ETIAS is required for Ireland
What’s the difference between Northern Ireland and Ireland?
Ireland is officially called the Republic of Ireland and is not part of the United Kingdom. However, Ireland is a member of the EU even though it isn’t a member of the Schengen Zone.
Officially, Northern Ireland is part of the UK. The UK also includes England, Scotland, and Wales.
Even if the United Kingdom had not voted to leave the European Union, it would have been impossible to use ETIAS to visit the UK because the UK didn’t sign the Schengen Agreement. ETIAS is required to visit the Schengen area and countries that are in the process of joining the Schengen Zone.
In other words, Northern Ireland is distinct from Ireland. Ireland will be part of the EU, while Northern Ireland will remain part of the United Kingdom.
Recent history of the Irish border
It is helpful to understand the history of the Irish border to understand the current situation better. Internationally known as the Northern Ireland Conflict (or simply the Conflict), this political and nationalist conflict was ignited by historical events in the late 1960s.
The constitution of Northern Ireland was a critical issue. Most Protestant Unionists and loyalists wanted Northern Ireland to remain within the UK. Most Catholics supported Northern Ireland joining a united Ireland.
The conflict started during a campaign by the police and the Protestant/unionist government to end discrimination against Catholic minorities. The authorities were accused of police brutality as they tried to suppress this campaign.
The violence between the groups resulted in riots that culminated in the August 1969 deployment of British troops and riots. Paramilitary organizations also emerged, and these events eventually led to three-decade-long disturbances.
Political negotiations have again focused on the border, this time about Brexit. Former Prime Minister Theresa May could not resolve the Northern Ireland border issue, and it continues to be a problem for Boris Johnson, the current PM.
After years of negotiations, the European Union and the UK have only recently outlined rules to prevent border checks between Northern Ireland (and the Republic of Ireland) starting January 1.
Why is Ireland not a member of the Schengen Zone
Ireland is a member in good standing of the European Union but has not joined the Schengen Zone.
The UK and Ireland have a Common Travel Area that allows passport-free travel to their citizens, as well as the three British Crown Dependencies of Jersey and Guernsey, which are not members of the European Union.
After the agreement reached by the UK, the EU, and Gibraltar for the post-Brexit period, Gibraltar will become part of the Schengen system.
The UK refused to sign up for the Schengen Agreement, arguing that frontier controls were better than other methods to stop illegal immigration in an island country.
Ireland refused to sign the Schengen Agreement for its reasons. It said it was not in Ireland’s best interest to do so. Ireland would also impose exit and entry controls on people traveling between Ireland and Britain and the frontier.
Ireland didn’t join the Schengen Agreement mainly because it wanted to control non-EU citizens’ immigration status. It is not part of mainland Europe, so it makes sense for Ireland to be able to manage its borders in the way that they choose.
The difference between a Schengen Visa and ETIAS
The Schengen Agreement was created to ensure that all member countries have the same border rules. For example, the Schengen visa grants holders a 90-day stay in the region. A Schengen visa is valid for travel within the area of the countries that have signed the agreement. It can be used to stay up to 90 days in 180 days.
ETIAS does not replace the Schengen visa. ETIAS is a visa waiver available to nationals of states exempted from visa requirements for the Schengen Area.
Do I require ETIAS to travel to Ireland?
No, an ETIAS visa waiver is not required to visit Ireland. ETIAS travel authorization only allows entry to Schengen states. This does not apply to Ireland. ETIAS can also be used for countries that are joining Schengen: Croatia, Cyprus, Bulgaria, and Romania.
Non-EU citizens will require an ETIAS permit to travel to Europe and visit countries such as Spain, France, or Italy.
ETIAS will be available to citizens of more than 50 countries when it is released in 2025.
Check the entry requirements for travelers going to Ireland based on their nationality. You may need to obtain additional permits to enter Northern Ireland or any other country in the UK.
Schengen Data Systems and Ireland
Recently, the EU approved Ireland’s access to the Schengen Information System. Ireland now has access to SIS II, Europe’s most popular and extensive IT security system.
A Garda Siochana is the Irish national police service. It will share information about missing persons, stolen or lost objects, and vehicles with the 30 other participating countries.
This data can be used to locate people or objects in Europe and identify potentially dangerous persons trying to enter Ireland.
The An Garda Siochana PULSE and Garda National Immigration Bureau databases will be integrated with SIS II to detect better and prevent serious crimes. Ireland will not be included in the Schengen common travel area, but it will receive the safety and security benefits of sharing knowledge.