Ireland imposes visa restrictions on St Lucia

CASTRIES, St Lucia, CMC –  The St Lucia government on Monday said it had not been given any prior notice by the Irish government regarding its decision to impose visa requirements for nationals wanting to visit the European country.

“I have no control over Irish internal policy. The Irish government decides what’s in the best interest of Ireland. I have no control over that,” Prime Minister Phillip Pierre told reporters on Monday, adding, “We are living in a space where countries are creating their own domestic legislation for their own domestic reasons.”

“So I cannot opine on why Ireland did it. I don’t know why Ireland did it,” Pierre said, noting that the Irish had also placed similar requirements on St Kitts and Nevis and Nicaragua.

“They did it to Trinidad and Tobago. They did it to several other countries. So it’s not something we’re happy about. But really, there’s nothing I can do about it. I can just hope that, at some point, good sense will prevail, et cetera.

“But St Lucia prides itself on the fact that we also have tools and instruments we can use. We have a vote in the United Nations and we’ll use that to the best of our ability, strategically,” Pierre said.

Pierre said that he had received official confirmation from Ireland on June 12 from its embassy in Canada informing him of the visa requirement, which took effect on Monday.

“This visa introduction applies to holders of ordinary, diplomatic and service passports. Transit visas will also be required for St Lucia nationals intending to transit through Ireland. Transitional arrangements will be in place for nationals of St Lucia, St Kitts and Nevis, and Nicaragua who have already booked travel to Ireland before June 15, 2026, and will enter and depart from Ireland before July 14, 2026, provided that they are in possession of the requisite travel documents.

“This includes a valid passport and airline tickets. Nationals who have existing travel arrangements to Ireland are advised to check the Immigration Service Delivery website for further information. The introduction of this visa requirement for these nationals is part of an ongoing process to keep Ireland aligned with the practices in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the Common Travel Area,” Pierre read from the document.

He said the Irish had indicated that processing time is estimated at eight to 10 weeks for all visa categories.

Pierre said that the changes by developed countries underscore the need for the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) to collaborate further.

“That’s why we’re in this world alone. Nobody will assist us. That’s why we have to work together, because no one will care about us. We have to work together. That’s why CARICOM is so significant, because we have to face these challenges alone.”

Pierre said that there is a strong anti-immigration sentiment globally and “so that’s why it’s so important that our region, internally and regionally, gets together because the whole world seems to be getting very insular.

“The situation is that these countries have decided that they are going to be anti-immigrant, and St Lucia happens to be a country that will fall within the whole gambit of anti-immigration policy.

“What can we do? We can’t influence British immigration policy. We can’t. I mean, if the government of England believes that being anti-immigrant will help them in their local political [arena] ... you saw the government lost local government elections ...,” Pierre added.

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