ireland travel visa application

Embassy of Ireland, USA

Please be advised that the Embassy of Ireland, United States of America website has moved and this page is no longer being updated. The Embassy website is now available at  Ireland.ie/washington .

Update on Visa Services

Update on Visa Services - 30 November 2023

The Embassy of Ireland in Washington DC accepts visa applications from Washington DC, Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, Puerto Rico and the Caribbean Islands - Anguilla, Antigua, Barbuda, Bermuda, Cayman Islands, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Haiti, Martinique, Montserrat, Netherlands, Antilles, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago, Turks and Caicos Islands, Virgin Islands (US), Virgin Islands (British).

We are accepting short and long stay visa application, and preclearance applications.

Full instructions for applying for a visa are available at Home - Immigration Service Delivery . A list of visa required nationalities is included on this website.

To apply for a visa, you must:

• Apply online through the Department of Justice, which will automatically request you to submit your documentation to the nearest Embassy.
• Compile your application package, which must include:
• The online summary sheet signed by you, with a valid photo
• Current passport and any previous passports (or copies of previous passports if originals are unavailable).  We require your original passport to confirm that we have seen the original before submitting the application through a security clearance.
• All required supporting documents that are listed in the online application.

      3. Submit the completed application package and payment to the Embassy: Embassy of Ireland, 2234 Massachusetts Ave NW, Washington DC 20008, addressed to Visa Officer.

• Please submit the visa fee  and  postage fee  together as a total sum in one form of payment  (see below), payable by money order, cashier's cheque or bank draft, and made out to " Department of Foreign Affairs - Ireland ." We are  not  able to accept cash or wire transfers.

Single-entry visa: $81

Multi-entry visa: $136

Transit visa: $36

Shipping (FedEx Overnight)

Domestic: $10

International: $20 

Payment is accepted by cashier's check, money order, or bank draft payable to: Department of Foreign Affairs - Ireland. Debit cards, credit cards, personal checks, and cash are not accepted.

**Please note that we can only process fully complete applications. The onus is on the applicant to ensure their application is complete with original copies. Any missing documentation may result in longer processing times and potential refusal.**

To ensure that resources can be used to the best effect, we ask applicants to  submit their documentation through registered post so that they can track the delivery themselves . Alternatively, if you live nearby, you can drop off your application package in the secure drop box at the front doors of the Embassy.  We do not confirm receipt to all applicants. We will only contact you if there is missing documentation from your application and/or when the visa is issued or application is declined .

Normal processing time is about  4 - 6 weeks . We  do not  offer an expedited service.

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 here

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 here .

Information on coming to work in Ireland is available here .

Information on coming to study in Ireland is available here .

Information on coming to join family in Ireland is available here .

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

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.
• Submit your application

To complete the process, you must submit your passport and supporting documents for processing. Where you submit your application depends on where you are living. The summary application form will direct you to the relevant Embassy, Consulate or Visa Application Centre.

Check the website of the relevant Embassy or Consulate for further information on how to submit your application for processing

If you applied at an Embassy or Consulate, they will contact you once a decision on the visa application has been made.

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.

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 here . 

Information on entry for non-EU, non-EEA and non-Swiss nationals is available here .

Information on travelling with children is available here .

Information on transiting through Ireland is available here .

Check the website of the Irish Immigration Service for information on preclearance and entry visa fees, including information on visa fee exemptions.

You can also contact your local Embassy or Consulate for more details on fees and payment methods

Related Links:

Irish Embassies Abroad

Embassies in Ireland

Assistance abroad

Travel Advice

Citizens' Registration

Top Passport Questions

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Visa requirements for entering Ireland

Introduction, do i need a visa, types of visa, visa waivers for uk visa holders, school student visa waiver, do i need preclearance, how to apply for a visa orpreclearance, further information and contacts.

If you are travelling to Ireland and you are not a citizen of the UK, Switzerland, or a country in the European Economic Area (the EU plus Norway, Iceland and Lichtenstein), you may need to apply for a visa.

