The Irish Department of Justice has recently announced that the five-year multi-entry short-stay visa option will now be extended to all countries that require a visa. This visa option will allow eligible applicants to make one application and travel to Ireland multiple times over a period of five years. The visa is particularly aimed at those who visit Ireland frequently for business or family reasons. Previously, only Chinese passport holders were eligible for a five-year multi-entry visa, while other visitors were limited to one-year, two-year, or three-year multi-entry visas.
There are certain conditions that must be met to be eligible for the multi-entry visa, and the Visa Officer retains the discretion to grant or deny the visa. The multi-entry visa allows the holder to travel to Ireland multiple times during the dates shown on the visa. Additionally, some business travelers who have no previous travel history to Ireland may also be approved for a multi-entry visa. The standard single-entry visa option is still available for those who only intend to visit Ireland once. The introduction of this new visa option is expected to increase tourism and strengthen ties between Ireland and other countries around the world.