Indian citizens can now apply for one travel permit to visit both the United Kingdom and Ireland following the commencement on Tuesday of the British-Irish Visa Scheme (BIVS) in India.

The scheme involves the mutual recognition by Ireland and the United Kingdom of each other’s short term visas.

The agreement, which already applies to Chinese visitors, marked an unprecedented degree of co-operation between Ireland and Britain when the two governments signed it last October.

In December last year Minister for Justice Frances Fitzgerald said the worldwide rollout of the scheme, in co-operation with the British Home Office, was one of her department’s priorities before the Government’s term ends in 2016.

It will see “the automated and seamless sharing and cross-check” of immigration data between Dublin and London. The Irish side will collect biometric data to match that required by British authorities.

The scheme only applies to short-term visas. It does not apply to student or work visas. The Department of Foreign Affairs said visitors should apply for the visa of the country they wish to visit first.

“If you have an Irish short stay visa and you want to also visit the United Kingdom you must travel to Ireland first. If you have a British visit visa and you want to also visit Ireland you must travel to the United Kingdom first.”

The department added that the scheme remains in its “pilot stage” and so far is open only to Indian and Chinese citizens applying for British or Irish short-stay visas in India or China. “The scheme will eventually be rolled out world-wide,” the department said.