An Ireland Visa permits your entrance into the country on a short or long term visit. You might be traveling for any of these – tourism, study, business, internship, charity. Most foreign nationals need a valid visa for all of these purposes.
Who needs an Ireland travel visa?
Foreign nationals who are not members of any visa-free countries would have to apply for an Ireland visa. Nations that do not need a visa entrance into Ireland are:
- European Union Member State
- European Economic Area Member State
- Andorra
- Bahamas
- Brazil
- Argentina
- Australia
- Costa Rica
- Chile
- Israel
- Japan
- Dominica
- United States of America
- Uruguay
- Malaysia
- Mexico
However, you can always cross-check on the Ireland official visa website to confirm that your country is on the list of visa-free countries before you proceed.
Types of Ireland Visa
· Short Stay Visa (C Visa)
Just as its name implies, this Ireland visa lasts for ninety (90) days or less. It covers the following travel purposes – Tourism, Business, Training, Medical treatment, Join ship for seafarers, Marriage, Exams, conferences or events, Performance for artists.
· Long Stay Visa (D Visa)
The long-stay visa permits you entrance into the country for a longer time. With the D visa, you can stay in Ireland beyond ninety (90) days. Some examples of the D visa are Study visa, Employer visa, Family member visa, Working Holiday visa, Volunteer visa, Research visa.
· Single and Multiple Entry Visa
These visas grant you single or multiple entries into the country on several occasions, based on your visa’s validity period. It is pertinent to note that these visas are for short trips and are strictly issued on certain conditions.
· Transit Visa
This transit visa is strictly for travelers who intend to get to a particular destination but have to travel through an Irish airport.
Step by Step process for Irish Visa Applications
Before you begin the process of application, remember to apply eight weeks before you intend to visit Ireland:
- Fill in the online application form.
- Submit the passport and a copy of the application form.
- Pay the Irish visa fee.
- Submit the form and other documents.
· Fill in the online application form
After deciding the type of visa you want to apply for, the next step is to fill the application form. To access the application form, visit this link – https://www.visas.inis.gov.ie/AVATS/OnlineHome.aspx
When filling the form, you would have to provide the following information:
- Personal Details
- Residential Address
- Country of Residence
- Duration of stay in the current country
- Reference number if you have been issued a visa in the past.
- Mention past Irish visa rejection, if any.
- Mention family members in Ireland, if any.
- Criminal convictions, if any.
- Employment Status
- Passport Number/Information
- Travel details
- Mention person receiving you in Ireland, if any
- Marital Status
- Number of children, if any
Once you have filled the form, ensure you print and sign it. Note the eight-digit visa reference number on the first page of the summary sheet.
Get more visa guides to other countries here
Document Collection
Once you have filled your application, you would get the prompt to get these documents ready:
- Online summary sheet
- Supplementary visa type form
- Supporting documentation for the visa type
- Visa application
- Checklist for visa
- Photograph
- Fees
- Your current passport should be at least six months after the date of departure from Ireland or twelve months if you are applying for a long term stay
- Undertaking to submit a detailed form of the passport
- Police clearance certificate with the photograph of the applicant and passport number
All mentioned documents have to be in their original form. For easy verification, ensure that the documents are in English.
However, if the documents are in any other language, you have to translate them and provide proof of certified translation. You would also have to provide details of the translators.
· Submit the Documents and Visa Application
Once you have been sent the visa authority office’s location for an interview, ensure you carry along your original documents and photocopies for submission.
Once you’re informed about the location of the visa authorities’ office for an interview, ensure you carry along all your original documents and photocopies for submission. You might also need to pay your visa fees, as follows:
- Single entry €60
- Multi entry €100
- Transit €25
The fee mentioned above isn’t refundable because it is used in the processing of your application. You might also be required to pay additional charges during your document submission.
Moreover, some countries are exempted from paying the visa processing fee. Here are some of them:
- Bosnia
- Morocco
- Cote D’Ivoire
- Peru
- Ecuador
- Indonesia
- Serbia
- North Macedonia
- Jamaica
- Sri Lanka
You can confirm if you belong to the list of people exempted from visa fees. To access this, check this link – http://www.inis.gov.ie/en/INIS/Pages/fees
· Biometrics for Document Submission
The visa authorities might ask you to provide biometric information like your photographs and fingerprints during your application. Once all the required documents and the biometric details have been submitted, the visa processing would take about eight weeks.
· Arrival in Ireland
If your visa is approved, you would be granted entry into Ireland and screened by border control. At the checkpoint, the immigration officers would decide whether to permit you. They would also decide how long you get to stay in Ireland.
You would have to produce a valid passport, visa, and copies of the documents submitted during the Ireland visa application at the border control unit.
Commonly Asked Question
I can’t seem to access the online Visa Application Form. Why?
For some countries, the online visa application facility is yet to commence. If you are a citizen of any of these countries, then the online facility might not be made available to you.
How do I submit my passport and other supporting documents?
Once you have filled your application form, print the summary of your application form. The summary outline would contain details of the next step you need to take, such as submitting your supporting document and paying the visa fee.
Is Ireland Visa Application Form available in other languages?
No!
You have to fill the Ireland visa application in English and no other language. However, to understand the process and other requirements before filling the application, you can visit the official visa website.
COVID 19 restrictions for Ireland
Due to the number of increasing Corona cases in Ireland, strict restrictions have been placed on travelers entering the state. Travelers that need to be in Ireland for essential purposes such as education or work can be permitted.
The country is reportedly experiencing an increase in the number of affected cases. Therefore, every traveler, including Irish nationals, have to observe a self-isolation period for fourteen days after arrival. To observe your self-isolation process, you would be required to fill a passenger locator form containing the address of your quarantine location.
However, travelers from some specific countries can enter Ireland without observing the quarantine procedures.
- Northern Ireland
- Cyprus
- Finland
- Latvia
- Lichtenstein
Conclusion
Ireland is a popular destination for tourists and businesses alike. Every year, there are thousands of visa applications processed by the Irish consulates in different countries.
However, it is necessary to get the visa application process right. This guide was compiled to give you a glimpse of what is required from you through every stage of your Ireland visa application.