An Irish visa is a certificate placed on your passport or travel document that allows you to travel to Ireland. You still have to present your passport and documents to immigration control when you arrive at the airport or port, and an immigration officer may still refuse you entry to Ireland .

If you are travelling with children , you have to apply for a visa for your children too.

You may also have to register with immigration authorities .

Ukrainian citizens

From 25 February 2022, citizens of Ukraine do not need a visa to travel to Ireland . Read information for people who have arrived in Ireland from Ukraine .

You do not need a visa to land in Ireland if you:

• Are a citizen of the EU or the EEA (the EU plus Iceland, Norway and Lichtenstein) or Switzerland
• Have a residence card issued by an EEA country or Switzerland because you are the family member of an EEA or Swiss citizen living in a country outside of the EEA/Swiss family member’s home country (for example, you live in Germany with your French spouse)
• Have a UK short-stay visa and qualify for the short-stay visa waiver or the British-Irish Visa Scheme (see ‘Visa waivers for UK visa holders’ below)
• Are a school student who lives in an EU/EEA country and you are travelling as part of a school trip (see ‘School Student Visa Waiver’ below)
• Are a citizen of a country listed in the table below.

Note Visa free travel also applies to the following types of British nationality:

• British national (overseas)
• British overseas territories citizen (previously called ‘British dependent territories citizenship)
• British overseas citizen

Visa free travel does not apply to people who have a British passport as a ‘British protected person'.

If you are moving to Ireland to live with your Irish de facto partner, a spouse or partner who holds a Critical Skills Employment Permit, or your UK spouse or partner, you have to apply for preclearance even if you are from one of the countries listed above (this does not apply to citizens of Switzerland or the UK). See ‘Do I need preclearance’ below.

If you have a short stay visa for the UK and are an Indian or Chinese citizen, you can travel to Ireland without a visa. See ‘Visa waivers for UK visa holders’ below.

Travelling with a refugee travel document

If you have a refugee travel document issued by a country outside Ireland, you must apply for a visa to enter Ireland. Visa free travel for travel document holders is suspended until further notice.

Family members of EEA/Swiss citizens

If you are coming to Ireland to join or accompany your EEA family member , you must apply for a visa if you are from a country that is not in the list above. If you are already living in another EEA country or Switzerland because you are the family member of an EEA or Swiss citizen who is exercising their free movement rights, you do not need a visa to travel to Ireland.

If you plan to stay in Ireland for more than 3 months you must apply for residence after your arrival.

The type of visa you need depends on the purpose and length of your stay in Ireland.

Short stay visas

If you want to come to Ireland for less than 3 months, you should apply for a short stay ‘C’ visa . You should apply for this type of visa if you want to come to Ireland as a tourist or to visit someone, for a business meeting, or to attend a short course.

You cannot stay for longer than 3 months on a ‘C’ visa. You must leave Ireland and apply for another visa if you want to return.

Long stay visas

If you want to come to Ireland for more than 3 months, for example to study, for work or to settle permanently in Ireland with family members who live in Ireland, then you can apply for a long stay ‘D’ visa .

If you are granted a long stay ‘D’ visa and wish to remain in the State for longer than 3 months you must register and get an Irish Residence Permit (IRP).

You can read more information about different types of visa available on the ISD website .

Re-entry multiple entry visas

The first visa issued to you is valid for a single entry to the State. If you leave Ireland, you must apply for another visa to travel to Ireland again.

If you have had single entry visas in the past and you have obeyed the conditions of those visas, you can apply for a multiple entry visa. You can also apply if you need to come to Ireland frequently for business. A multiple entry visa allows you to travel to Ireland on more than one occasion during the period that the visa is valid.

Re-entry visas for people who live in Ireland

If you have a valid Irish Residence Permit (IRP), you no longer need a re-entry visa to re-enter Ireland when traveling abroad. Children under 16 do not get an IRP. They can return to Ireland without a re-entry visa if they are travelling with parents or guardians. The parents or guardians must have an IRP.

