Visas, Customs Regulations and Tax
British nationals born in the UK do not need a passport to enter the Republic or the North, but it is useful to carry one in case you use the medical services, and for cashing travellers' cheques. If you don't take a passport, be sure to have some other form of convincing ID. British passport holders not born in Great Britain or Northern Ireland must have a valid passport or national identity document. If you are a British national of Indian, Pakistani, Bangladeshi, Far Eastern or African descent, it is advisable to take along your passport (or your birth certificate), in spite of the fact that, technically speaking, you don't need one. If you are an EU national, you can enter the Republic with either a national ID card or, even better, a passport, and you are entitled to stay for as long as you like. Travellers from the US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand are simply required to show a passport and can stay for up to ninety days, after which you'll need to apply to the nearest superintendent's office in the Garda Siochana (police) in the district in which you intend to stay - in Dublin apply to the Aliens Registration Office, Harcourt St (tel 01/475 5555). All other visitors to the Republic should contact the Irish Embassy, in their home country, in advance as regulations vary. A comprehensive list of Irish consulates and embassies, along with visa information, is available on the Department of Foreign Affairs Web site: www.irlgov.ie/iveagh . In the North , British regulations apply. This means that under the European Economic Area agreement of 1994 citizens of the European Union, Liechtenstein, Norway and Iceland can visit Northern Ireland with just a passport or national ID card. UK and Irish citizens need no ID or passport. US, Canadian, Australian and New Zealand citizens can enter the country for up to six months with just a passport, provided they have an onward or return ticket and evidence of sufficient funds to support themselves for the duration of their stay. To extend a visit you need to apply for an extension of leave, before the six months period expires, to the Home Office Public Enquiry Office, Immigration and Nationality Directorate, Block C, Whitgift Centre, Croydon CR9 1AT (tel 0870/606 7766). To arrange a visit of more than six months prior to your arrival, contact the British embassy or High Commission in your home country. Citizens of most other nationalities require a visa, obtainable from the British consular office in the country of application. To find out if you need a visa, either contact your nearest British embassy or High Commission, or visit the British Foreign Office Web site: www.fco.gov.uk . Travellers coming into the Republic or the North directly from another EU country do not have to make a declaration to customs at their place of entry and can effectively bring in almost as much wine or beer as they like - although the general rule for imports of alcohol and cigarettes is that goods should be for personal use only. However, there are still strict restrictions - details of which are prominently displayed in all duty-free outlets - on tax- or duty-free goods. There are import restrictions on a variety of articles and substances, from firearms to furs derived from endangered species, none of which should bother the average tourist. Visitors from mainland Britain can bring pets into the North and the Republic, although animals brought from elsewhere overseas are subject to tight quarantine restrictions. These restrictions can be addressed through the new pet passport scheme, which takes around seven months to prepare for and is only eligible for pets entering Britain via Dover, Portsmouth or the Euroshuttle. Once in England, pets with passports can be freely taken to Northern Ireland and the Republic. Detailed information is available from the Pets Travel Scheme helpline (tel 0870 241 1710) and the website of the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Fisheries: www.maff.gov.uk . Throughout Ireland most goods are subject to Value Added Tax (VAT) at 17.36 percent in the Republic and 17.5 percent in the North. Visitors from non-EU countries can save a lot of money through the Retail Export Scheme , which allows a refund of VAT on goods to be taken out of the country. Note that not all shops participate in this scheme - enquire before you make your purchase - and you cannot reclaim VAT charged on hotel bills or other services. In order to make a claim you have to leave the country within three months of purchase. Some shops offer the lower price directly to the customer, and all you are required to do is hand in a receipt to customs as you leave the country, but this procedure does vary, so check at the time of purchase. Information online can be found at www.revenue.ie .
Your Tip for Ireland
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