Application

Application

Submitting your application

Please ensure you have completed the correct applicaion form and supplied all the required documentation. A full list of the different application forms and the necessary documents can be found on the INIS website.

The processing times for visa applications vary depending on the visa type and the Office to which the application is lodged. Visa applications are considered in as speedy a manner as possible but timeframes for decision can be dependent on a number of factors including, the number of applications received and the resources available to process them at any one time.

While the vast majority of applications are dealt with within a much shorter timeframe it is recommended that applicants allow as much time as possible when applying for a visa. Just in case further enquiries have to be made, we advise you to apply for your visa 8 weeks before the date you plan to travel.

NOTE: Applicants planning on a long term or permanent stay in Ireland, such as, in the case of joint family visa applications, should be aware that they will require more in-depth consideration than short-stay visa applications and it is recommended applicants make their applications 12 weeks prior to their proposed dates of travel.

You need to:

1. Complete the online application form (Guidance is available in several languages)
2. Gather your supporting documentation, passport photograph and fee 
3. The online application system will automatically request you to submit your documentation to one of the following:

• Your appropriate Irish Embassy or Consulate
• The dedicated Visa Offices in Abu Dhabi, Abuja, Beijing, London, Moscow and New Delhi & Ankara
• Direct to INIS, Burgh Quay, Dublin 2, Ireland

Remember…

If you submit false or misleading information in support of your application, it will result in the refusal of your visa application and may have a negative impact on any future applications made.

How long does it take?

If you’re applying for a business visa and it’s being processed in an Irish Embassy or Consulate, you should have a decision within 10 working days, provided all your documentation is in order.

Some categories of visa (eg Study, Visit or Join Family visas) can take longer, depending on the time of the year.

Tracking your application

Track your application by contacting the Embassy or Consulate to which it was submitted, quoting the reference number from your application.

If you sent your application to Dublin, you should contact INIS directly.

Notification

If you applied at an Embassy or Consulate, they will contact you once a decision has been made.

If you applied directly to INIS in Dublin, or if your application was referred to INIS for a decision, you can check the INIS Visa Decision Weekly Listing using your reference number.

Need more information?

Visit the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) website to find out what you need to know before you apply for a visa

Ireland

If you’re in Ireland and want to apply for a re-entry visa or have other queries, contact the INIS Visa Section

Great Britain

Tel: +44 0906 66 10 197 (calls cost £1.50 per minute at all times. This number is not available to residents of Ireland or Northern Ireland)

Email: Submit your Query here

Opening hours: 9am to 5.30pm, Monday to Friday

United States

Tel: 1900 776 5000 or 1800 735 5888 (calls cost $2.90 per minute at all times – you can pay by credit card)

Opening hours: 8.30am EST to 8.30pm EST, Monday to Friday (except Christmas Day, St Stephen’s Day, New Year’s Day and Good Friday)

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Fees

Fees

Standard visa fees

Standard non-refundable visa application processing fees are:

Other charges

You may also have to pay communications charges.

More information

Contact your local Embassy or Consulate for more details on fees and payment methods.

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 (including Irish nationals). 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:

Other charges

You may be charged an administration or communications fee if you’re apply from some of these countries.

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Appeals

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. You can appeal this decision 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. 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 Appeals Officer will review your application, taking account of any additional information or documentation that you have supplied.

You will receive notification 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.

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Arrival

Arrival

Immigration control

A visa is a form of pre-entry clearance which allows for travel to Ireland. It does not guarantee permission to enter Ireland. Permission to enter Ireland is granted by an Immigration Officer at the port of entry.

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 county and apply for a new visa. You can’t return to Ireland while you’re waiting for a decision on your new application.

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