Check if you need a visa

Even if you are a national of a visa required country you may not need an Irish visa if you hold:

• a residence card of a family member of a European Union Citizen, or
• the British-Irish Visa Scheme (BIVS)
• a Irish Short Stay Visa Waiver Programme OR
• the Convention Travel Document and wish to come to Ireland for a short stay.

Residence card of a family member of a European Union citizen

Holders of a document called "Residence card of a family member of a European Union citizen" Family members of an EU citizen who are holders of a document called "Residence card of a family member of a Union citizen" as referred to in Articles 5 (2) and 10 (1) of Directive 2004/38/EC are not subject to an Irish visa requirement.                                        

We do not provide guidance or advice on whether a particular card or document held is sufficient to exempt a person from the visa requirement. 

It is open to the person concerned to contact the appropriate issuing authority of the relevant Member State for guidance or advice as to whether the card or document comes within the definition of the Directive, as implemented by that particular Member State. 

British-Irish Visa Scheme

The British-Irish Visa Scheme is a scheme which allows for short term travel to and around the Common Travel Area between the UK and Ireland (including Northern Ireland), on the basis of a single visa, by nationals who are visa-required for the purpose of travel to or entrance into both jurisdictions.

The Scheme involves the mutual recognition by either jurisdiction of certain classes of visa issued by the other i.e. Ireland will accept a UK visa and vice versa. The following classes of visa come within the scope of the Scheme:

Irish visas

All short-stay ‘C’ visas, single-entry or multiple-entry, issued for the following purposes of travel to Ireland:

• Visit (family/friend)
• Visit (tourist)
• Conference/Event
• Business

and endorsed with the coding ‘BIVS’. Visas endorsed with the coding ‘BIVS’ are described as ‘eligible visas’ for the purpose of this information note.

All other classes of visa e.g. student visas, visas for family reunification are excluded from the scope of the Scheme.

UK Visas

Visas, endorsed with the coding ‘BIVS’, granted to persons seeking leave to enter or remain in the UK as defined in the Immigration Rules of the UK, except those seeking leave to enter as (i) a Visitor in Transit or (ii) a Visitor seeking to enter for the purpose of marriage or to enter a civil partnership.

Find out more about the scheme

British-Irish Visa Scheme Visas are not issued to applicants who do not have a valid UK Visa and wish to transit the Republic of Ireland to visit their reference who is resident in Northern Ireland. In these circumstances it is recommended that you apply for a UK Visa prior to submitting an application for a visa for Ireland.

Irish Short Stay Visa Waiver Programme

Under the Programme certain visas issued by the authorities of the United Kingdom are recognised for the purposes of travel to Ireland. The Programme permits nationals of 18 countries, including India, who are holders of certain categories of Short Stay “C” UK visas to travel to Ireland within the time remaining on their current leave to remain in the UK without the requirement to obtain an Irish visa.

The countries included in the Programme are:

India, Kazakhstan, Peoples Republic of China, Thailand, Uzbekistan, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Russian Federation, Serbia, Turkey and Ukraine

The categories of visas covered are short stay visit visas granted to persons seeking to leave to enter or remain in the UK except those seeking to enter as (i) a Visitor in Transit or (ii) a Visitor seeking to enter for the purpose of marriage or to enter a civil partnership. Long-term visitors to the UK, for example long-term student visas, persons seeking to join spouse or family reunification, are not encompassed.

In order to avail of the Programme you must have landed and gained lawful entry to the UK on foot of your current UK visa, prior to undertaking the journey to Ireland.

Each distinct period of leave to remain in the UK (up to a maximum of 180 days each time) requires a prior legal entry into the UK before travel to Ireland under the Programme, no matter what the duration of the UK visa.

This Programme is not reciprocal. It does not permit a person who is a visa required national under UK immigration rules to enter the UK on foot of an Irish visa.  If you wish to enter the UK (including Northern Ireland), you must be in possession of a valid UK visa.

