UK entry from Ireland: ETA, visa, plugs and money

ETA or visa?

No ETA or visa. GOV.UK says Irish citizens, like British citizens, do not need an ETA or a visa to visit the UK.^[3]

GOV.UK also says that people who live in Ireland and travel from Ireland, Guernsey, Jersey or the Isle of Man do not need an ETA, whatever their nationality, though they must carry the documents it lists.^[3]

Your plans can change the answer: GOV.UK says an ETA is not for marrying, working or staying longer than 6 months, and that you do not need one if you already have a UK visa or permission to live, work or study here.^[3] Check with the official checker.^[5]

What to do next

Bring your passport (or another accepted document). Our Common Travel Area notes explain what GOV.UK says about travel between Ireland and the UK.

Then work through our pre-trip checklist.

Healthcare and insurance

If your country issues you a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) that you can use in the UK, bring it: GOV.UK says it covers medically necessary care, but not planned treatment, private care or being flown home, and that the government always advises visitors to take out travel or health insurance.^[7]

Read travel insurance and the NHS for visitors for what is free, what is charged and what to check in a policy.

Plugs and voltage

Ireland uses plug type G at about 230 V, 50 Hz. The UK uses Type G at 230 V, 50 Hz. Type G is also used, so many of your plugs may fit; check each charger label for 230 V or “100–240 V”.^[9] These figures come from Wikipedia’s table of mains electricity by country, which we use as background rather than an official source. Our plugs and voltage answer explains adapters and converters.

Money

Prices in the UK are in pounds sterling. Cards and phone wallets are widely accepted; see money in Britain for cash, banknotes and why tax-free shopping ended.

Approximate currency converter

Prices on Britlens are in pounds (GBP). This gives a rough idea in another currency using European Central Bank reference rates for Oct 30, 2026, converted by us into rates against the pound. The ECB publishes them for information only: your bank or card will use its own rate and may add fees.

Rate table for Oct 30, 2026

One pound in other currencies, ECB reference rates for Oct 30, 2026, converted by Britlens

Currency	£1 is about	1 unit is about
Euro (EUR)	1.20 EUR	£0.83
US dollar (USD)	1.34 USD	£0.75
Canadian dollar (CAD)	1.87 CAD	£0.53
Australian dollar (AUD)	1.91 AUD	£0.52
New Zealand dollar (NZD)	2.38 NZD	£0.42
Japanese yen (JPY)	211 JPY	£0.0047
Chinese yuan renminbi (CNY)	8.91 CNY	£0.11
Indian rupee (INR)	127 INR	£0.0079
South Korean won (KRW)	1,789 KRW	£0.0006
Swiss franc (CHF)	1.10 CHF	£0.91
Swedish krona (SEK)	13.17 SEK	£0.08
Polish zloty (PLN)	5.28 PLN	£0.19
Brazilian real (BRL)	7.28 BRL	£0.14
Mexican peso (MXN)	25.33 MXN	£0.04
Singapore dollar (SGD)	1.71 SGD	£0.58
Hong Kong dollar (HKD)	10.51 HKD	£0.10
South African rand (ZAR)	22.36 ZAR	£0.04
Israeli new shekel (ILS)	4.19 ILS	£0.24

Source: ECB euro foreign exchange reference rates (opens in new tab), Oct 30, 2026. Approximate; rates change daily.

Emergency numbers

In the UK, 999 and 112 both reach the emergency services; the call handler asks which service you need.^[10]

Look up your nationality

Choose the nationality on the passport you will travel with. We tell you which GOV.UK list it is on. Only the official checker (opens in new tab) can confirm your answer.

All nationalities and how the lists work

Quick answers

Do citizens of Ireland need a visa or an ETA to visit the UK?

GOV.UK says Irish citizens, like British citizens, do not need an ETA or a visa to visit the UK. The official GOV.UK checker confirms your own answer.

What plug adapter do I need in the UK if I come from Ireland?

Ireland uses plug type G at about 230 V, 50 Hz. The UK uses Type G at 230 V, 50 Hz. Type G is also used, so many of your plugs may fit; check each charger label for 230 V or “100–240 V”.

What is the emergency number in the UK?

Call 999 or 112. Both reach the same emergency service: police, ambulance, fire or coastguard.