Transit visas

If you are travelling through Ireland on your way to another country, you may need a transit visa when arriving in Ireland on their way to another country. A transit visa does not permit you to leave the port or airport. If you are a citizen of one of the following countries, you will need a valid Irish transit visa when landing in the State:

The Short Stay Visa Waiver Programme allows nationals of a number of Eastern European, Middle Eastern and Asian countries who have a short-term UK visa, to come to Ireland without the need for a separate Irish visa. The countries included in the scheme are:

• Bosnia and Herzegovina
• North Macedonia
• Philippines
• Saudi Arabia

Citizens of India and China , who have a short stay UK visa can travel to Ireland under the British Irish Visa Scheme (BIVS) without a separate Irish visa. You can also use your Irish visa to travel to the UK. Your visa must be endorsed with ‘BIVS’.

School students who are citizens of a country that would normally need a visa to enter Ireland can apply for a waiver if they live in an EU or EEA country and are travelling as part of a school trip.

The principal of the school must complete an application form and present this form to immigration upon arrival.

If you do not need a visa to come to Ireland, you may still have to apply for preclearance. Preclearance is permission to enter Ireland to apply to reside for certain reasons. You have to apply for preclearance if you want to come to Ireland:

• To volunteer
• As a minister of religion
• As the de facto partner of a Critical Skills Employment Permit or Hosting Agreement holder
• As the de facto partner of an Irish citizen
• As the family member of a UK citizen

A de facto partnership is when you are in a relationship with someone that is like a marriage.

You can apply for pre-clearance online. If you are approved, and you intend to stay in Ireland for more than 3 months, you have to register for an Irish Residence Permit after you arrive in Ireland.

You must apply for an entry visa or preclearance online .

There is information on how to complete an online application in English (pdf) as well as in Arabic (pdf) , Chinese (pdf) , Russian (pdf) , Hindi (pdf) , French (pdf) , Turkish (pdf) and Urdu (pdf) .

You should apply at least 8 weeks before you plan to come to Ireland. Details of the photographic requirements and current processing times are on the ISD website.

Biometric data : All visa applicants residing in Nigeria must provide biometric data . Applicants residing in Pakistan, India and China must provide fingerprints.

Appeals: If you are refused a visa you can appeal the decision by writing to the Irish Immigration Service Visa office .

The standard non-refundable visa application processing fees are:

Entry and re-entry visas

A single journey visa costs €60 and will be valid for one entry to the State up to a maximum of 90 days from the date of issue.

A multi journey visa costs €100 and will be valid for multiple entries to the State up to a maximum of 5 years from the date of issue.

A transit visa costs €25.

There may also be communications charges in some cases. Information about these charges, and on the fee in your local currency, is available from your local Irish embassy or consulate.

Who does not pay the fee?

Some applicants are not required to pay a fee . This includes visa-required spouses and certain family members of EEA citizens (including Irish nationals) provided that proof of the relationship is provided with the application. In addition, applicants from some countries are not required to pay a fee. As this can change from time to time, you should check with your local Irish embassy or consulate, or with the Visa Office.  

Information about visas is available from your nearest Irish embassy or consulate .

Visa Office

Immigration Service Delivery 13-14 Burgh Quay Dublin 2 D02 XK70 Ireland

Re-entry Visa Processing Office

Immigration Service Delivery 13/14 Burgh Quay Dublin 2 Ireland

Related documents

• Visas for tourists visiting Ireland Information about coming to Ireland for a short stay (less than 90 days). 2036.3912
• Visas for people visiting Ireland on business Certain people who wish to travel to Ireland for business purposes require visas. Find out more. 1890.6954
• Student visas to study in Ireland People from certain countries who wish to study in Ireland require visas. Find out more. 1827.6844

If you have a question about this topic you can contact the Citizens Information Phone Service on 0818 07 4000 (Monday to Friday, 9am to 8pm).

You can also contact your local Citizens Information Centre .

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Consulate General of Ireland | Edinburgh

• Embassies & Consulates

Visas for Ireland

If you want to enter Ireland, you may need a visa. This website’s visa section will help guide you through the application process.

