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- Do I need a visa?
- How to apply for a visa?
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Latest updates
Latest updates
Student Notice
In order to facilitate that all students can travel to Ireland before their course starts, the Visa Office will now be prioritising all study applications on the basis of their course commencement date. Therefore all students that need to travel to Ireland and register for their course in August will have their applications prioritised. If your course starts in September, your application will be processed in August and may take longer than 20 working days. However if you intend to travel during the Summer period before your course starts in September and you require your passport returned, email the visa office with the details and we will arrange for your passport to be returned to you.
Important Notice
28 May 2019
It has come to our attention that some students have only paid €6,000 towards their fees when the total fee is over €12,000. Only those students who are applying under the Approval-in-Principle Scheme need to pay €6,000 and then they pay the remainder once they confirm their results with the Education Provider in Ireland. The visa will only be issued when they have paid the full fees.
Full fees are expected to be paid by all other students when they make their visa application. The Visa Officer will only assess study applications where a student has paid at least €6,000 towards their fee if it is under €12,000. If less than €6,000 has been paid in these cases the visa application will be refused. If the fee is more than €12000, the student must pay at least half of the total fee amount or the visa application will be refused.
Transiting through a Third Country
If you have been issued with 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 require a transit visa for that country.
If you have not been issued with 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 require a transit visa to travel through the UK.
Submission of Documentation – All Applicants
All required documentation listed on our website must be submitted with the application. The Visa Office will NOT contact applicants requesting missing documents and this will result in the application being refused.
N.B – Persons enquiring about visa matters should not contact the Ambassador’s Office or Consular Section of the Embassy of Ireland as they are not in a position to assist in these matters.
Nurses and Join Family Applications
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 issues with the critical skills permit. These join family applications can take up to 6 weeks to process.
Immediate family members (spouse and children under 18 years old) of nurses on a general work permit can only apply for re-unification once the sponsor has completed 12 months employment on a work permit. These join family applications can take up to 6 weeks to process.
Do not submit these application until 2 months before the 12 months has been completed on the general work permit.
Applications received in the Visa Office from family members of nurses on a general work permit who have not completed at least 10 months on the general work permit will be refused.
Fraudulent Employment letter/email offers:
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. See full contact details for INIS.
All non-EEA nationals must have an employment permit from the Department of Business, Enterprise and Innovation to work in Ireland. Once you have been granted an employment permit, you can apply for an employment visa on our online service. Once you have completed the online process, you must follow the instructions on the summary application form that is created on the online system. This is the only way that a non-EEA national can gain employment in Ireland. Updated September 2018.
Notice for Group Travel (Tourist Visa) applications
All travellers who have never travelled outside of India, Sri Lanka, Nepal or Bangladesh must submit an up to date Police Clearance Certificate with their applications. If you are a first time traveller or have never travelled outside of Asia, you will need to complete and sign the Undertaking on Your Return Form and submit it with your application. Undertaking to Submit Passport Details.
Do I need a visa?
Do I need a visa?
Find out if you are a national of a visa required country and if one of the exceptions applies to you on these pages.
Even if you are a national of a visa required country you may not require 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) or Irish Short Stay Visa Waiver Programme applies to you, or
- you hold a 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.
Please be advised that the Visa Offices /Irish Missions are not in a position to provide guidance or advice as to whether a particular card or document held is sufficient to exempt the person concerned from the visa requirement.
It is however, 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.
How to apply for a visa?
How to apply for a visa?
The Irish Visa Office at the Embassy of Ireland, New Delhi processes visa applications from any person resident in India, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka and the Maldives.
All applications for an Irish Visa must be made by completing an Online Visa Application Form, which can be accessed by clicking on INIS. It will direct you to a secure site from which you can complete an online application.
The summary application sheet generated by the online application system will direct you to the VFS website where you can pay your visa fee unless you are exempt (payment of the visa fee through the VFS website is only applicable to applicants applying in India).
The summary application sheet will also tell you whether you are required to attend a Visa Application Centre for the purpose of providing your Biometric information and /or submitting your documents. (Biometrics is only applicable to applicants applying in India). Find out more about Biometrics.
Information on the submission of a visa application and payment of a visa fee for visa required applicants resident in Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and the Maldives can be viewed below.
Find out more about Biometrics
Applicants from India:
Applications from residents of India must be submitted through a VFS Application Centre in India.
Applicants from Nepal:
Applications from residents of Nepal must be submitted through the VFS Application Centre in Kathmandu.
Applicants from Bangladesh
Applications from residents of Bangladesh must be submitted through the VFS Application Centre in Kolkata or directly by post to the Visa Office. Note visa applicants resident in Bangladesh are not required to give Biometrics.
Applicants from Sri Lanka
Applications from residents of Sri Lanka must be submitted through the Irish Honorary Consulate in Colombo. Note visa applicants resident in Sri Lanka are not required to give biometrics.
Contact the Irish Honorary Consulate in Sri Lanka
Applicants from the Maldives
Applications from residents of Maldives must submit by post to the Visa Office. Note visa applicants resident in the Maldives are not required to give biometrics.
VFS Visa application centres
Visa Application Centres (VACs)
VFS Centres India & Nepal
Supporting documents for Irish visa required nationals resident in India or Nepal can be lodged at VFS VACs throughout India and Nepal. Note VFS do not operate VACs on behalf of the Irish Visa Office in Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Maldives.
Click on Contact VFS for the locations of these VFS Centres.
VFS manages a phone and email helpline to support the Irish Visa Office. For further information click on Contact VFS.
