Visas for Ireland

• Check whether you require a visa to travel to Ireland through the Irish Immigration Service Travel Path.
• Information on visa requirements for transiting through Ireland is also available on IrishImmigration.ie.
• A Schengen visa or residence permit does not entitle you to travel to Ireland without a visa, because Ireland is not party to the Schengen agreement.
• 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.

You should apply for a visa in good time before you travel. Applications are accepted a maximum of 90 days before your intended travel date. We advise applicants not to pay for a travel ticket prior to receiving a decision on their visa.

For all visa applications, you need to:

1. Complete the online application form. This is the first part of the visa application process.
2. Completion will generate an application summary form and declaration, which you must print, read carefully, sign and date.
3. Gather all required supporting documentation, passport photographs and correct fee. You must ensure your application is complete before sending it. Incomplete applications will be returned and will delay your visa.

To complete the process, mail your fully complete application to:

Consulate General of Ireland,
Visa Division,
1 Post St. Suite 2300,
San Francisco,
CA 94104

To hand-deliver your application, you can make an appointment by using our contact form. Please note that an appointment can only be made to submit your application - it is not reviewed at that time.

Details of required supporting documentation and information on tourism, business and other visa types is available in the visa types and documentation section below.

All visa fees must be submitted in the form of a money order or cashier's check, made payable to the Consulate General of Ireland. No other form of payment is accepted.

Your money order or cashier’s check should be for the total amount, including the visa fee and communication fee.

The fees for visas and return of your original documents are as follows:

Some visa applicants are exempted from paying visa fees. Visit the Irish Immigration website for information on fee exemptions.

You must submit your application with a complete set of the required supporting documents. You can find a checklist of these documents below for the most popular visa types:

Tourism

Business

Conference/Event

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.

Tourism visa checklist

If you would like to take a holiday or short break in Ireland, you can visit for less than 90 days. If you are from a visa required country, you must apply for a Short Stay ‘C’ Tourist Visa.

Once you have completed your summary application through the AVATS system, you will need to gather the below documentation.

Tourism visa - required documents:

• Signed and dated summary application form
• 2 passport-sized colour photographs
• Visa application fee
• Passport valid for at least 6 months after intended departure date from Ireland
• US Visa or Green Card valid for at least 3 months after intended departure date from Ireland
• Application letter confirming your reason for visiting Ireland, itinerary with dates, person responsible for expenses, a commitment that you will obey the conditions of your visa in full, not rely on public services or become a burden on the State, and leave Ireland before your immigration permission expires.
• Confirmations of accommodation, flights, medical /travel insurance.
• Six month’s most recent, detailed bank statements.
• Proof of obligation to return home
  • Work
    If you are employed, you must provide your 3 most recent, consecutive payslips and a letter from your employer including: How long you have been employed there, the dates you will be absent from your employment and the date you will be returning to work in that employment.
  • Education or study
    If you are a student, you must provide a letter from your college stating: The course you are studying, how many years you have been a student there, how many years or terms you have left at that college, and that you will be returning there following your visit to Ireland.
  • Family
    Details of any family members living in your country of residence – if you have any dependent children and your children are remaining at home, you should submit birth certificates for the children.
  • Property
    Evidence of any property you own or rent: Title deed or unexpired tenancy agreement.
• If visiting friends/family, a letter including the names and addresses in Ireland and documentary evidence of the relationship, and the names and addresses of any family living in any other EU/EEA country or Switzerland.
• An invitation letter stating that they are inviting you to Ireland to visit them and stay at their home, the reason they are inviting you to Ireland, travel dates, a description of how they know you, a statement that they understand you must obey the conditions of your visa in full, not rely on public services or become a burden on the State and leave Ireland before your immigration permission expires.
• A clear legible colour photocopy of the picture page of their National Identity Card or passport (including for Irish citizens).
• For non-EU/EEA and non-Swiss citizens, a clear legible colour photocopy of their current valid Irish Residence Permit and/or current valid immigration permission stamp in their passport.

Further information:

Information on applying for a short-stay (less than 90 days) tourist visa is available on the Coming to Visit section of IrishImmigration.ie.

Business visa checklist

Depending on the length of your work, you will either have to apply for a short stay business visa or a long stay visa before coming to Ireland.

Long stay visas options (more than 90 days) include employment visas, scientific researcher, Van der Elst and the atypical working scheme.

Once you have completed your summary application through the AVATS system, you will need to gather the below documentation.

Business visa - required documents

• Signed and dated summary application form
• 2 passport-sized colour photographs
• Visa application fee
• Passport valid for at least 6 months after intended departure date from Ireland
• US Visa or Green Card valid for at least 3 months after intended departure date from Ireland
• Application letter confirming your reason for visiting Ireland, itinerary with dates, person responsible for expenses, a commitment that you will obey the conditions of your visa in full, not rely on public services or become a burden on the State, leave Ireland before your immigration permission expires.
• Confirmations of accommodation, flights, optional medical /travel insurance.
• Six month’s most recent, detailed bank statements (if applicant financing own trip).
• Invitation letter from Irish-based company - The invitation letter should be on headed paper and contain: The reason they are inviting you to Ireland, the dates they want you to work or meet with them, proof of an existing relationship between the host and you and a statement by your host about what they will contribute to the cost of your visit.
• Confirmation letter from US-based company - You must provide a letter from your employer on company headed paper confirming you are undertaking the trip and including: How long you have been employed there, the dates you will be absent from your employment and the date you will be returning to work in that employment.
• 3 most recent, consecutive payslips

Further information

If you are applying for a different type of work visa or a long-stay visa, information is available on the Coming to Work section of IrishImmigration.ie.

