Irish authorities are reevaluating their visa-free policy for South African travellers amid escalating worries about immigration control. This reconsideration is prompted by individuals from countries deemed ‘unsafe’ by Ireland who exploit an unintended loophole by using South African passports to gain entry into the country.
South Africa’s classification as a ‘safe’ country expedites the asylum application process for these individuals, highlighting a significant flaw in the immigration system.
This loophole undermines Ireland’s efforts to uphold border management integrity and effectively process asylum seekers, as noted in a report by Justice Minister Helen McEntee.
“The best way to ensure the integrity of our immigration system is to ensure efficient processing of international protection applications – that gives protection really quickly to those who need it, while also demonstrating to applicants who don’t need it that there is nothing to gain from going down the asylum route,” the minister said.
Recent data from the Irish Department of Justice shows that approximately 3% of asylum applications processed this year involved individuals arriving on South African passports. This figure corresponds to 198 cases where the passport holder’s nationality did not align with their country of origin.
Such incidents have raised concerns regarding the security and authenticity of South African passports, particularly following high-profile cases involving Bangladeshi and Pakistani nationals fraudulently using South African travel documents.
Suppose Ireland proceeds with ending visa-free travel for South Africans. In that case, it signifies a return to stricter scrutiny and visa requirements, potentially impacting diplomatic and economic relations between the two nations.
Additionally, this policy change could influence South Africa’s global passport ranking.
In 2021, the Henley Passport Index ranked South Africa 57th globally in passport power, indicating the number of destinations accessible without a prior visa.
South Africans currently enjoy visa-free access to 71 countries, with 29 countries requiring visas on arrival. This ranking reflects a decline from 2020 due to Covid-19 travel restrictions.
Source iHarare
