Ireland waives visa fees for Ugandans

Ugandans applying for Irish visas will not have to pay application fees under an exemption covering nationals of 16 countries.

Ireland's immigration authorities list Uganda among countries whose citizens are exempt from paying visa application fees, although Ugandans still require visas and must meet the normal immigration requirements before travelling to Ireland.

The exemption means applicants will not pay the standard €60 fee for a single-entry visa or €100 for a multiple-entry visa. However, other charges may arise depending on where and how an application is submitted.

According to Ireland's immigration authorities, the fee exemption applies to nationals of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Côte d'Ivoire, Ecuador, Indonesia, Jamaica, Kosovo, Kyrgyzstan, Montenegro, Morocco, North Macedonia, Peru, Serbia, Sri Lanka, Tunisia, Uganda and Zambia.

The waiver does not amount to visa-free travel.

Ugandan passport holders must still complete the required application, submit supporting documents and satisfy immigration officials that they qualify for the visa they seek. An exemption from the application fee does not guarantee that a visa will be granted.

Ireland issues visas for purposes including tourism, family visits, study, employment and business, depending on the applicant's circumstances and intended length of stay.

Applicants normally begin the process through Ireland's online visa application system before submitting the required documents according to instructions generated by the application.

Ireland is a member of the European Union but is not part of the Schengen Area. An Irish visa therefore does not automatically give a Ugandan traveller permission to enter other European countries in the Schengen zone.

Similarly, holding a Schengen visa does not generally remove the requirement for an Irish visa.

The fee waiver reduces one of the costs facing Ugandans travelling to Ireland, but applicants may still incur expenses associated with document preparation, submission or other services.

Prospective travellers have been advised to check the requirements applying to their visa category before submitting an application.