FAQs about Visas applicants via Lisbon Embassy

The need for an Irish visa or preclearance is based on your nationality. To check if your nationality is visa required please consult the link.

Ireland is not a part of the Schengen Area. A Schengen visa or a Portuguese residence permit does not entitle you to travel to Ireland without a visa. A Travel Document (Refugee) issued by Portugal does not entitle you to travel without a visa. To check if your nationality is visa required please consult the link.

Please see here and below for further details:

1. If you are a family member(s) of an EU/EEA/Swiss citizen seeking to rely on Directive 2004/38/EC (Free Movement Directive) and are NOT the holder of a document called “Residence card of a family member of a Union citizen”, (Family Member of EU [Union] citizen, Article 10, Article 20) as referred to in Articles 5(2) and 10(1) of Directive 2004/38/EC on the rights of citizens of the Union and their family members to move and reside freely within the territory of Member States, you are a visa required national for Ireland.
2. If you are the holder of a document called “Residence card of a family member of a Union citizen” (Family Member of EU [Union] citizen, Article 10, Article 20) as referred to in Articles 5(2) and 10(1) of Directive 2004/38/EC on the rights of citizens of the Union and their family members to move and reside freely within the territory of Member States, then you are NOT VISA REQUIRED national for Ireland and can travel to the State without a visa, independently of whether your Union citizen family member accompanies or joins you in this State, for up to but not exceeding a period of 90 days.

Should you have any queries regarding the above Directive, please contact Border Management Unit (BMU) at Dublin airport on +353 1 944 0440.

Please consult the Coming to join family in Ireland - Immigration Service Delivery.
All Join Family visas, although received at our Embassy, are processed in Dublin.

Visa processing can start with a photocopy of both sides of the current Residence Card (whether expired or with less than 3 months validity) and the AIMA’s letter confirming the renewal. However, the decision on your application can only be made when you submit a valid Residence Card which has at least three months' validity from the date you plan to leave Ireland.

You must submit a photocopy of the new Residence Card to the Visa Office as soon as you receive it.

To process a visa for Ireland through the Embassy of Ireland in Lisbon the applicant must be legally resident in Portugal. Since the Embassy also works on a non-resident basis with the Republic of Angola, the Republic of Cabo Verde and the Republic of Guinea-Bissau, the exception is for nationals of these countries who also reside there. If you are resident in Angola, Cape Verde or Guinea-Bissau from another nationality and require a visa to travel to Ireland, you will need to provide a copy of your residence card.

To check which Embassy you should apply to click here: Irish Embassies Abroad.

Please consult our Visa Application quick guide.

The Visa Office needs to see a complete photocopy of your current passport, all previous passports and your residence card. Please do not send original passports or residence cards when submitting the application. If your visa application is approved, we will request your original passport, which will be verified against the submitted photocopy.

Passport photocopies

• You must copy the biodata page and all pages.
• All pages must be correctly sized and in numerical order.
• Please ensure that the current passport photocopy is recent and contains all stamps, visas and any other marks.

The following fees apply:

• Single Entry Visa: €60
• Multiple Entry Visa: €100

Some applicants are exempt from the requirement to pay a visa fee. Check the visa fee page of the Irish Immigration website to see if the fee applies to you. If you are exempt on the basis of nationality, you do not need to present documents other than a complete copy of your valid passport.

Single / Multiple Entry: Please consult the link for information on single/multiple entry visas.

You must explain your reasons for requesting a multiple entry visa in your application letter. As with all applications, the granting of a multi-entry visa is at the discretion of the Visa Officer. Paying the fee for a multiple entry visa does not guarantee that one will be granted. Please note that Conference visas are generally issued as single entry.

The visa fee can only be paid by bank transfer and must be paid to Lisbon Embassy account. Please note that visa fee payments must NOT be made to the Department of Justice account in Ireland.

• Name of bank: BPI – Banco Português de Investimento
• Account Name: ACCOUNT DEPART. FOREIGN AFFAIRS IRELAND
• Account Number: 7-2008508.000.001
• IBAN: PT50001000002008508000180
• BIC/SWIFT: BBPIPTPL

Bank Charges:

If you are using an account based outside the European Union (i.e., including the United Kingdom), your bank transfer will generate a bank charge.

IMPORTANT: Please make sure that you select the correct option to ensure that any bank charges are debited to the PAYER’s account and not to the PAYEE’s account.

Please include YOUR NAME and the word VISA to ensure that the fee is registered on your application.

Some applicants are exempt from the requirement to pay a visa fee. Check the visa fee page of the Irish Immigration website to see if the fee applies to you. If you are exempt based on nationality, you do not need to present documents other than your valid passport.

Please note that the visa fee is an administration fee and is not refundable. Information regarding visa fees can be found on the Irish Immigration website.

