No visa needed

Do citizens of Ireland need a visa for the United Kingdom?

Citizens of Ireland don’t need a visa for the United Kingdom. You need a valid passport; border officers may ask for a return ticket and accommodation. For a longer stay you need a visa or an extension.

For citizens of Ireland: the passport opens 118 countries visa-free; Dublin — London: ≈ 460 km, about 1 hour of flying.

Checked by visa analyst Albert Brown, 13 years of experience · September 26, 2026

At a glance

No visa needed

Can I travel to the United Kingdom without a visa on a Ireland passport?

Yes, citizens of Ireland don’t need a visa for the United Kingdom. A valid passport is enough.

United Kingdom visa rules at a glance

With a Ireland passport you can visit 118 countries visa-free, 32 with a visa on arrival and 34 with an e-visa; 14 more require an embassy visa.
By the number of visa-free destinations, the Ireland passport ranks 27th of 199.
Ireland passport: visa-free access to 118 countries; United Kingdom passport: 115.
Citizens of Ireland and the United Kingdom can travel together visa-free to 112 countries, for example: Netherlands, Belgium, France, Luxembourg, Switzerland, Denmark, Norway, Liechtenstein, Germany, Andorra, Spain, Monaco, Czech Republic, Iceland, and Sweden.
A language both countries share: English.
Ireland and United Kingdom share a border, so you can also travel overland.
Citizens of the United Kingdom, in turn, don’t need a visa for Ireland. Ireland visa for citizens of the United Kingdom

Travelling to the United Kingdom: good to know

Dublin — London: about 460 km in a straight line; a direct flight takes roughly 1 hour.
No time difference with your country’s capital.
Local currency: British Pound.
Languages: English.
Exchange rate: $1.00 ≈ £0.76.
United Kingdom is the 1st closest of 197 destinations open to citizens of Ireland.