Visas
Update 30 June 2020
- All remaining Irish VACs, as well as our VAC in Mongolia, will reopen on Monday, 6 July 2020.
- Only long-stay visas ('D' categories) will be processed initially. Short-stay Visas ('C' categories) will not be processed due to ongoing restrictions in Ireland.
- If you were unable to travel back to Ireland during the Covid-19 outbreak, and your IRP card expired during this period, please contact our office before making your visa application so that we can advise you about the procedure.
- Certain Priority/Emergency cases will continue to be processed by the Visa Office in Beijing until further notice.
- Those travelling will be expected to serve a 14 day period of self-isolation upon arrival to Ireland.
The Irish Embassy is pleased to confirm the reopening of our remaining Visa Application Centres (VACs) in China, as well as our VAC in Ulaanbaatar, with effect from Monday, 6 July 2020 - subject to Irish Government Covid-19 measures and any local restrictions that may be in place. These reopening’s follow on from the successful restart of our VACs in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Chongqing and Hong Kong recently.
The operation of these VACs will continue to be carefully monitored by a range of stakeholders including VFS, Immigration Service Delivery (ISD) in Ireland and will be guided by public health advice set by the Irish Health Service Executive (HSE) and World Health Organisation (WHO).
The VACs will only allow long-stay applications to be made ('D' categories – further info below) at this time. No tourism or short-stay visas ('C' categories) will be processed due to ongoing Covid-19 restrictions in Ireland. Please be assured that we fully intend to resume our full range of visa services just as soon as public health concerns have been abated in line with Irish Government policy.
Applicants should be aware
By law, those travelling to Ireland will be required to fill out a form called the 'Covid-19 Passenger Locator Form'. This form (which should be completed before you travel) may be used by Irish health authorities to contact you to verify your location in Ireland. It will also help contact tracers to contact you if there is a confirmed case of coronavirus on your flight.
Applicants should also be aware that people can face a fine of up to €2,500 or six months in prison, or both, if:
- They do not complete this form;
- If they provide false or misleading information; or
- If they fail to provide an update of any information should they move to a different location within the 14-day self-isolation period.
Priority/Emergency Cases
Certain Priority/Emergency Short Stay cases will continue to be processed:
- Emergency visa (e.g. Healthcare professionals, health researchers, and elderly care professionals);
- Immediate family members of Irish citizens*;
- Persons legally resident in the State;
- Persons entitled to avail of the provision of the EU Free Movement Directive;
- Transport personnel engaged in haulage of goods and other transport staff to the extent necessary;
- Diplomats, staff of international organisations, military personnel and humanitarian aid workers in the exercise of their functions.
(*Please note that where an applicant and Irish national have been living abroad, and Ireland is not their habitual residence, these cases will be processed in the normal manner. Exceptions will be made in cases where an Irish national is returning to provide medical/health services, or family members are being repatriated as part of a consular arrangement.)
If your application falls under one of these categories, please contact irishvisabeijing@dfanet.ie so that we can guide you through the application process and advise you how to submit your documentation.
Further information
Please note that as part of the response to COVID-19, the Registration Office in Burgh Quay and all local registration offices are currently closed and will be until further notice. You should check the INIS website for updates on when the offices will reopen and then make an appointment to register as normal.)
A 'Frequently Asked Questions' (FAQ) document about the impact of COVID-19 on Immigration and International Protection in Ireland has also been published and can be found here.
For our customers based in China, please visit https://www.vfsglobal.cn/ireland/china/ for further updates.
For our customers based in Mongolia, please visit https://www.vfsglobal.com/ireland/mongolia/ for further updates.