Conference/event visa checklist

A short stay ‘C’ conference/event visa allows you to travel to Ireland for up to 90 days to attend a conference, symposium or other event, for example for business or academic reasons.

Once you have completed your summary application through the AVATS system, you will need to gather the below documentation.

Conference/event visa - required documents:

• Signed and dated summary application form
• 2 passport-sized colour photographs
• Visa application fee
• Passport valid for at least 6 months after intended departure date from Ireland
• US Visa or Green Card valid for at least 3 months after intended departure date from Ireland
• Application letter confirming your reason for visiting Ireland, itinerary with dates, person responsible for expenses, a commitment that you will obey the conditions of your visa in full, not rely on public services or become a burden on the State, leave Ireland before your immigration permission expires.
• Confirmations of accommodation, flights, optional medical /travel insurance.
• Proof of obligation to return home
  • Work
    If you are employed, you must provide your 3 most recent, consecutive payslips and a letter from your employer including: How long you have been employed there, the dates you will be absent from your employment and the date you will be returning to work in that employment.
  • Education or study
    If you are a student, you must provide a letter from your college stating: The course you are studying, how many years you have been a student there, how many years or terms you have left at that college, and that you will be returning there following your visit to Ireland.
  • Family
    Details of any family members living in your country of residence – if you have any dependent children and your children are remaining at home, you should submit birth certificates for the children.
  • Property
    Evidence of any property you own or rent: Title deed or unexpired tenancy agreement.
• Letter from the conference organiser - A letter on headed paper from the organiser of the conference containing: A description of the conference and who has organised it. Confirmation that you are officially registered to attend. Confirmation that your registration fees have been fully paid.

Finance Plan

If organiser is paying:

• A statement by the conference organiser about what they will contribute to the cost of visit (if anything): The statement must indicate if the organiser will pay for ‘all’, ‘some’ or ‘none’ of the costs of your visit. If ‘all’ or ‘some’, the letter must include an estimate of everything the conference organiser will pay for, for example: airline tickets, accommodation, living expenses

If applicant is paying own costs:

• Letter from applicant explaining why they are attending at their own expense.
• Six month’s most recent, detailed bank statements.

If applicant’s employer is paying costs:

• Letter from employer on company headed paper confirming they are paying costs and that the applicant is undertaking the trip and including: How long they have been employed there, the dates they will be absent from employment and the date they will be returning to work in that employment.
• 3 most recent, consecutive payslips.

Further information:

Information on applying for a short-stay (less than 90 days) conference/event visa is available on the Coming to Work section of IrishImmigration.ie.

Processing time

The estimated processing time for a visa to Ireland is 20 working days after receipt of all required documentation. The Consulate does not offer an expedited service for visas. Visa applications are processed in order of receipt and travel dates are taken into due consideration.

The Consulate General of Ireland cannot guarantee that a decision on your application will be made by your intended travel date if you do not apply on time.

You can check if your application has finished processing by registering on the Department of Justice customer service portal.

Tracking

Due to the volume of applications received it is not possible to provide status updates on individual applications, and these queries will not receive a response. A visa officer will contact you directly if there is an issue with your application.

Do I need a visa for Ireland?

Whether you need a visa to travel to Ireland depends on what country you are from. Visit the Irish Immigration Service Travel Path for more information regarding your personal requirements for travelling to Ireland.

Do I need a visa to transit through Ireland?

Information on visa requirements for transiting through Ireland is available on IrishImmigration.ie

Can I use my Schengen visa to travel to Ireland?

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.

Can I use my UK visa to travel to Ireland?

Unless you qualify for the Short Stay Visa Waiver Programme or the British Irish Visa Scheme (BIVS) 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. BIVS endorsements are only available to applicants who are living in India or China at the time of the application and must be applied for from within those countries. You cannot apply for a BIVS endorsement from any US Consulate or Embassy.

Can I apply for a BIVS endorsement at the San Francisco Consulate?

British Irish Visa Scheme BIVS endorsements are only available to applicants who are living in India or China at the time of the application and must be applied for from within those countries. You cannot apply for a BIVS endorsement from any US Consulate or Embassy.

Do US citizens need a visa to travel to Ireland?

US citizens are not visa required to travel to Ireland and may remain for up to 90 days for tourism or business purposes.

When should I apply for a visa to Ireland?

You should apply for a visa in good time before you travel. Applications are accepted a maximum of 90 days before your intended travel date. We are advising applicants not to pay for a travel ticket prior to receiving a decision on their visa.
While the Visa Office understands that there may be good reason for an applicant to book transport and/or accommodation in advance of their visa application, applicants should be aware that this is entirely at their own risk. The Visa Office is not liable for any losses incurred by applicants as a result of a negative visa decision, nor where an applicant has not received a visa in time for their proposed travel dates.

If I am applying for visas from other countries when should I submit my Irish visa application?

Apply for those countries’ visas before you apply for an Irish visa. We may refuse your application for a visa if your passport does not contain the expected visas.

Note: A visa allows you to travel to Ireland only. It does not give you permission to enter the country or to stay there. An immigration officer at border control can refuse entry even if you have a visa.

Remember…

If you are 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. An emergency requires the return of my passport, how can I retrieve it?

Please submit a query via the contact us form.

Further information on what to expect on arrival in Ireland can be found 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 there. An immigration officer at border control can refuse entry even if you have a visa. If you are 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.

• 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.