tourism to the island of Ireland from the GCC markets”.

“The programme reinforces Ireland's commitment to tourism by making it even easier for tourists from the GCC to holiday in Ireland following a visit to the UK, giving them the opportunity to experience the spectacular scenery and the wide variety of unique things to see and do on the island of Ireland,” she said.

“As the world's friendliest country, we look forward to offering our famous Irish welcome to even more visitors from the GCC markets."

As of 01 July 2011 nationals from the United Arab Emirates and fifteen other countries, who travel to the UK for tourism or business on a valid UK visa, will be able to travel on from the UK to Ireland without an Irish visa under the new Short-stay Visa Waiver Programme.

For more information on the Short-stay Visa Waiver Programme please visit http://www.discoverireland.com/ae/ireland-plan-your-visit/facts/Visa-Passport-and-Embassies/