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Please be advised that the Embassy of Ireland, Great Britain website has moved and this page is no longer being updated. The Embassy website is now available at Ireland.ie/london.

Visa Information

 

 

Update 30/10/2023 - Christmas & New Year Travel

**Christmas & New Year Travel**

 

Please note that the Visa Office cannot guarantee that any Visit Visa application made at a Visa Application Centre (operated by VFS) later than the 17/11/23 will be processed in time for travel by 22/12/23. Those seeking to travel earlier than 22/12/23 should tailor their submission time accordingly.

 

Similarly, postal applicants from Northern Ireland, IoM and the Channel Islands should send their applications by tracked post on or before 17/11/23 to meet a travel date of 22/12/23.

 

 

Update 2nd March 2023 .

Please note that, on a temporary basis, VFS can only facilitate ‘walk-in’ customers at their Visa Application Centres (VACs) in London, Birmingham, Manchester, Cardiff & Edinburgh, between 08.30 am to 11.00am. It is not possible to make reserved appointment on-line.

 

Update 30th November 2022.

We are pleased to advise that the Visa Office at the Embassy of Ireland, London, can now facilitate Irish Working Holiday Authorisation (WHA) applications for New Zealand citizens who are currently in the UK, on the same basis as for Australian citizens.

Further information can be found here.

 

 

Visas for Ireland

Please note that it is only permitted to apply for an Irish visa to the Embassy of Ireland in London if you are legally resident in the UK. Those in the UK on temporary visas (e.g. tourism) cannot apply for an Irish visa through this Embassy. Applicants for Irish visas worldwide must do so from their country of ordinary residence, in advance of travel, and in accordance with the arrangements in place for visa applications for that country.

As such, this page contains information for permanent residents of the UK who may require a visa to travel to Ireland. Please be aware that possession of a residence permission in the UK has no bearing on the requirement for a visa to travel to Ireland.

Ireland is not a member of the Schengen Area. An Irish visa does not permit travel to the Schengen Area, nor does a visa issued by a country in the Schengen Area allow for travel to Ireland.

The Visa Office at the Embassy of Ireland caters for visa required non-EEA citizens who wish to visit Ireland, not for Irish citizens who may require visas to travel internationally. Irish citizens who wish to ascertain if they need a visa for a third country can find information here.

Australian & New Zealand Citizens who wish to avail of a Working Holiday Authorisation (WHA) in Ireland can find information here.

You need to check if you need an Irish visa on the website of the Irish Immigration Service.

Please note that Ireland is not party to the Schengen Agreement, and a Schengen visa or residence permit does not entitle you to travel to Ireland without a visa.

Unless you qualify for the short stay visa waiver programme or have a visa issued as part of the British Irish Visa Scheme (BIVS), a valid UK visa does not entitle you to travel to Ireland without a visa.

You should apply for a visa in good time before you travel. You are advised not to pay for a travel ticket before you receive a decision on your visa.

Submitting your application

1. Complete the online application form.
2. Refer to the checklists available in the 'Types of Visa and Documentation' section of this website and gather your supporting documentation
3. Submit your signed application form and supporting documents to the appropriate office

If you live in England, Scotland or Wales you need to submit your application by attending VFS Global in person at one of the following Irish Visa Application Centres. It is not possible to make an appointment on-line at present. Please attend in person, without an appointment, from 08.30 to 11.00am, at the Irish Visa Application Centre of your choice.  

Location

Address

Walk In Times

London Irish Visa Application Centre, 66 Wilson Street, EC2A 2BT 08:30 – 11.00 Mon. to Fri.
Manchester Irish Visa Application Centre, 50 Devonshire Street North, M12 6JH 08:30 – 11.00 Mon. to Fri.
Birmingham Irish Visa Application Centre, 5 -14 South Road, B67 7BN 08:30 – 11.00 Mon. to Fri.
Edinburgh Irish Visa Application Centre, 1 Rennie's Isle, EH6 6QT 08:30 – 11.00 Mon. to Fri.
Cardiff 19 Newport Road, Cardiff, Wales, United Kingdom, CF24 0AA 08:30 – 11.00 Mon. to Fri.

If you live in Northern Ireland, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man, you should submit your application by sending a tracked post envelope to the following address:

Visa Office,

Ground Floor,

114A Cromwell Road,

London,

SW7 4ES

You should ensure that you note the tracking number of the envelope used to send your documents to this office.