FAQs
FAQs
1. Do I need a visa?
Find out if you are a national of a visa required country and if one of the exceptions applies to you by clicking in this link:
http://www.inis.gov.ie/en/INIS/Pages/check-irish-visa
2. How do I apply for an Irish Visa?
See our procedure for applying for an Irish Visa.
3. What are the Visa Requirements?
The Visa application requirement are listed according to various categories of visa.
4. What is the processing duration for a visa?
The processing duration is listed according to various categories of visa.
5. Where can I find the status of my visa application?
Every Tuesday and Thursday evening a report detailing all visa decisions made during that period at the Irish Visa Office, New Delhi is posted under this Tab titled Visa Decisions.
6. What is the correlation between the given Visa Validity period and the actual date of travel?
The dates indicated in the "to" and "from" fields of an Irish visa are the dates between which the bearer may travel to Ireland and present themselves to an Irish Immigration Officer for entry to the Irish Republic. The duration of stay applied for may be indicated on the visa, but the duration granted is at the discretion of the Irish Immigration Officer at the point of entry. This duration will be stamped in the bearers’ passport. An Irish visa expires once the date in the "to" field has been reached. (Note: - A visa is a form of pre entry clearance; it does not guarantee permission to enter Ireland. A Short Stay (C) visa is for a maximum duration of 90 Days. A Long Stay (D) is of a duration longer than 90 Days.)
7. Can I travel to Ireland with a UK visa?
The British Irish Visa Scheme between Ireland and the UK allows for travel to and from the Common Travel Area (CTA) on a single visa. This means that tourists, business visitors etc. will be able to visit both Ireland and the UK, including Northern Ireland, on a single visa. Currently, nationals of China and India can avail of the British Irish Visa Scheme. If an applicant wants to visit the UK first and then Ireland, they must apply for a British visa, arrive in the UK first and then they can travel onto Ireland. If the applicant wants to come to Ireland first and then travel onto the UK, they must apply for an Irish visa, arrive in Ireland first and then they can travel onto the UK for the duration of their visa/holiday. Where applying for an Irish BIVS, the applicant must make an online application on the INIS website at: https://www.visas.inis.gov.ie
The website contains comprehensive guidelines to assist the applicant with the application process. The documentation needed for each application type can be found by choosing the appropriate visa option:
http://www.inis.gov.ie/en/INIS/Pages/Apply%20for%20a%20visa
The information contained on the website is for guideline purposes only and does not limit the discretion of the Visa Officer in dealing with individual applications. Therefore, all information that the applicant wishes to have taken into consideration should be included where a visa application is submitted. Applicants should allow as much time as possible when applying for a visa but a minimum time of 8 weeks is recommended.
8. Can you provide information on work permit in Ireland?
Work Permits are the responsibility of the Department of Business, Enterprise and Innovations. Employment permits (more than 90 days) are dealt with solely by the Department of Business, Enterprise and Innovation, whose contact details are available here: www.dbei.gov.ie
Applications for short-term employment (15 - 90 days) are processed by the Atypical Workers Unit of the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service:
http://www.inis.gov.ie/en/INIS/Pages/Atypical%20Working%20Scheme%20Guidelines
Working Holiday Authorisations (young people) are a matter for the Department of Foreign Affairs. https://www.dfa.ie/travel/visas/working-holiday-visas
Please bear in mind that some nationalities are required to be in possession of a visa prior to seeking entry to Ireland (this is in addition to having one of the permissions mentioned above). If you are unsure whether you are a visa required national, please access the following link: http://www.inis.gov.ie/en/INIS/Pages/check-irish-visa
Only in circumstances where a permit has been granted should a visa required national make an application for the appropriate visa.
9. Do I need a transit visa to travel via Ireland?
Nationals of some states or territorial entities are required to be in possession of an Irish transit visa when arriving at a port of entry in Ireland. The purpose of this visa is to facilitate passing through an Irish port (airport, seaport) in order to travel to another state, e.g., a connecting flight.
A transit visa does not permit travellers to enter Ireland for any purpose. It only permits them to transit through Ireland in order to reach a destination in another state. If the intention is to leave the port at any stage, a short stay visa application must be made. Where applicable, travellers must have a visa for their country of destination before applying for an Irish transit visa. Nationals of the states or territorial entities listed below are subject to an Irish transit visa requirement:
Afghanistan, Ethiopia, Moldova, Albania, Ghana, Nigeria, Cuba, Iran, Somalia, Democratic Republic of Congo, Iraq, Sri Lanka, Georgia, Ukraine, Eritrea, Lebanon and
Zimbabwe.
Applicants can apply for a transit visa up to 3 months before their date of transit through Ireland and must make an online application at: https://www.visas.inis.gov.ie
If you are not on the list of countries above, but require a visa for Ireland (http://www.inis.gov.ie/en/INIS/Pages/check-irish-visa) and will be passing through Immigration at the Airport, you may require a Visit Visa. Please check with your Airline/Travel Provider if you have to pass through Immigration.
10. As a visa applicant from Bangladesh, where do I submit my documents?
Since there is currently no Visa Office for Ireland in Bangladesh, you can submit your application either through VFS Kolkata or by post to the ‘Embassy of Ireland, C-17 Malcha Marg, Chanakyapuri, New Delhi 110021, India.’ Please click on link below for information on applying for a visa for Ireland: https://www.dfa.ie/irish-embassy/india/visas/applying-for-irish-visa/
If you have a question that is not answered on this website, you may visit the FAQs page of VFS or you can email your query to Visa Office by clicking on, contact the Visa Office.