Who needs a Visa?

Whether you need a visa to enter Ireland depends on what country you’re from.

S.I. No 473 of 2014 groups countries into five different categories (schedules).

Please see Schedule 1, which is a list of countries that DO NOT NEED a visa. If your country is NOT listed you must apply for a visa before you travel to Ireland.

Note: A Schengen visa or UK visa is not valid for travel to Ireland. Note: For exceptions to this, please see Schedules 2, 3 and 4 below

Remember…

If you’re a citizen of a non-EEA country, whether you need a visa or not, you will be subject to immigration control when you enter Ireland.

Schedule 1 - Countries that do not need a visa

You DO NOT NEED an entry visa for Ireland if you are a passport holder of one of these countries:

Convention travel documents

If you hold Convention travel documents issued by an EEA state, please refer to Section 3. (b) (i) of S.I. No 473 of 2014 (short-stay visits only). 

Schedule 2 - Diplomatic Passport waiver programme

A holder of a diplomatic passport issued by a State or territorial entity specified below is not required to have a visa to enter Ireland

Schedule 3 - Visa waiver programme

If you’re a citizen of one of these countries and you meet Visa Waiver Programme requirements, you may be able to travel on to Ireland from the UK without the need to obtain a separate Irish visa.

If not, you’ll need to apply for an entry visa before you travel to Ireland.

NOTE: This also applies to nationals of Oman, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates who have entered the United Kingdom on foot of a C-visit Electronic Visa Waiver (EVW)

Schedule 4 - British Irish Visa Scheme (BIVS)

United Kingdom visitors who are – nationals of a state or territorial entity specified in Schedule 4, AND holders of a visa issued by the competent authorities of the United Kingdom that is endorsed by those authorities with the letters “BIVS”

Schedule 5 - Transit Visas

If you are a citizen of one of these countries, you will need to apply for a transit visa

How to Apply

Visa applications in Riga, Latvia

Applications must be submitted online through the Automated Visa Application and Tracking System (AVATS).

Information on applying

AVATS information, in English and Russian, is available at the links below. Applications must be submitted in English. If you have difficulties with the English language, then a friend or relative can make the online application on your behalf.

In English

In Russian

Apply online now

To apply online please visit AVATS online applications. You will need to make a note on your application reference number and to print out the summary of your online application. Applications will be held on the system for 30 days.

Submitting your visa support documents

Once you have applied online, contact us on 6703 9370 to arrange an appointment so that you can submit your visa supporting documents, visa photographs and make the visa fee payment.

Opening hours

Visa documents may be submitted, by appointment only, between 14.30 and 16.30 Monday-Tuesday and Thursday-Friday. Please contact 6703 9370 to arrange an appointment.

Visa queries

If you require information about the type of visa you need, the documents you should submit, or how to apply online please ring 6703 9370 between the hours of 09.30 and 12.30 Monday to Friday.

Visiting Northern Ireland

If you intend to visit Northern Ireland you must have a British visa before you apply for an Irish visa.

Processing Times

The processing times for visa applications vary depending on the visa type.

You should apply for your visa in plenty of time, ideally 6 - 8 weeks before your travel date. Please note that we can only process fully complete applications. If you are missing documents, your application will take longer to process and may be rejected.

What sort of Visa do I need?

A comprehensive list of the different visa types that are available, and the documentation required in respect of each, is available from the INIS website.

For ease of reference, separate links for some of the most common visa types are set out below.

Travelling to Ireland as a tourist

If you are a Visa-required national and you would like to visit Ireland for a short period (90 days or less) you will find useful guidelines and details of requirements for Visit/Holiday Visa applications from INIS

For further information on tourism in Ireland please visit the website of Tourism Ireland

Travelling to Ireland as a Family members of EU/EEA/Swiss citizens seeking to reply on Directive 2004/38/EC (Free Movement Directive)

Please refer to INIS for details and comprehensive information regarding these types of applications.