4. Decisions will be made on applications in date order from the date received in the Embassy of Ireland Visa Office. Due to the volume of applications received it is not possible to provide an update on individual applications. However, we do publish target processing time information under the visa processing times category. We also publish a Weekly Decision Report so you can check if a decision has been made on your application.

Please Note

All supporting documentation should be in English or accompanied by a notarised translation. Failure to translate your documents into English may result in your visa application being refused. It is not sufficient to send in copies of your documents. All documentation submitted must be original and verifiable (e.g.) employment/study details, accommodation bookings must have correct contact details on each document. If this Office is unable to verify the information supplied this may result in your visa being refused.

Remember…

The onus is on you, the applicant, to ensure that your application is fully complete before submitting it for consideration.  You should note that if you submit an incomplete application, it may result in your application being refused.

 If you have been refused a visa for any country, details of this must be given in your application. Submit a copy of the visa decision letter issued to you by the authorities of that country, including a notarised translation if not in English. Concealment or non-submission of previous visa refusals will result in your Irish visa application being refused.

Please note that if you provide false, fraudulent or misleading information or documentation, your application will be refused. You may also lose the right to appeal the decision. Any future applications made by you may also be refused, or you may be prevented from making further Irish Visa applications for up to 5 years.

If deemed necessary, additional documentation / information may be requested by the Deciding Officer upon detailed examination of the application.

If you submit false or misleading information in support of your application, you may become liable for prosecution and/or deportation.

The following checklists outline the requirements of the most common types of visa applications

Short Stay

 

Long Stay

Further information on travelling to Ireland on a short or long term basis, and the documentation involved, can be found on the website of the Irish Immigration Service.

Visa Application Fees

Some applicants are required to pay a visa application fee, while others are exempt. Please refer here for information.

If you are resident in the UK and you are a national of a country included in the Irish Visa Waiver Programme you require a separate Irish visa but you are not required to pay an application fee. Details of the countries included in the programme can be found here.

For those applicants required to pay a fee, the following amounts are currently applied by the Visa Office in London:.

Single journey visa (long or short stay) £51
Multiple journey visa £86
Transit visa £21

Working Holiday Authorisation

(Australian/New Zealand citizens only)

£51

Visa fees are paid in local currency – i.e. pounds sterling. Fees may vary from time to time to take account of currency changes

If you live in England, Scotland or Wales payment for your application will be taken by VFS Global at the Irish Visa Application Centre when you submit your application.

If you live in Northern Ireland, Channel Islands or the Isle of Man payment for your application submitted by post should be made by including a postal order or bank draft with your application. Personal cheques are not accepted. Postal orders and bank drafts should be made payable to 'the Embassy of Ireland' for the appropriate amount.

The visa fee is an administration fee which covers the cost of processing your application. This fee cannot be refunded if your application is refused or withdrawn.

VFS Global Fees

VFS Global is a commercial company who facilitate visa applicants in making their visa applications to the Irish Visa Office. VFS Global manages the Visa Application Centres (VACs) on behalf of the Embassy of Ireland, where applicants in England, Scotland & Wales should submit their completed visa application form, supporting documents and biometric data. 

Whether or not an applicant is exempt from paying a visa application fee, VFS Global will levy a service fee for the submission of an application at a VAC. VFS also provide a range of additional services which an applicant may choose to avail of in making their application.

Your visa application will be processed and decided by Embassy of Ireland staff. VFS Global and its staff do not play any part in, or influence, the outcome of your visa application. VFS Global can only provide services to ensure that your visa application is correctly submitted.

If your application has been refused, you will be sent a letter outlining the reasons for refusal.

If you still wish to travel to Ireland, you can appeal this decision within two months of receiving the refusal notice.

Further information on appealing visa decisions can be found on the website of the Irish Immigration Service.

Further information on what to expect on arrival in Ireland can be found on the website of the Irish Immigration Service.

I understand that any false or misleading information , or false supporting documentation may result in the refusal of my application may be refused and I may be prevented from making further visa applications for a period of up to 5 years. An appeal, against the decision to refuse to grant the visa sought, may not be permitted.

The Embassy applies a zero tolerance policy with respect to fraudulent applications. An application containing a deception such as a forged document, a document containing false information or information withheld from an application (such as a previous visa refusal) may result in your application being refused without the prospect of appeal. If the application was submitted as part of a group, all applications in that group maybe refused without appeal. Where applications are rejected on the grounds of a deception, a 5-year ban may also be applied.