Information note

When applying for your visa you MUST provide a copy of the bio data page of your passport along with the other relevant supporting documents. We may refuse to accept your application unless a copy is provided with your application.

August and September Applications

During August and September visa applications may take longer to process than our advertised processing times due to the volume of applications and the resources available to process them. Therefore we strongly advise that you submit your application as far in advance of your proposed travel date as possible. Please DO NOT call the visa office for status updates. You will be informed when a decision is made by a visa officer.

WE STRONGLY ADVISE APPLICANTS NOT TO PAY FOR AIRLINE OR OTHER TRAVEL TICKETS WITHOUT HAVING BEEN ISSUED WITH A VISA. PRODUCTION OF A CONFIRMED TRAVEL BOOKING IS NOT REQUIRED FOR AN IRISH VISA APPLICATION.

Where to Apply

Residents in the UAE can apply for a visa to Ireland at two locations, the Irish Visa Facilitation Office in Dubai or alternatively at the Irish Visa Office at the Embassy of Ireland in Abu Dhabi. The Visa Facilitation Office in Dubai, and the Irish Visa Office at the Embassy of Ireland in Abu Dhabi can only accept visa applications which have been made on line using the AVATS online application facility. The AVATS online application form will link you to the site to proceed with your application. You should refer to the documentation requirement for the visa you are seeking on that site.

When applying online for a visa you should choose the Emirate in which you intend lodging your online application in the ‘current location’ field of the online facility. You will be given two options on the Online Application form, one for Abu Dhabi Emirate and one for Dubai and other Emirates. Please ensure you choose the correct option.

If you selected the option Dubai/ other Emirates you should submit your online visa application to:

Irish Visa Facilitation Office
4th Floor, The H Hotel Office Tower
No 1 Sheikh Zayed Road (Opp. Dubai World Trade Centre)
Dubai
OPENING HOURS - Strictly 9.00am to 12.00pm (Sunday to Thursday)
(Contact number for Dubai Visa Office - +971 4 3298382)

If you selected the option Abu Dhabi Emirate you should submit your online visa application to:

Embassy of Ireland
Al Yasat Street off 6th Street
Al Bateen
P.O. Box 61581
Abu Dhabi
United Arab Emirates

Supporting Documentation

PLEASE ENSURE YOU READ THE SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION REQUIREMENTS SECTION ON THIS WEBSITE SO THAT YOU ARE AWARE OF WHAT DOCUMENTS YOU NEED TO SUBMIT WITH YOUR VISA APPLICATION.

Applications received without the necessary supporting documents or information will delay the processing of your application or may result in it being refused.

You must also ensure that all the required supporting documentation accompanies your visa application otherwise your visa application cannot be processed or will be delayed. It is your responsibility to ensure you have sent our Visa Office all the necessary documents in order for a decision to be made. You will find the list of supporting documentation required for the main types of visas on the INIS website.

Payment Method

The payment method will be CASH paid to the Embassy of Ireland, Irish Visa Office in Abu Dhabi and if in the Irish Visa Facilitation Office/ Dubai.

The fee for processing your visa application will be 270 AED for a single entry visa. In circumstances where a multiple entry visa may be granted the fee will be 450 AED. A transit visa will cost 110 AED.

You can pay the fee in your local currency at the relevant AED exchange rates. You should refer to www.inis.gov.ie for information as to when a multiple entry visa may be granted. The details can be found on the site at the section dealing with visa fees. This section of the site also provides details as to when a fee may not be required.

The visa fees mentioned above must be paid in full – depending on the visa being sought. These fees are required to undertake an examination of the application.

Processing Times

These processing times relate to the time taken to process an application from the date the Visa Office receives a full and complete application.

IMPORTANT: Regardless of indicative processing times below you ‘should always' apply for your visa as far in advance of your proposed travel date as possible. DO NOT LEAVE IT UNTIL THE LAST MINUTE TO APPLY FOR A VISA.

Please note that it takes a 'minimum' of 4-5 working days to process "any" visa application. DO NOT ASK THAT A DECISION IS MADE SOONER THAN THIS AS YOUR REQUEST WILL BE REFUSED. 

Provided that all the required documents have been supplied and are in order, applications for short stay ‘C’ visit visas are normally processed within 4-10 working days. Applications for short stay 'C' Business/Conference/Training visas will be processed within 4-5 working days. Long stay visas 'D' visas such as Study/Employment categories will be processed within 15 working days. Join Family visas and EU Treaty Rights visas will be processed within 20 working days.

GCC nationals/UAE nationals applying for C type short stay visas only may have their applications processed within 4-5 working days, provided all documentation is in order and a photocopy of the biodata page of the passport is supplied.

Incomplete applications will result in a delay. The onus is on the applicant to supply the required documentation and to satisfy the visa officer that a visa may be granted. Please note that these are indicative processing times only. Processing may take longer at certain times of the year or depending on the complexity of the application.

How do I find out about the progress of my application?

You will be contacted either by the Honorary Consulate in your country or by the Visa Office in Abu Dhabi when a decision has been made on your application or if further clarification or documentation is required.

Weekly Decision Reports

Every Thursday, a report detailing all decisions made in the previous week at the Visa Office Abu Dhabi is posted to the Weekly Decision Reports page. Please use your unique online application number to search these reports for your decision.

Visa Appeals

Please read our pages on making a Visa appeals for more information on the process.

Checklist for Applicants

If you wish to travel to Ireland or pass through an Irish port in order to travel to another state you may need an Irish visa.

You may need a visa to travel to Ireland even if you live in Ireland.

A visa is a paper document affixed to a page of the holder's passport.  It permits a person to travel to Ireland during the validity period stated on the visa. It does not guarantee entry to the State. An Immigration Officer at the port of entry has the authority to grant or deny admission, and to decide  the duration of a person’s stay in the State.

What do I need to know?

Read the Checklist to find out if you need an Irish visa and about applying for a visa on the website of the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Services website.

Online Application Form

This Online Visa Application Facility is available worldwide and must be used by all applicants for an Irish Visa. The technology guides you through the visa application process, step by step.

Begin the Online Application