Please note however that the Consulate General of Ireland in Edinburgh does not issue visas.

Visa applications are processed in the Visa Office in London and applications can only be made online at the Irish Embassy London website.

Many common questions regarding visas for travel to Ireland are answered in Top Visa Questions .

There is a separate application process for Working Holiday Authorizations (WHA) visas. Working Holiday schemes are for use by young people who are citizens of Australia, Canada, Hong Kong, Japan and New Zealand who wish to stay in Ireland for an extended holiday and wish to work in order to fund their stay.

In Ireland, the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) is primarily responsible for dealing with immigration and visa matters.

Who needs a Visa?

Whether you need a visa to enter Ireland depends on what country you’re from.

S.I. No 473 of 2014  groups countries into five different categories (schedules).

Please see Schedule 1, which is a list of countries that DO NOT NEED a visa. If your country is NOT listed you must apply for a visa before you travel to Ireland.

Note : A Schengen visa or UK visa is not valid for travel to Ireland. Note: For exceptions to this, please see Schedules 2, 3 and 4 below

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.

Schedule 1 - Countries that do not need a visa

You  DO NOT NEED  an entry visa for Ireland if you are a passport holder of one of these countries:

Convention travel documents

If you hold Convention travel documents issued by an EEA state, please refer to Section 3. (b) (i) of  S.I. No 473 of 2014  (short-stay visits only). 

Schedule 2 - Diplomatic Passport waiver programme

A holder of a diplomatic passport issued by a State or territorial entity specified below is not required to have a visa to enter Ireland

Schedule 3 - Visa waiver programme

If you’re a citizen of one of these countries and you meet  Visa Waiver Programme requirements , you  may  be able to travel on to Ireland from the UK without the need to obtain a separate Irish visa.

If not, you’ll need to apply for an entry visa before you travel to Ireland.

NOTE: This also applies to nationals of Oman, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates who have entered the United Kingdom on foot of a C-visit Electronic Visa Waiver (EVW)

Schedule 4 - British Irish Visa Scheme (BIVS)

United Kingdom visitors who are – nationals of a state or territorial entity specified in Schedule 4, AND holders of a visa issued by the competent authorities of the United Kingdom that is endorsed by those authorities with the letters “BIVS”

Schedule 5 - Transit Visas

If you are a citizen of one of these countries, you will need to apply for a  transit visa

 *  Requirement for a transit visa waived for Ethiopian nationals transiting through the State via Dublin Airport to/from the USA and Canada

How to Apply

Submitting your application.

You need to:

• Complete the online  application form
• Gather your supporting documentation, passport photograph and fee
• The online application system will automatically request you to submit your documentation to:

Processing Times

The processing times for visa applications vary depending on the visa type and the Office to which the application is lodged.

Fully complete applications lodged at the Public Counter: 7  working  days from the date of receipt in this office

Fully complete applications submitted through the post:  UPDATE ON POSTAL PROCESSING TIMES AS OF SEPTEMBER 2016

Please note, due to this office receiving a high volume of visa applications by post, postal applications are taking 4-5 WEEKS to finalise. Please take this into consideration if making travel plans in the near future as the visa office cannot expedite applications where applicants have flight bookings before their visa is due to be finalised.

Should a person have urgent travel plans, we would advise you to lodge your application in person (or a nominated person can lodge on your behalf) at our office in order to qualify for a seven working day turnaround.

If you have an application in our postal queue, you can come to our office any time between 9.30-12 each weekday morning with your Royal Mail postal tracking number and the visa officer can locate your application from the postal queue. They can then return the application to you unprocessed (and return your fee where applicable) OR you can re-lodge your application on the same day and receive a decision on your application within seven working days.

Study Visas: minimum of 4 weeks from the date of receipt in this office

Please note that these are indicative processing times only.  Processing may take longer at certain times of the year or depending on the complexity of the application.

The onus is on you, the applicant, to ensure that your  fully complete application  is submitted in sufficient time for a decision to be made before your date of travel.