The Embassy only accepts applications sent by registered post or courier. All applications should be sent to:

Embassy of Ireland, Visa Section,
Avenida da Liberdade,
Nr. 200, 4th floor,
Lisbon
1250-147

The Embassy does not accept applications in person.

Our current processing times for Short Stay ‘C’ Visit visas are approximately 12 weeks from the time we receive all the required documents. Therefore, we strongly advise you to submit your application documents at least 12 weeks before your travel date and to make sure you include all the required documents. If documents are missing, the application will be delayed or refused.

Business visas are processed in 4 to 6 weeks from the time we receive all the required documents. If documents are missing, the application will be delayed or refused.

Applications are processed strictly in the order they are received and there is no expedited process. If you are planning to travel at Christmas, New Year, Easter or summer, we advise that you submit your application up to a maximum of 14 weeks before the intended travel date.

Please note that travel tickets are not a required document.

• The Visa Office does not respond to queries covered by Visa Application quick guide, FAQs/Lisbon visa FAQs, Embassy website, Irish Immigration website, or the auto-reply to the Visa Office e-mail.
• Please note there is no visa telephone line. The main Embassy line cannot provide visa information.
• We DO NOT acknowledge receipt of applications nor documents. Applicants must consult the tracking service of CTT or their chosen courier.
• The Visa Office DOES NOT provide status updates within the advised processing times, please see Question 12. Once a decision on the visa application is issued the Embassy will contact you by email (provided on your Avats form).

The Visa Office DOES NOT provide status updates within the advised processing times, please see Question 12. Once a decision on the visa application is issued the Embassy will contact you by email (provided on your Avats form).

For other visa queries send an email to lisbonvisa@dfa.ie only.

• All queries related to an application must include the 8-digit application number and the applicant’s name as on the application. We will not provide information without this data.
• We endeavour to reply to emails within three working days. However, during peak times such as Christmas, New Year, Easter and summer, waiting times may be longer given the volume of queries the Embassy receives.
• Please do not send email attachments, unless requested.
• Please do not send repeated emails.
• Applications processed at the Embassy in Lisbon cannot be tracked on the Irish Immigration Portal and you cannot make an account on the Portal.

· If you applied directly to an Irish Immigration Service Visa Office or if your application was referred to the Irish Immigration Service for a decision, you can check the Irish Immigration Service Visa Decision Weekly Listing using your reference number.

The need for an Irish visa or preclearance is based on your nationality. To check if your nationality is visa required please consult the link. A Spanish residence card does not exempt you from requiring a visa.

The school student waiver allows students who are normally visa required to travel with their schools without a visa. The waiver is valid for students traveling with school groups when accompanied by a teacher or an adult responsible for the group.

Please note that the waiver only applies to formal curricular education and the trip must be authorised by a primary school/ secondary school/ vocational/professional school/ university. If the group is authorised by a language school the waiver does not apply.

The duration of the visit must be less than 90 days. Please note that an upper age limit does not apply, provided the student is part of a school group.

Please contact lisbonvisa@dfa.ie if you need guidance on the process.

For entry requirements please consult the Portuguese authorities.

Who needs a visa - General information - Short Stay Visas (Schengen) - Visa

European Union nationals do not need a visa, but must present a valid ID card or passport Travel documents for EU nationals - Your Europe and Irlanda - Europa - Conselhos aos Viajantes - Vai viajar? - Portal das Comunidades Portuguesas

1. You must file a police report in Portugal if your IRP has been lost or stolen.
2. If your passport has also been stolen, you will need to get an emergency passport first from your country's Embassy/Consulate.
3. We advise notifying the airline of your situation prior to flying. If the airline has any concerns prior to boarding, they can contact the Border Management Unit directly.
4. We recommend carrying the police report and a copy of the lost IRP, as well as your valid passport.
5. Please note that the Embassy cannot advise or issue a letter, as we do not have a role in processing residence permission in Ireland. Please note also that permission to board an aircraft is the sole responsibility of the airline concerned.

If you have been denied boarding, you may send an email to the Embassy’s Visa Section lisbonvisa@dfa.ie during working hours (9:00 – 17:00, Mon-Fri) outlining the situation. Please indicate Lost IRP in the subject line.

1. You must file a police report in Portugal if your IRP has been lost or stolen.
2. If your passport has also been stolen, you will need to get an emergency passport first from your country's Embassy/Consulate.
3. You may travel carrying the police report and a copy of your lost IRP.
4. Please note that boarding of passengers is an operational matter for all carriers to determine whether or not to carry a passenger.
5. If you require further assistance, you may contact the Embassy’s Visa Section lisbonvisa@dfa.ie during working hours (9:00 – 17:00, Mon-Fri). Please indicate Lost IRP in the subject line.