Ireland is actually quite easy, regarding documentation, for visitors from North America, Australia, and the EU to travel to for vacation.

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Most visitors need only a valid passport to enter the Republic of Ireland. Your passport must be valid for the length of your trip to Ireland. Your passport must also have at least one blank page for your entry stamp.

Citizens of the United Kingdom can also use official photo identification.

EU citizens can use their national identity card to travel through Ireland, as long as they arrive and depart via an airport or ferry port in the Republic of Ireland. For travel to Northern Ireland, an EU citizen will need to obtain UK Electronic Travel Authorization (information below). If an EU citizen travels to or from Northern Ireland directly, a passport and ETA are required.

TIP: be sure to check what form of ID is required by your travel provider (airline, ferry, cruise) before traveling.

Americans and all non-EU citizens entering Ireland with a passport can remain in Ireland for 90 days if their passport is valid for that period.

If you plan to stay longer than 3 months you must apply to extend your visitor permission. More information can be found on the Irish Immigration website.

Regulations for adults apply to children as well. Children must have a valid passport to visit Ireland.

Children from the UK or EU must have valid travel documents.

Obtaining a passport is relatively painless, quite akin to getting a driver's license as both agencies are run by the US government and require standing in slow moving lines and a wait period until you actually receive the passport.

An adult US Passport is valid for 10 years.

You can make the process move a bit quicker if you arrive prepared:

US passport renewal for adults over the age of 25 can now be done online.
Children must visit a passport office for passport renewals.

24 countries currently require a tourist visa to enter Ireland. Requirements vary for these countries and the best information to understand what citizens of these countries need to visit Ireland is found at the Visit Ireland – Tourist Path page of the Irish Immigration website.

As in Ireland, most visitors arriving in Northern Ireland are required to have a valid passport and can remain up to 6 months as a tourist.

You will also need to apply for UK ETA (Electronic Travel Authorization) prior to your visit.

This digital permit allows you to visit the UK for short stays. You apply using a mobile device or online, pay a small fee (currently £10), and receive approval electronically. Once approved, it’s linked to your passport, and it is recommended you have it before you travel.

A UK ETA is typically valid for up to 2 years or until your passport expires, whichever comes first. During this period, you can make multiple visits to the UK, usually for stays of up to 6 months at a time.

The new UK ETA requirement does not affect travel to the Republic of Ireland. If you’re flying directly to Ireland from North America, you won’t need a UK ETA, as Ireland is not part of the UK and has its own immigration rules.

However, if you plan to visit Northern Ireland (which is part of the UK) or travel to Ireland via the UK (e.g., through London), you will need a UK ETA to enter. This means:

Travelers should plan accordingly based on their itinerary.

The UK ETA will also apply to EU citizens who plan to visit the UK. Here's what it means for them:

This is a significant change, as EU citizens previously could enter the UK without any pre-authorization. If you are an EU citizen be sure to plan ahead to ensure you have an approved ETA before travel.

Here are a few more key points visitors should know about the UK ETA:

For more information on visiting the UK as a Standard Visitor and visa requirements refer to the visas & immigration page at GOV.UK.

My advice on travel insurance: if you can't afford to lose the money a cancelled trip will cause, then you should probably look into trip insurance.

You can buy travel insurance to cover practically anything you will encounter on a vacation.

Read the policy carefully before you buy. You can expect to pay between 5-10% of your total trip cost for a decent policy. Look for the “Cancel for any reason” clause; you'll pay more for it, but it may be worth it if you can't take your trip- for any reason.

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