Visa Information
Update 14th January 2021.
Summary:
- Negative PCR test result within 72 hours of arrival in Ireland required from the 16th of January 2021
- Irish VACs in Abuja, Lagos and Accra are open for appointments.
- Only certain category of long-stay visas ('D' categories) can be made currently.
- Certain Priority/Emergency cases will continue to be processed as normal.
- Those travelling will be expected to restrict their movement for a 14 day period upon arrival in Ireland.
- Post arrival testing introduced to reduce lenght of time movements need to be restricted.
Prearrival testing
From Saturday 16 January 2021, all passengers arriving into Ireland are required to have a negative/’not detected’ result from a pre-departure COVID-19 PCR test carried out no more than 72 hours prior to arrival in Ireland.
Passengers may be asked to present evidence of their negative/’not detected’ result before boarding their airplane and will be required to produce this evidence to Immigration Officers on arrival at points of entry to the State.
Passengers who arrive in an Irish Airport or Sea Port without evidence of a negative/’not detected’ COVID-19 PCR test result will commit an offence and may be subject to prosecution, punishable by a fine not exceeding €2,500 or imprisonment for a term not exceeding 6 months or both.
Applicants should be aware:
Irish public health advice is to avoid non-essential overseas travel to/from Ireland. If you must travel to Ireland, you need to fill out a COVID-19 Passenger Locator Form online before you travel. To fill out form and for further info and advice go to https://gov.ie/locatorform
Applicants should also be aware that people can face a fine of up to €2,500 or six months in prison, or both, if:
1.) They do not complete this form;
2.) If they provide false or misleading information; or
3.) If they fail to provide an update of any information should they move to a different location within the 14-day restricted movement period.
Post arrival testing of passengers
With effect from midnight 29 November 2020, the period of restricted movement can end if you receive a negative/’not detected’ result of a PCR test that has been taken a minimum of five days after your arrival in Ireland. You should wait for your negative test result to be returned before ending the period of restricted movements.
Priority/Emergency Cases.
Certain Priority/Emergency Short Stay cases will continue to be processed:
- Healthcare professionals, health researchers, and elderly care professionals;
- Immediate family members of Irish citizens (who are returning to their ordinary place of residence in Ireland);
- Persons legally resident in the State;
- Persons entitled to avail of the provision of the EU Free Movement Directive;
- Transport personnel engaged in haulage of goods and other transport staff to the extent necessary;
- Frontier workers;
- Seasonal workers in agriculture;
- Diplomats, staff of international organisations and people invited by international organisations whose physical presence is required for the well-functioning of these organisations, military personnel and humanitarian aid workers and civil protection personnel in the exercise of their functions;
- Passengers in transit;
- Passengers travelling for critical family reasons;
- Seafarers;
- Persons in need of international protection or for other humanitarian reasons;
- Third-country nationals travelling for the purpose of study;
- Highly qualified third-country workers if their employment is necessary from an economic perspective and the work cannot be postponed or performed abroad.
(*Please note that where an applicant and Irish national have been living abroad, and Ireland is not their habitual residence, these cases will be processed in the normal manner. Exceptions will be made in cases where an Irish national is returning to provide medical/health services, or family members are being repatriated as part of a consular arrangement.)
If your application falls under one of these categories, please contact us so that we can guide you through the application process and advise you how to submit your documentation.
Further information…
For information on long-stay ('D'-category) visas, please visit: http://www.inis.gov.ie/en/INIS/Pages/Apply%20for%20a%20visa#long-stay
(Please note that as part of the response to COVID-19, the Registration Office in Burgh Quay and all local registration offices are currently closed and will be until further notice. You should check the INIS website for updates on when the offices will reopen and then make an appointment to register as normal.)
A 'Frequently Asked Questions' (FAQ) document about the impact of COVID-19 on Immigration and International Protection in Ireland has also been published and can be found here.
For appointments at VACs in Nigeria please visit: https://vfsglobal-ie-ng.com/
For appointments at VAC in Accra please visit: https://www.vfsglobal.com/Ireland/Ghana/
Countries that we process visa applications for: Nigeria, Ghana, Senegal, Ivory Coast
Embassy Visa Office Opening Hours: Monday to Thursday 9 am to 4 pm. Friday 9 am to 12 pm.
Embassy Visa Office Phone Lines: Open 10 am - 12 pm. The number is +234 (0) 9 462 0612.
Visa Facilitation Services (VFS) Contact Details
Current single entry visa fee: €60
Current multiple entry visa fee: €100
Current transit visa fee: €25
