Visas for Ireland
Who needs a visa
Whether you need a visa to travel to Ireland depends on what country you're from. Visit the Irish Immigration Service Travel Path for more information regarding your personal requirements for travelling to Ireland.
Information on visa requirements for transiting through Ireland is available on IrishImmigration.ie
Please note that Ireland is not party to the Schengen Agreement, and a Schengen visa or residence permit does not entitle you to travel to Ireland without a visa.
Unless you qualify for the Short Stay Visa Waiver Programme or the British Irish Visa Scheme a valid UK visa does not entitle you to travel to Ireland without a visa. Further information on these schemes is available on the website of the Irish Immigration Service.
Note: A visa allows you to travel to Ireland only. It does not give you permission to enter the country or to stay here. An immigration officer at border control can refuse entry even if you have a visa.
Remember…
If you're a citizen of a non-EEA country, whether you need a visa or not, you will be subject to immigration control when you enter Ireland.
Types of Visa and Documentation
Full information on the different types of visas, required documentation, and how to apply can be found on the website of the Irish Immigration Service.
- Information on applying for a short-stay (less than 90 days) tourist visa is available on the Coming to Visit section of IrishImmigration.ie.
- Information on coming to work in Ireland is available on the Coming to Work section of IrishImmigration.ie.
- Information on coming to study in Ireland is available on the Coming to Study section of IrishImmigration.ie.
- Information on coming to join family in Ireland is available on the Coming to Join Family section of IrishImmigration.ie.
How to Apply
You need to:
Complete the online application form
This will generate an application summary form and declaration at the end, which you must print, sign and date.
Gather your supporting documentation, passport photograph and fee.
To complete the process, you must submit your passport and supporting documents for processing. Please ensure that you follow the instructions for submitting your application:
- Applicants applying from Greece or Albania should submit their documentation to the Embassy of Ireland, 7 Leoforos Vasileos Konstantinou, 106 74, Athens, Greece.
- Applicants applying from Serbia should follow the instructions on their online application form and arrange an appointment to submit their applications with VFS Global.
The average processing time for visa applications is 10-12 weeks from when the complete application is received to the Embassy of Ireland, Greece.
If documentation has not been provided this may significantly impact on the processing time, or result in your application being refused.
Visa appeals
If your visa application is refused, you will receive a letter from the visa office telling you why it has been refused and if you can appeal the decision.
Further information on appealing visa decisions is available on the website of the Irish Immigration Service.
All appeals are handled directly by the Irish Immigration Service.
On arrival in Ireland
Further information on what to expect on arrival in Ireland can be found on the website of the Irish Immigration Service.
Information on entry for EU/EEA and Swiss nationals is available on IrishImmigration.ie.
Information on entry for non-EU, non-EEA and non-Swiss nationals is available on IrishImmigration.ie.
Information on travelling with children is available on IrishImmigration.ie.
Information on transiting through Ireland is available on IrishImmigration.ie.
Fees
Check the website of the Irish Immigration Service for information on preclearance and entry visa fees, including information on visa fee exemptions.
See the below Payment details section for further information on fees and payments.
Payment details
Fees can be paid by bank transfer to the following account:
Account Name: Embassy of Ireland
Bank: Alpha Bank
IBAN: GR53 0140 1010 1010 0200 1000 724
BIC/SWIFT: CRBAGRAAXXX
If you choose to pay by bank transfer, please include a copy of the bank transfer counterfoil slip, or printout of the payment confirmation if done online, with your visa application. Please ensure that the Applicant's name and Visa Application Number (not the host's name) is entered as the transaction description – otherwise we may not be able to match your payment with your Application.
The Embassy cannot accept cash, personal cheques or postal orders.
Cash received by post will be returned to the Applicant, and the Embassy cannot guarantee the security of this return. Applications will not be processed until proof of an electronic payment has been received by the Embassy.
Once a visa application is lodged for processing, the processing fee cannot be refunded, regardless of whether or not the visa is granted.