On October 18th, the UK government announced that Colombian and Peruvian passport-holders can now visit the UK, visa-free.

This has called into question Ireland’s inexplicably strict policy on Colombian and Peruvian visitors. Ireland is now the ONLY country in Europe to require tourist visas for Colombians and Peruvians.

It is time for Ireland to follow the UK’s lead - Ireland, get rid of tourist visas for Colombia and Peru!

Before the announcement from the UK, Colombians and Peruvians could apply for a UK visa and automatically have access to the entire Common Travel Area, including Ireland. 

In UK visa processing centres, Colombia and Peru were known as “low-risk” countries, with tourist visa approval rates hovering around 98%. That risk is now evidently so low that the need for a UK tourist visa has been eliminated altogether. 

But the risk is not so low for Colombians in particular; they must apply for the Irish tourist visa at great personal expense, enduring hours of preparation and months-long waiting times, despite the fact that the majority of their neighbours can visit for quickly and for free. 

Ireland’s government is quick to sing the praises of Colombia and highlight the links between the two countries. Leo Varadkar even visited Bogotá on St Patrick’s Day this year, cementing the relationship between Colombia and Ireland.

Colombia is also known as South America’s Silicon Valley, and yet Colombian entrepreneurs, IT workers and businesses are put off visiting Ireland, despite its reputation in technology, because of its restrictive visa policies. 

Ireland needs to put its words into action.

Ireland: take a stand for your South American friends, and grant Colombia and Peru visa-free tourism!