Visa Processing Times
Processing times
The processing times below reflect the expected number of working days from date of receipt in the Embassy to date of decision. The stated times do not include the time it takes to secure a VFS appointment, nor do they include both-way document transit times, between VFS and the Irish Embassy. Applicants should add VFS transit times, for both legs of the journey, to the visa processing times in order to get a more accurate estimate of when your finalised documents will be received. Please note, "working days" exclude Saturdays, Sundays and all office closure dates; listed under The Embassy - Department of Foreign Affairs (dfa.ie).
It is the applicant's responsibility to apply on time, and requests to expedite the processing time will not be entertained.
The current target processing times in working days (unless otherwise stated) for complete visa applications submitted to the Irish Visa Office, Beijing are as follows:
|
Visa category |
Processing Time
|
|
Business |
20 |
|
Conference / Event |
20 |
|
Employment |
20 |
|
Join family |
up to 12 months |
|
Study |
30 |
|
Visit |
30 |
|
Other |
20 |
|
Appeals (approx.) |
50 |
My application has gone over the stated processing time, what does this mean?
Applicants are advised that unforeseen delays can arise, which are outside the control of the visa office. These can include delays in the receipt of biometric information, postal delays or the need to undertake in-depth document verification. With this in mind, we recommend that you apply six to eight weeks in advance of your travel dates. We advise all applicants not to book flights until you have received and validated your visa. Our office bears no responsibility for missed travel.
In the event that your application has significantly exceeded the above times, it is likely that – on initial assessment – the application has not met the criteria, and further assessment/verification is required. In such instances, processing times will be longer than those stated above, and will be in line with Dublin-based processing times. If you wish to withdraw your application, due to lengthy processing times, please visit the Contact us section.
The speed at which your application will be processed is largely dictated by the quality of your supporting documentation, and your adherence to the applicable immigration policies.
Dublin-based processing
A number of application categories are forwarded to Visa Division in Dublin for processing. In the event you have submitted an application in one of the categories below, you should consult the Irish Immigration Service website and address any queries directly to Visa Division in Dublin: https://www.irishimmigration.ie/contact-immigration-service-delivery/
Dublin-based processing categories:
- Family member of EU/EEA/Swiss cit. (de facto partner)
- Family member of EU/EEA/Swiss cit. (other)
- Family member of EU/EEA/Swiss cit. (spouse)
- Join Family (Irish nat.)(de facto partner)
- Join Family (de facto partner CSEP/HA)
- Join Family (Non-EEA nat.)(de facto partner)
- Join Family (UK nat.)
- Minister of Religion
- Volunteer
Contacting the visa office for a status update
Except in the case of serious travel emergencies, do not contact the visa office seeking an update on your application. Non-emergency requests for status updates will not be responded to. Visa decisions are uploaded on a routine basis, as per the Visa Decisions tab above. Once a decision is made, your documents will be returned via VFS or postal services.
VFS transit time
As stated above, visa applications submitted at VFS visa application centres can take a number of days to be received in the Embassy. The transit times may vary from 2 days to more than 5 days for a one-way journey, depending on the location and distance to travel.