Starting from September 12, 2023, all Bolivian citizens must secure a visa in advance in order to be able to travel to Ireland, the Irish Department of Justice has announced.
Through a statement issued on September 8, the same authority said that a transit visa will also be mandatory for Bolivians who intend to transit through Ireland en route to another destination.
“The introduction of a visa requirement for Bolivian nationals at this time will bring Ireland into alignment with the visa regime applying in the United Kingdom and in the Schengen area, as Bolivian nationals are required to obtain a visa before travelling to these jurisdictions,” the Department stated.
In addition, the Department of Justice noted that Irish visa requirements are constantly being reviewed to strike a balance between maintaining effective immigration controls and accommodating people who want to visit, work, study, or reunite with family members in Ireland.
Now that applying for a visa has become mandatory for them, Bolivian citizens should check the specific visa requirements for each country they plan to visit, as these regulations vary widely.
According to the VisaGuide Passport Index, as of September 2023, the Bolivian passport is ranked 112th in the world. This ranking allows Bolivian citizens to enjoy visa-free travel to 45 countries worldwide. However, Bolivian passport holders must apply for a visa in advance for entry into the remaining countries.
Bolivian passport holders have visa-free access to several countries, including Russia, Türkiye, Argentina, Mexico, and Hong Kong.
As SchengenVisaInfo explains, since Ireland is not part of the Schengen Zone, Bolivians will need a separate visa to travel to the Schengen Area, even if they obtain an Irish visa first.
Aside from obtaining a Schengen Visa, Bolivians must also meet other criteria, including compliance with the first entry rule and the 90/180-day rule, which means that the traveller has not exceeded a total stay of 90 days within 180 days in the Schengen area.
In June of this year, the country also announced that children under the age of 16 are no longer subject to re-entry visa requirements. Although re-entry visa requirements have been temporarily lifted, children under 16, resident in Ireland, who want to enter the country must still be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian with a valid residence permit in order to be able to enter Ireland.