You are advised not to purchase travel tickets before you know the outcome of your visa application.

Visa applications are considered in as speedy a manner as possible. Timeframes for decision can be dependent on a number of factors including, the number of applications received and the resources available to process them at any one time. While the vast majority of applications are dealt with within a much shorter timeframe it is recommended that applicants allow as much time as possible when applying for a visa. Just in case further enquiries have to be made, we advise you to apply for your visa 8 weeks before the date you plan to travel.

NOTE:  The long term or permanent nature of the intended stay in Ireland, in the case of join family visa applications, means they will require more in-depth consideration than short-stay visa applications and it is recommended applicants make their applications 12 weeks prior to their proposed dates of travel.

Many common questions are answered in  Top Visa Questions

Following the online application

Once I have applied online, what do I do?

• Refer to  checklists  and the  Types of Visa and Documentation  tab of this website to ensure that you have all of the documents required to support your application.
• Check the  Visa Fees  tab to find out about the current visa fees.
• Check the  Photo Requirements  page to ensure that you are providing an appropriate photo.
• Once you have checked all of the above, submit your application to the address given by the system. The application must include:
• The online summary sheet signed by you
• One passport photograph affixed to the top left of your application form
• Current passport and any previous passports (or copies of previous passports if originals unavailable
• All  required supporting documents
• The visa fee (if required)

Information note to assist applicants with the online application form

An information note has been prepared to assist applicants completing the online application form. This is available in:

All supporting documentation (bank statements, letters of employment/study, car/property ownership certificates, marriage certificates, birth certificates etc.) should be in English or accompanied by a notarised translation. Failure to translate your documents into English may result in your visa application being refused. It is not sufficient to send in copies of your documents. All documentation submitted must be original and verifiable (e.g.) employment/study details, accommodation bookings must have correct contact details on each document. If this Office is unable to verify the information supplied this may result in your visa being refused.

The onus is on you, the applicant, to ensure that your application is fully complete  before  submitting it for consideration.  You should note that if you submit an incomplete application, it may result in your application being refused.

If you have been refused a visa for any country, details of this must be given. Submit a copy of the letter issued to you by the authorities of that country, including a notarised translation if not in English. Concealment of visa refusals will result in your Irish visa application being refused.

Please note that if you provide false, fraudulent or misleading information or documentation, your application will be refused. You may also lose the right to appeal the decision. Any future applications made by you may also be refused.

If deemed necessary, additional documentation / information may be requested by the Deciding Officer upon detailed examination of the application.

If you submit false or misleading information in support of your application, you may become liable for prosecution and/or deportation.

Tracking your application

Track your application by contacting:  Tel:  +44 0906 66 10 197 (calls cost £1.50 per minute at all times)

Weekly Decision Report

Each week, a report detailing all decisions made in the previous week at the visa office London is posted to this page.

Need more information?

Visit the  Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS)  website to find out what you need to know before you apply for a visa.

Types of Visa and Documentation

What sort of visa do i need.

The following  checklists  outline the requirements of the most common types of visa applications

• Family Members of EU/EEA/Swiss citizens applying under Directive 2004/38/EC
• ‌ Business Visa
• Conference Visa
• Exam/Interview Visa
• Performance Visa
• Employment Visa
• Join Spouse (Work Permit)
• Student Information

A comprehensive list of the different visa types that are available, and the documentation required in respect of each, is available from the  INIS website

If you are applying for a business visa and it's being processed by an Embassy or Consulate, you should have a decision within 10 working days, provided all of your documentation is in order.

For ease of reference, separate links for some of the most common visa types are set out below.

Travelling to Ireland as a tourist

If you are a Visa-required national and you would like to visit Ireland for a short period (90 days or less) you will find useful guidelines and details of requirements for Visit/Holiday Visa applications from  INIS

For further information on tourism in Ireland please visit the website of  Tourism Ireland

Travelling to Ireland on business

Business meeting.

