Keep travel doc for Ireland handy

THE Embassy of the
Republic of Ireland
has clarified what
documentation SA travellers
need to carry after several
instances of airlines
asking travellers to provide
documentation before boarding
at OR Tambo International
Airport. South Africans do not
require a visa to travel to the
country.
Tony McCullagh, deputy
head of mission at the
Embassy of Ireland in Pretoria
says SA nationals are often
asked by airlines to produce
evidence to support their
reasons for visiting Ireland
before boarding. “Airlines can
be fined up to €1 500
(R22 633) per passenger
that is refused entry by the
Immigration authorities on
arrival. They are also obliged to
return that passenger to their
original point of departure.
Carrying out pre-boarding
checks mitigate the possibility
of being fined.”
He says the same level of
scrutiny would not be applied
to visa-required countries
such as Northern Ireland,
as once travellers present a
valid visa at the airport, the
airlines won’t be fined if that
passenger is subsequently
refused entry by immigration
authorities.
Because all the decisions
rest with the immigration
officer at the port of entry,
Tony says he cannot give a
definitive list of documentation
as each case would depend
on the purpose of the visit.
The following is the minimum
he says travellers visiting
Ireland as a tourist should
bring:
 If staying with friends or
family members, a letter of
invitation plus a utility bill
(or similar) that shows the
address of the person they’ll
be staying with.
 Persons coming to work
must have an employment
permit issued by the
Department of Enterprise,
Jobs and Innovation.
 If coming to study, they
need to show they have
sufficient funds for their
stay and evidence from the
college that confirms their
acceptance at the institution.
Business visitors should
have a letter from both
their SA employer and
the company/conference
organisers in Ireland.
SA tourists going to Ireland
are advised to carry
documents showing that
they have accommodation,
a sufficient amount of funds
(R1000 per day) and a return
ticket indicating that they are
there for a finite period, says
Helen Fraser pr officer of
Tourism Ireland.
Helen says Go As You Please
Ireland B&B vouchers –
often used by travellers
who choose to self-drive
– would suffice as proof of
accommodation.
“Travellers must also bear in
mind that anyone visiting any
country can be turned away at
immigration even if they have a
visa,” says Helen.