The Programme will run until October 2021 but may be amended or extended at any point. Detailed information about the Programme and its requirements is available in the information note below.

Find out more information

Check the website of the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) if you are a non-EEA national and wish to accompany or join an EU citizen family member who is moving to or residing in Ireland.

• Employment Visas
• Transiting through a third country
• Re-entry Visas
• Business Visas
• Nurse and Join Family Applications
• Volunteer in Ireland
• Supplementary Forms and Checklists

Employment Visas

• All non-European Economic Area (EEA) nationals must have an employment permit or an Atypical Working Scheme letter.
• Employments permits are issued by the Department of Business, Enterprise and Innovation.
• Atypical Working Scheme letters are issued from the Department of Justice and Equality.
• Once you get permission to work you can apply for an employment visa on our online AVATS service. This is the only way that a non-EEA national can gain employment in Ireland.

See supplementary forms and checklists

Transiting through a Third Country

If you have a visa for Ireland and you are transiting through another country before you arrive in Ireland, you must:

• check with that country or the airline you are traveling with if you need a transit visa for that country.

If you do not have a BC/BIVS endorsed Irish visa and you are transiting through the UK, you must

• check with the UK High Commission and your airline if you need a transit visa to travel through the UK.

Re-entry Visas

See information in relation to

• the abolition of adult re-entry visas
• applications for a re-entry visa for a minor under 16

Business Visas

• About this visa
• Information if you are staying in Ireland for more than 14 days
• Business Express Programme

Nurse and Join Family

Immediate family members (spouse and children under 18 years old) of nurses on a critical skills employment permit can apply for immediate re unification once the nurse has been issued with a critical skills permit

Immediate family members (spouse and children under 18 years old) of nurses on a general work permit can apply for reunification once the sponsor has completed 12 months employment on the general work permit.

When to apply

• 2 months before the 12 months is complete
• We will refuse applicants outside of this time frame

Volunteer in Ireland

Check the website of the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) for information.

Long Stay Visas

When you arrive in Ireland on a Long Stay Visa you must register. The organisation you register with depends on your circumstances.

• Staying in Dublin:
  • Register with the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS)
• Staying outside Dublin:
  • Register with the Garda National Immigration Bureau (GNIB)
• You must pay a fee of €300 each time you renew your visa
• You will then receive your IRP card.

Supplementary Forms and Checklists

Locate your visa type:

• download the supplementary form and checklist
• print them
• complete them
• submit them with your application

How to apply

• Fill in the online visa application form
• Print it
• Sign it
• Keep your 8 digit visa reference number (located on the first page of the summary sheet)

Read our information note for help. It is available in:

• English
• French
• Arabic
• Chinese
• Russian
• Turkish
• Urdu

After submission:

At the end of the online application, we will tell you where to submit the following documents:

• online summary sheet
• visa application
• supporting documentation for your visa type
• supplementary form for your visa type
• checklist for your visa type
• photograph affixed to the top left of your application form
• fee
• current passport (at least 6 months after the date of departure from Ireland or 12 months if applying for a stay long stay visa)
• previous passports (copies of previous passports if originals unavailable)
• Undertaking to Submit Passport Details Form. This form is only applicable to first time travellers or those that have never travelled outside Asia.
• A Police Clearance Certificate with your passport number and photograph if you are applying for:
  • a Long Stay Visa
  • the Atypical Working Scheme
  • a Student Visa
  • a visa and travelling as part of a group or a tourist or visit visa and have never travelled outside India, Sri Lanka, Nepal or Bangladesh
• Minor children under 18 years are exempt.

All documents must be:

• original
• legible
• verifiable
• in English or Irish, or translated with a certified translation
• not in envelopes or folders

We can refuse applications if:

• your documents are not complete
• your documents are not translated into English or accompanied by notarised translation
• we cannot verify the information you supplied
• your application is not signed
• you sent us a damaged passport

Damaged Passports

• We will return these to you.
• You must renew your passport before we will assess your application.