If you are a Visa-required national and coming to Ireland for a business meeting you will find useful guidelines and details of requirements for Business Visa applications on  INIS

If you are a Visa-required national and coming to Ireland for a conference, you will find useful guidelines and details of requirements for Conference Visa applications on  INIS

Starting a Business in Ireland

If you are a Visa-required national and you wish to set up a business in Ireland, you will require Business Permission from the Department of Justice and Equality, prior to applying for your visa. Find more information on the  INIS website

Studying in Ireland

If you require an entry visa for Ireland and would like to study here, you will find useful guidelines and details of requirements for Study Visa applications on  INIS

For further information on studying in Ireland:

• Immigration Regime for Full Time Non-EEA Students
• Irish Council for International Students
• Immigration and Visas - A guide for international students
• Internationalisation Register

Standard non-refundable visa application processing fees are:

Payment is by postal order, bank draft or cash. Postal orders and bank drafts should be made payable to the Embassy of Ireland.

Personal cheques are not accepted and this office does not have credit/debit card payment facilities.

For postal applications, payment must be by postal order or bank draft only.

Once a visa application is lodged for processing, the processing fee cannot be refunded.

No fee required

Some applicants don't have to pay a fee for their visa. These include visa-required spouses and certain family members of EEA citizens (including Irish nationals). You must provide proof of the relationship with the application, i.e. the original marriage/birth certificate and original EEA passport.

In addition, applicants from the countries listed below don't have to pay a fee:

Note  - The fee is waived for applications for short stay visas from nationals of the countries included in the Visa Waiver Programme who are resident in the UK. See schedule 3 of the Who needs a Visa tab for a list of countries who qualify for this waiver. 

Other charges

You may also have to pay communications charges

Visa Appeals

My application has been refused.

If your application has been refused and you still want to travel to Ireland, you can:

• Appeal the decision or
• Make a new application

If you decide to make a new application, your previous application history may be taken into account.

Appealing the decision

You'll be sent a letter outlining the reasons for refusal. If you believe the decision is wrong, you can make an appeal within two months of receiving the refusal notice.

How do I make an appeal?

Your appeal must be made in writing to the address specified in the letter you have received. Appeals may only be lodged by you (or your guardian if a minor) and must be signed by you. Faxed or emailed appeals will not be considered.

You should:

• Address each refusal reason in your appeal
• Supply clear and relevant evidence in your appeal to support your application
• Include any further information or documentation with your appeal letter
• Be aware that provision of the additional information/documentation doesn't guarantee approval

The Appeals Officer will review your application, taking account of any additional information or documentation that you have supplied.

On examination and review the original decision may be reversed. The Appeals Officer will notify you in writing when the decision is made and in general, a decision should issue within 4-6 weeks.

Is there a charge?

There is no charge for lodging an appeal.

On Arrival in Ireland

Immigration control.

An Irish visa is not an entry permission. It's a document giving you permission to present at a port of entry to ask to be admitted to Ireland.

All non-EEA citizens, whether they need a visa or not, will be subject to ordinary  immigration controls  at the port of entry.

Additional documents

As well as your visa, an Immigration Officer may ask to see additional information such as:

• Accommodation bookings
• Return flights
• Contacts in Ireland

Length of stay

The Immigration Officer at the port of entry will decide your length of stay by stamping your passport; which will reflect the purpose of your journey and the amount of time you are allowed to stay in the State.

The validity period shown on your visa indicates the dates between which you must travel to Ireland. These dates are NOT the dates between which you're permitted to remain in Ireland.

Staying over three months

If you need a visa to enter Ireland and you want to stay longer than 90 days, apply for a 'D' type visa before you travel. Permission to enter on the basis of a 'C' type visa will not give you permission to remain beyond a 90 day period.

Registration

If you're a non-EEA national and you want to stay longer than three months in Ireland, you must  register with the Garda National Immigration Bureau  and apply for permission to remain in Ireland.

Conditions of your visa

Under Irish law, you're not allowed to engage in any activity or to remain in Ireland for any purpose other than that for which your visa or permission to remain was granted.

