Do I need an Irish transit visa to connect in Dublin onto UK? (Saudi passport and UK visa)
I'm a Saudi passport holder with permanent residence in the United States, and I'd like to book a flight from Washington to Edinburgh with a three-hour layover in Dublin. I know there's a Common Travel Agreement between the Republic of Ireland and the UK, and so I was wondering if I need an Irish transit visa to connect to a flight from Dublin to Edinburgh, or if a UK visa is sufficient. And are there any users who traveled US-RoI-UK under the same circumstances with needing a UK visa who can share their experience? Users who aren't visa-free for the UK or Ireland, that is.
From what I've read in these forums and others, it seems like Irish immigration in effect does controls on behalf of the UK government unofficially.
I have also heard concerns from people saying Aer Lingus employees could deny me boarding depending how confused an employee would be when looking up visa requirements on TIMATIC.
Best Answer
Have you already used your UK visa to enter the UK, and are you still within the 180 days that were authorized when you last entered the UK? If so, you could be eligible for the short stay visa waiver program (also described on Wikipedia).
Otherwise, you need a regular Irish visa.
A transit visa isn't relevant because your second flight is within the Common Travel Area, so you have to pass border control after your first flight.
Note: My answer is based only on the Irish government official website and Wikipedia. It would be helpful if someone with real-life experience of this could add an answer as well.
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Do I need a transit visa for Dublin Ireland?
Nationals of some states or territorial entities are required to be in possession of an Irish transit visa when arriving at a port of entry in Ireland for the purposes of passing through a port (airport, seaport) in order to travel to another state. A transit visa does not permit you to enter Ireland for any purpose.Do I need UK visa for transit to Ireland?
You might need to apply for a visitor visa to travel through the UK to get to the Channel Islands, the Isle of Man or Ireland. You'll usually need to apply for a Standard Visitor visa unless you're exempt. You do not need a UK visitor visa if: you have a valid visa for the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man.Can I transit through Dublin with UK visa?
You will remain airside and pass through an immigration checkpoint, but not pass through Border Control into Ireland. They will check your passport, your visa status for the UK and your boarding pass for your connecting flight.Which countries need transit visa for Ireland?
Countries that require an Irish transit visaAfghanistanIranAlbaniaIraqCubaLebanonDemocratic Republic of the CongoMoldovaEritreaNigeria4 more rows•Feb 25, 2022What is the British Irish Visa Scheme?
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