We reserve the right to interview applicants in relation to their visa application. We consider this when assessing the application and making a decision.

Long Stay Visa

Ireland no longer issues re-entry visas to non-EEA nationals living in Ireland. They can now leave and re-enter on their Immigration Residence Permission card (IRP).

People applying for a visa to work, study or join family members in Ireland and need to return home or leave Ireland for another reason within 4 months of your arrival in Ireland, can now apply for a 4 month multiple entry visa.

This will facilitate your travel arrangements until you have registered for your IRP card. You must pay for a multiple visa to be issued with one.

Biometric Information

Biometric information refers to your fingerprints and a digital photograph of your face.

Applies to:

Applicants from India must provide this information each time you apply for a visa.

Exemptions

The information you supply during the online application will determine if you need to give this information.

The following residents do not have to give biometric information:

• Nepal
• Sri Lanka
• Bangladesh
• Maldives

Find out more information

Before starting check if your course is approved by Quality and Qualifications Ireland. We process applications in the order we receive them. We do not make exceptions.

• When to apply

• How to apply

• Payment Details

• On Arrival in Ireland

When to apply

Type of course you are applying for:

• An Undergraduate Degree

• Masters or Postgraduate course

• All other courses

Undergraduate Degree

You can apply 4 months before your course starts. Students waiting for school results in July or early August can apply through the Approval in Principle Scheme.

Masters or Postgraduate course

Submit your visa application before the end of July if you are starting your course in the Autumn. For all other times, you can apply 4 months in advance before your course starts.

All other courses

From 4 months and up to 3 weeks before your course is due to start.

Late Offer

You can submit your visa application 3 weeks before your course start date. You must provide evidence of the late offer and when the course starts.

All applicants

We operate a 3 week rule. We do not accept visa applications from students less than 3 weeks before your course starts unless you have received a late offer. It can take 2/3 working days for VFS to deliver your application to the Visa Office. You must ensure you meet this time-frame. We do not make exceptions. In circumstances were we receive your application 4 weeks before your course is due to start we cannot guarantee to process it on time.

How to apply

• Complete the online visa application form
• Print the Student Information Leaflet and Checklist
• We recommend you use the VFS Check and Verify Service
• Submit the following:
  • provisional school results with your application
  • supporting documents
  • Police Clearance Certificate

We will make a decision based on these documents. You may be interviewed by the Visa Office about your application. The Visa Office may put your application on hold and request a copy of the final results before issuing a visa unless you have submitted your results under the Approval in Principle Scheme.

Payment Details

• Applying via the Approval in Principal Scheme

• All other applicants

Applying via the Approval in Principal Scheme

The following information applies to applicants applying from India or Sri Lanka.

You: 

• can apply for a visa without paying your full course fees in advance
• must pay €6,000 towards the cost of your course fees
• must pay the remainder of your course fees when you submit your final results and get a confirmed letter of offer

 All other applicants

• You must have paid your full course fees before you apply for a visa
• Check when you need to pay your full course fee with your Education Provider

When do you need to pay your course fee to your Education Provider

• before you apply for a visa OR
• by the time you enrol on your course

Before you apply for a visa

We will only consider a visa when you pay your courses fees in full and we will need to see evidence.

By the time you enrol on your course

• We will only consider your visa application where you have paid at least €6,000 if your fee is under €12,000
• In circumstances were your course fee is more than €12000, you must pay at least 50% of the total amount

Scholarships

We will only consider a visa application when you meet the following criteria:

• you have paid 50% of your gross tuition fees when you are in receipt of a scholarship for part of the fee OR
• 50% of the net tuition fee if the scholarship awarded is more than half of the tuition fee

What happens next:

• the Visa Office will consider your application and inform you if it is approved in principal
• you must send your final results to the Education Provider in Ireland
• then send the following documents to the Visa Office:
  • your updated letter of offer from the Education Provider
  • receipt of electronic transfer fee showing payment made in full

We will issue your visa.