Overstaying your visa

If you stay in Ireland longer than your permission to remain permits, you could be liable for prosecution and/or deportation.

Change of activity

If you want to undertake any activity in Ireland other than that for which your visa was granted you must leave the country and apply for a new visa. You can’t return to Ireland while you're waiting for a decision on your new application.

Related Links:

Irish Embassies Abroad

Embassies in Ireland

Assistance abroad

Travel Advice

Citizens' Registration

Top Passport Questions

Visa-free travel from South Africa may end under immigration plan

Move comes less than three years after requirement for visas for travel from south africa was abolished.

Taoiseach Simon Harris: The Government will 'do more' to reduce the number of applicants for international protection coming over the Border. Photograph: Sam Boal/Collins Photos

Ministers will discuss a possible move to end visa-free travel from South Africa , as the Government’s efforts to tighten immigration and asylum processes continue.

The expected move comes less than three years after the need for visas for travel from South Africa was abolished and results from officials’ warnings that people from Zimbabwe and the Democratic Republic of Congo are travelling on South African passports.

Figures released by the Department of Justice show that the authorities are currently processing the applications of 198 people who arrived on South African passports this year – just over 3 per cent of the total.

It is expected to be discussed at a meeting of the Cabinet committee on migration and integration next Thursday.

The Border ‘back door’: why are so many migrants crossing into the State from Northern Ireland?

Irish in London: ‘Nobody was making me stay. I could have left at any time and gone home to Sligo ... That was 24 years ago’

Abuses in the asylum system

Taoiseach convenes private meeting about Mount Street ‘tented village’

On Wednesday, Taoiseach Simon Harris told a Dáil committee the Government would “do more” to reduce the number of applicants for international protection (IP) – or asylum – who were coming over the Border with Northern Ireland.

[  Migration system may be tightened over spike in international protection applicants  ]

Minister for Justice Helen McEntee told a Dáil committee on Tuesday that more than 80 per cent of IP applicants were arriving in the State via Northern Ireland.

Mr Harris told the Oireachtas Committee that oversees the Departments of the Taoiseach, Finance and Public Expenditure: “We have to do more in this space. This wasn’t always the way. And, in fact, this is a relatively recent phenomenon”.

Mr Harris said measures introduced at airports had reduced the number of asylum seekers arriving, but that greater co-operation was needed between Garda and the Police Service of Northern Ireland on the issue.

Earlier Ms McEntee told RTÉ that more than 5,000 people had applied for asylum in Ireland this year, and that half of that number were “secondary movements”, where people come from another “safe” country to claim asylum in Ireland.

Elsewhere, the Government has written to church dioceses asking them to make buildings or lands available to help accommodate asylum seekers as part of a renewed push to find beds.

In 2022, the Government sought church lands to accommodate those fleeing the war in Ukraine but has now asked dioceses for assistance in helping house asylum seekers. This comes amid ongoing pressure to house 1,600 unaccommodated single males.

[  ‘This is for our town’: Ballina locals protest against plans to house families seeking international protection  ]

Minister of State Joe O’Brien wrote to the dioceses in early March as well as seeking more local authority lands or buildings from the County and City Management Association (CCMA).

However, he was told that local authority’s ability to provide additional buildings was “severely limited”.

Mr O’Brien said: “Given the grave situation in terms of the number of people unaccommodated – many of whom are forced to sleep on the streets with all the obvious danger that entails – I feel it is incumbent on me to do everything within my power to try to assist the Trojan efforts of Minister O’Gorman and our officials within the Department of Integration.

[  Over 20,000 international protection applicants could apply for asylum in Ireland during 2024  ]

“On that basis I wrote to both the CCMA and each diocese, asking them to give serious consideration to their buildings and/or land portfolio with a view to trying to identify anything at all that might help alleviate the situation – even temporarily while we move towards the medium-term plan set out by Minister O’Gorman.”

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Pat Leahy is Political Editor of The Irish Times

Jack Horgan-Jones

Jack Horgan-Jones is a Political Correspondent with The Irish Times

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