Visas

Update: 1 April 2020

As part of the combined efforts to tackle the coronavirus to ensure customer safety, it has been decided that all Irish Visa Application Centres (VACs) across the VFS China network, as well our VAC in Mongolia, will remain closed until further notice.

While it will still be possible to apply for an Irish visa online in the normal manner, these temporary closures mean that applicants will experience delays in securing appointment times at the VACs to complete their application process and we apologise for any inconvenience this might cause. Please note that any application made online will remain valid until such time as the VACs reopen.

Certain Priority/Emergency cases will continue to be processed. They are:

• 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.

Separately, and as part of building security and safety measures currently in effect in Beijing, any visits to the Irish Visa Office by members of the public must be by appointment letter. As is the case with other compounds that house multiple organisations, no walk-ins to the office are being permitted at this time. (requests to: irishvisabeijing@dfanet.ie). Please be assured that the Irish Embassy is in ongoing contact with VFS and Government authorities throughout this time, and we intend to fully resume our visa operations as soon as safety concerns for members of the public have been abated.

For our customers based in China, please visit　http://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.