If you plan to visit Ireland, you should check if you need a visa.
This page has information on how to apply for a short-stay visa. This is also called a ‘C’ visa and is usually valid for up to 90 days from the issue date of the visa. You apply for a C visa if you plan to come to Ireland:
If you are not a citizen of the EU, EEA, Switzerland or UK and you do not need a visa to come to Ireland, you still need to have documents with you to show the reason for your visit. You must present yourself at immigration when you enter Ireland.
Having a visa does not guarantee that you will be allowed to enter Ireland.
You apply for a visa online. You complete a separate application for each person travelling, including children. After you have submitted the visa form, you have 30 days to send the supporting documents. It’s a good idea to prepare your documents before completing the form.
You pay a fee of €60 for each application. A multiple entry visa costs €100.
When you have submitted the form, you will get a summary of your application. This includes:
You send the signed summary sheet with your documents.
You must send documents in support of your application. This section has information on the main documents you need to send. You can get more information about documentation on the Irish Immigration Delivery website.
You must send original documents (not photocopies). If your documents are not in English, you must send a certified translation and the original document.
Birth, marriage and death certificates will be returned to you. If you want other pages returned to you, you should include a note with your application that says this. Send a photocopy (in addition to the original) of the page you want returned to you.
If your visa is approved, you must get travel insurance before you travel to Ireland.
You must write a letter that explains why you want to come to Ireland. You should give the details of your trip, including the dates you plan to be here, where you will stay and how you will pay for things while you are here.
You must say in your letter that you will:
If you are visiting friends or family your letter should also have:
If you are visiting someone in Ireland, you should send a letter of invitation written by them. The letter should have information about how they know you, the dates you are visiting them and why they are inviting you to Ireland.
They should include a colour copy of their passport or national identity card. If they are from outside the EEA, Switzerland and UK, they must include a copy of their Irish Resident Permit and the current immigration stamp in their passport.
The letter must also say that they understand you must:
You must include the details of where you will stay. You should include printouts of your booking confirmations. If you are staying with friends, family or colleagues, see ‘letter of invitation’ above.
You must send your current passport. It must be valid for at least 6 months after the date you plan to leave Ireland. You must also send a photocopy of each page of all of your previous passports.
You must show that you have the money you need for your trip. If someone else is paying for your visit (for example a family member), you should send documents to show that they can afford to pay for you.
You don’t need to have a particular or set amount of money to qualify for a short-stay visa.
Include 2 passport photos. You must sign your name and put your visa application transaction number on the back of each photo.
You must show that you have strong ties to your home country and that you must return home. This could be family responsibilities, work, education or something else. You should send proof of these responsibilities. For example, if you are working you should send a letter from your employer and recent payslips.
You can read more details of the documents you need on the Immigration Service Delivery website.
If you sent your application to Dublin, you can check visa decisions and waiting times. If you sent your application somewhere else, you can contact the embassy or consulate you sent your documents to for updates on your application. Applications take around 8 weeks, but may take longer.
If your visa application is successful, the visa office will post your passport back to you with the visa attached. The visa will be valid for a particular period. Having a visa does not guarantee that you will be allowed to enter Ireland.
You will get a letter that says why your visa application was refused. You can appeal this decision within 2 months.
You are expected to leave the State on or before the date which has been stamped on your passport by the Immigration Officer when you entered.
You can only extend your visa if there is an unexpected change in your circumstances since you entered Ireland.
You cannot get an extension if:
Single-journey visa: €60
Multiple-journey visa: €100
If you require a visa in order to visit Ireland, your application must be made online.
Immigration Service Delivery
Department of Justice
13-14 Burgh Quay
Dublin 2
D02 XK70
Ireland