By December 2014, Indians will be able to travel to Ireland and UK on single visa

London: By December 2014, Indians will be able to travel to Ireland and UK on a single visa.

Home secretary Theresa May on Monday signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Republic of Ireland to strengthen the Common Travel Area.

This will allow the UK and Ireland to share data and exchange information which will be used to inform and determine immigration decisions and allow visitors from India and China to travel more easily between the two countries, while maintaining the security of the borders.

The British-Irish Visa Scheme will allow Chinese and Indian visitors to travel to the UK and Ireland on a single visit visa.

The scheme will start in China by the end of October and in India soon afterwards.

Under the British-Irish visa scheme, some Irish short stay visas will allow onward travel to the UK and some UK visitor visas will allow onward travel to Ireland. For example, under the scheme an Indian or Chinese visitor in Dublin will be able to make a short trip to London or Belfast without needing a separate visa. Alternatively an Indian or Chinese visitor in London could travel to Dublin or Cork.

Only eligible Irish short stay visas applied for after the scheme starts are covered by the scheme. All Indian nationals who hold an eligible UK visitor visa (except 'visitor in transit' and 'visitor for marriage or civil partnership') are covered by the scheme. Currently the scheme only applies to Indian and Chinese nationals. China and India are both key markets for UK and Irish tourism and it is hoped that more than 10,000 visitors will use the scheme.

May said "I am delighted to sign this MOU which will make it easier and more attractive for travelers to visit both Ireland and the UK, while at the same strengthening Common Travel Area borders".

Frances Fitzgerald, minister for justice and equality, said "it is by cooperating to the greatest extent possible in protecting our borders from abuse, by preventing persons from entering our countries who have no right to be here, that we lay the foundations on which to extend the benefits of borderless travel between our countries to genuine visitors".

Britain said "The scheme will benefit the Northern Irish economy in particular, by allowing Chinese and Indian visitors to the Republic of Ireland the opportunity to visit Northern Ireland without having to obtain a separate UK visa. By the end of October 2014 the British-Irish visa scheme will allow Chinese nationals, and soon after Indian nationals, to travel to the UK and Ireland using a single visa for certain short stay and visitor visas".

However if a person is travelling to the UK under a 'visitor in transit' visa or a 'visitor for marriage or civil partnership' visa, they will need a separate visa to visit Ireland.

From October 2014 Ireland will start to share the UK's visa application centres overseas and all Irish visa applicants will apply there for their visa. This gradual roll out will start in China, including Hong Kong, with India to follow soon afterwards.

"The visa holder must first travel to the country that issued the visa. For example; if you have an Irish short stay visa and want to also visit the UK you must travel to Ireland first. If you have a British visitor visa and want to also visit Ireland, you must travel to the UK first.

Individuals with an eligible visa under the British-Irish visa scheme will not need to apply for a UK transit visa if their flight takes them via the UK to Ireland. Passengers will need to travel on to Ireland within 24 hours of landing in the UK," the Home office said.

Disclaimer: This information has been collected through secondary research and IBEF is not responsible for any errors in the same.