Travelling to Ireland on business

Business Meeting

If you are a Visa-required national and coming to Ireland for a business meeting you will find useful guidelines and details of requirements for Business Visa applications on INIS

Conference

If you are a Visa-required national and coming to Ireland for a conference, you will find useful guidelines and details of requirements for Conference Visa applications on INIS

Starting a Business in Ireland

If you are a Visa-required national and you wish to set up a business in Ireland, you will require Business Permission from the Department of Justice and Equality, prior to applying for your visa. Find more information on the INIS website

Studying in Ireland

If you require an entry visa for Ireland and would like to study here, you will find useful guidelines and details of requirements for Study Visa applications on INIS

For further information on studying in Ireland:

• Immigration Regime for Full Time Non-EEA Students
• Irish Council for International Students
• Immigration and Visas - A guide for international students

Fees

Payment is accepted in cash and in Euros only.

Single-entry visa € 60

Multiple-entry visa € 100

Once a visa application is lodged for processing, the processing fee cannot be refunded.

No fee required

Some applicants don't have to pay a fee for their visa. These include visa-required spouses and certain family members of EEA citizens. You must provide proof of the relationship with the application.

In addition, applicants from the countries listed below don't have to pay a fee:

Visa Appeals

My application has been refused

If your application has been refused and you still want to travel to Ireland, you can:

• Appeal the decision or
• Make a new application

If you decide to make a new application, your previous application history may be taken into account.

Appealing the decision

You'll be sent a letter outlining the reasons for refusal. If you believe the decision is wrong, you can make an appeal within two months of receiving the refusal notice.

How do I make an appeal?

Your appeal must be made in writing to the address specified in the letter you have received. Appeals may only be lodged by you (or your guardian if a minor) and must be signed by you. Faxed or emailed appeals will not be considered.

You should:

• Address each refusal reason in your appeal
• Supply clear and relevant evidence in your appeal to support your application
• Include any further information or documentation with your appeal letter
• Be aware that provision of the additional information/documentation doesn't guarantee approval

The review

The Appeals Officer will review your application, taking account of any additional information or documentation that you have supplied.

On examination and review the original decision may be reversed. The Appeals Officer will notify you in writing when the decision is made and in general, a decision should issue within 4-6 weeks.

Is there a charge?

There is no charge for lodging an appeal.

On Arrival in Ireland

Immigration control

An Irish visa is not an entry permission. It's a document giving you permission to present at a port of entry to ask to be admitted to Ireland.

All non-EEA citizens, whether they need a visa or not, will be subject to ordinary immigration controls at the port of entry.

Additional documents

As well as your visa, an Immigration Officer may ask to see additional information such as:

• Accommodation bookings
• Return flights
• Contacts in Ireland

Length of stay

The Immigration Officer at the port of entry will decide your length of stay by stamping your passport; which will reflect the purpose of your journey and the amount of time you are allowed to stay in the State.

The validity period shown on your visa indicates the dates between which you must travel to Ireland. These dates are NOT the dates between which you're permitted to remain in Ireland.

Staying over three months

If you need a visa to enter Ireland and you want to stay longer than 90 days, apply for a 'D' type visa before you travel. Permission to enter on the basis of a 'C' type visa will not give you permission to remain beyond a 90 day period.

Registration

If you're a non-EEA national and you want to stay longer than three months in Ireland, you must register with the Garda National Immigration Bureau and apply for permission to remain in Ireland.

Conditions of your visa

Under Irish law, you're not allowed to engage in any activity or to remain in Ireland for any purpose other than that for which your visa or permission to remain was granted.

Overstaying your visa

If you stay in Ireland longer than your permission to remain permits, you could be liable for prosecution and/or deportation.

Change of activity

If you want to undertake any activity in Ireland other than that for which your visa was granted you must leave the country and apply for a new visa. You can’t return to Ireland while you're waiting for a decision on your new application.