Irish visa resources
The Common Travel Area
The long-standing arrangement letting Irish and British citizens travel, live, work and study freely between Ireland and the UK.
Important
The Common Travel Area (CTA) covers Ireland, the United Kingdom, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man. It allows Irish and British citizens to travel freely between these places and to live, work and study in each other's country. UK citizens are not treated as 'non-nationals' for the purposes of Irish immigration law.
The CTA and its associated rights pre-date and are independent of EU membership, so they continued after the UK left the European Union. Residence in the CTA is also treated the same way as residence in Ireland for the habitual residence condition, which affects access to certain social welfare supports.
What it means in practice
- Irish and British citizens can travel between Ireland and the UK without needing immigration permission
- UK citizens can live, work and study in Ireland without a visa or residence permission
- CTA rights continue after Brexit and are separate from EU free movement
- Note: non-EEA family members of UK nationals may have separate immigration requirements
Next steps
Official sources
For the most accurate and up-to-date information, always refer to the official government sources.
Verified against official sources · last reviewed 2026-08-21. Information only — not legal advice.