On arrival in Ireland

• You must ensure that you have a copy of your final results
• See information about the immigration regime for full time Non-European Area Economic students on the INIS website

Information notes are available in

• English
• Nepalese

India

You

• must lodge supporting documents with your nearest Visa Facilitation Services Global (VFS) Office
• will need to give biometric information unless you are exempt
• can avail of the VFS Check and Verify Service as an add on service

Nepal

Supporting documents for Irish visa required nationals resident in Nepal must submit their visa applications to VFS Kathmandu.

Bangladesh

There is no Visa Facilitation Services Global (VFS) Office in Bangladesh. Submit your application in Kolkata or by post to the Embassy Visa Office.

Sri Lanka

There is no Visa Facilitation Services Global (VFS) Office in Sri Lanka. Submit your application to the Honorary Consulate in Colombo.

Maldives

There is no Visa Facilitation Services Global (VFS) Office in the Maldives. Submit your application by post to the Embassy Visa Office.

Check our latest processing times.

Check our visa decisions.

Check if you are exempt from visa fees

Once you lodge a visa application, you cannot get a refund.

India

You must pay via VFS.

Bangladesh

You must pay by bankers draft from an Indian bank account.

Maldives

You must pay by bankers draft from an Indian bank account.

Nepal

You must pay via VFS.

Sri Lanka

You are exempt from paying the fee. You must pay an administrative fee to the Consulate in Colombo. Other nations who are visa required and applying in Sri Lanka must pay the fee. See contact details.

Service Charge

The Visa Facilitation Service (VSF) Office will charge you a service charge for the following:

• biometric information
• submitting your documents

If we refuse your visa application, we will tell you the reasons why in a letter.

To appeal, you must:

• appeal within two months of receipt of the refusal notice
• address each refusal reason in your appeal
• supply clear and relevant evidence that addresses any deficiencies in your initial application
• send further information or documentation that you would like taken into account

Provision of extra material does not guarantee approval of the application on appeal. There is no charge for lodging an appeal. Do not submit your passport. Send a colour photocopy of your passport, not your original passport.

Where to apply

India, Bangladesh, Nepal, Maldives

Send your appeal in writing by post to the Visa Office in New Delhi.

Sri Lanka Applications

Submit your appeal in writing by post to either the:

• Consulate in Colombo OR
• Embassy Visa Office in New Delhi

If your appeal is successful, you must present your passport at the Consulate in Colombo. A visa sticker will be put in it.

The Appeals Officer will review your visa application. We may reverse our decision upon examination and review of your visa application. We will notify you in writing when we make a decision.

Further information on what to expect on arrival in Ireland can be found on the website of the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS).

How to read your Irish Visa

The Irish Naturalisation & Immigration Service (INIS) has been made aware of reports of fraudulent offer letters being sent via email by unauthorised persons/groups using an INIS, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, or Tourism Ireland logo and using names of personnel from INIS, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Tourism Ireland, and also emailing an application form/certificate claiming to be from an agency contracted out by the Department of Business, Enterprise and Innovation and /or other Irish government departments in an effort to solicit fees from prospective candidates.

These offer letters may at first sight appear legitimate and include application forms to be filled out by prospective candidates in order to get your personal information and to obtain monies by fraudulent means. Prospective candidates are instructed by these unauthorised personnel to pay them processing and administration fees.

Please be advised that these offers are FRAUDULENT and do not come from either the INIS, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Tourism Ireland or Department of Business, Enterprise and Innovation. This is an attempted FRAUD.

Customers are asked to be on alert and be suspicious of any such offers seeking payment. If someone demands payment of any monies, contact INIS or An Garda Síochána immediately. Contact details for INIS.

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.

Answers to common questions can be found on the website of the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS).