Processing times and decisions
** STUDY APPLICATIONS SUMMER 2026 **
Applications submitted less than 3 weeks prior to the course start date cannot be guaranteed a decision. Please do not contact the Visa Office at any point for status updates as they will not be responded to. Applications will be processed in chronological order so apply in good time.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT APPEALS FOR SHORT STAY VISA REFUSALS
With effect from 1 June 2026, visa applicants will no longer be able to appeal the refusal of a short stay visa application. Further information is available on the Irish immigration website https://www.irishimmigration.ie/
Appeals will continue to be permitted for those applying for short stay visas under the EU Free Movement Directive (2004/38/EC), including the following categories:
- Family Member of EU/EEA/Swiss cit (de facto partner)
- Family Member of EU/EEA/Swiss cit (other)
- Family Member of EU/EEA/Swiss cit (spouse)
If you have been refused a short stay visa and still wish to travel to Ireland in the future, you will need to submit a new visa application on the AVATS system. Information on the required documentation for each visa category is available on https://www.irishimmigration.ie/ Applicants who carefully follow this published guidance are more likely to receive a positive outcome.
Processing times
Update: 31 May 2026
The processing times below refer to usual timeframes; however, they are not guaranteed as some applications can take longer to process for various reasons. To avoid any unforeseen delays disrupting your travel plans, you should apply up to 90 days in advance of your travel dates and with the appropriate documentation.
Flight bookings are not required for a visa. Flights booked before the receipt of a visa are booked at your own risk.
Remember: Processing times relate to the number of working days from date of application receipt in the Embassy to date of decision in the Embassy. They do not include the time it takes to secure a VFS appointment, the time it takes for your documents to reach the Embassy from VFS or the time it takes to reach your home address after a decision (see VFS transit times). Importantly, working days exclude Saturdays, Sundays and Embassy closure dates.
| Visa category | Sub-category | First instance decision | Appeal decision |
|---|---|---|---|
| Employment | Category A | 4-6 weeks | 6 calendar months |
| Category B | 8-10 weeks | 6 calendar months | |
| Join Family | 6-12 months | 12 calendar months | |
| Study | 4-8 weeks | 6 calendar months | |
| Business / Conference / Event | 4 weeks | N/A | |
| Visit | 6-8 weeks | N/A |
How do I know if my visa is ready
Applications are processed chronologically and in line with the above processing times. Each day a list of all decisions made to date in the year, is posted in the visa decisions section below. Applicants can search for their application reference number in this list.
My application has gone over the stated processing time
Processing times relate to the usual time for a visa decision; however, it is not guaranteed that your application will be decided within the stated timeframes. If your application has not been processed within the stated time, it is likely delayed due to reasons such as:
- Biometrics: For those applying from India, biometric clearance is required before a decision can be made. Our office is not responsible for biometric outages that can delay clearance. Where biometrics clearance is not received our office might contact you to re-scan your biometrics at the Visa Application Centre (no payment or documents required).
- In-depth verification: If the circumstances of your application do not permit immediate approval, your documents may require in-depth verification, which can take time depending on the responsiveness of employers, banks, sponsors etc. To avoid this, applicants should provide easily verifiable documentation (e.g. DigiLocker documents if resident in India).
- Interview: In the event your application cannot be approved on initial assessment, you, or your sponsor, may be contacted by telephone to assess the credibility of your application and address any inconsistencies. Applicants should be aware of the Embassy phone number (011 49403200) and answer any calls received.
- Ineligibility: On initial assessment, it may be determined that you do not meet the criteria for the visa you have applied for. Your application will then proceed to secondary review stage prior to visa refusal. This is a key factor in longer decision times in Join Family applications as many individuals apply before their sponsor is eligible to sponsor their family (see below). To avoid delays applicants must ensure they:
- Have read and understand the eligibility requirements for their visa type; and
- Have provided the required documents for their visa type.
Join Family applications and appeals
Since 2023, this office has received increasing amounts of Join Family applications and appeals from sponsors in Ireland who do not meet the qualifying financial criteria.
If you have applied for a Join Family visa before 26 November 2025 and your application has been delayed, it is likely that, on initial assessment, your sponsor has not met the criteria set out in the Policy Document on Non-EEA Family Reunification. In order to avoid delays, ensure that you meet the criteria, specifically under sections 16 and 17, before you apply.
For applications made after 26 November 2025, please see https://assets.gov.ie/static/documents/f88cb36e/Revised_Family_Reunification_Policy.pdf for updated criteria.
VFS transit times
Applications lodged through VFS at Delhi VAC arrive at the Embassy the next working day, while applications lodged at other VACs are received in two working days. Visa processing times start from date of receipt in the Embassy, not date of lodgment at the VAC.
Once your application is decided, the return package is sent to Delhi VAC the next working day. From Delhi VAC they are dispatched via Blue Dart for delivery to the address provided. Generally, return packages are delivered by Blue Dart within two working days of collection from Delhi VAC; however, local or external factors can affect the delivery times.
Applicants should be mindful of the two way document transit times, which should be added to our processing times, when calculating how long it will take for the visa to be received.
Dublin-based processing
Those applying under the following categories will have their application transferred to our head office in Dublin for processing:
Applications to visit Ireland, or reside in Ireland, under the EU Free Movement Directive (Directive 2004/38/EC):
- Family member of EU/EEA/Swiss cit. (de facto partner);
- Family member of EU/EEA/Swiss cit. (other);
- Family member of EU/EEA/Swiss cit. (spouse);
Applications to reside in Ireland under preclearance categories (which apply to travellers from visa-required and non visa-required countries):
- Join Family (Irish nat.)(de facto partner);
- Join Family (de facto partner CSEP/HA);
- Join Family (UK nat.);
- Minister of Religion; and
- Volunteer.
Processing times for these applications will differ from the processing times listed above. If your application falls into one of these categories you should visit the Irish Immigration Service website. Any queries relating to these applications must be addressed to Visa Division in Dublin; our office has no role in processing these applications.
Visa decisions
Each morning, by approx. 11:00 (Indian standard time), we publish a list of visa outcomes made for this year, up to the previous day. Please remember, we process applications chronologically, in line with advertised processing times.
Visa decisions made from 1 January 2026 to 11 June 2026 (.ods, 24KB)
Visa outcome data is hosted on behalf of the responsible authority, the Irish Immigration Service.20250916_NDVO_Visa Decisions20250916_NDVO_Visa Decisions20250916_NDVO_Visa Decisions