I am an Indian national and I posses a UK general visitor visa which was issued to me in the USA. I wish to make a short trip to Dublin after I have spent a few days in the UK. I believe that since my UK visa was not issued in India, I cannot avail the BIVS programme. However, there appears to be another programme- the short stay visa waiver programme- which seems to permit my travel to Dublin. Although all material on the website of this programme doesn't state it, I wish to be sure that I can indeed make this trip despite having had my UK visa issued in the USA. Is it sufficient for me to simply have a UK visa and to hold an Indian passport?
EDIT: The question is primarily focused on two aspects:
- To clarify whether the BIVS is a subset of the Short Stay Visa Waiver Programme (henceforth SSVW) or not, stated here as 3(e) and 3(d) respectively, and if so provide reasons. In the Immigration Act 2004, the two are stated as separate points, not sub points, and apply to separate lists of countries and it is not stated there that the BIVS merely imposes additional conditions on Indian and Chinese nationals within the SSVW. One will note that 3(d) states that the SSVW is valid only until October 2016. The amendment which extends the programme to 2021 can be found here. If I am missing something, please let me know and state it clearly.
- If it is established that the BIVS is indeed a separate programme, please clarify whether the clause on obtaining the UK visa in ones home country applies to the SSVW as well.