Tourist Visa Ireland

Before you begin your tourist visa application, it is important to establish whether you are eligible for a tourist visa.

The most fundamental conditions which you must meet to be eligible for a tourist visa (and any short stay visa) are as follows:

• You must have a passport which is valid for at least six months after your proposed leave from Ireland
• You need to be able to demonstrate that you can support yourself financially for the duration of your stay in Ireland, and not become a financial burden on the state. You will need to provide a detailed bank statement, which covers a period of six months before you apply for a visa, showing that you have sufficient funds
• You must be able to provide details of any previous applications you have made for an Irish visa

In addition to these conditions, you will need to adhere to the following rules and requirements:

• You need to complete all sections of the tourist visa application form
• You must sign the application form yourself. The exception is for an application for a child who is under 18, in which case the parent can sign
• You must provide details of any family members who are currently living in Ireland, or in a country within the EU
• If a child who is under 18 is travelling to Ireland by themselves, both parents/guardians must have given their consent for the visit. If the child is travelling with one parent, consent of the other parent is required

Also, when you make a tourist visa application, the Department of Justice & Equality will consider your immigration history as well as any criminal record.

As part of the tourist or visitor visa application process, you will need to provide a number of documents with your completed application form. The specific documents which you will need to provide depends on your particular circumstances.

Still, the following documents will need to be provided with all tourist visa applications:

• Application summary sheet
• Full details of the reason for your visit to Ireland
• Your valid passport and, if possible, a photocopy of each page from previous passports
• Two passport-sized colour photographs with your signature and Visa Application Tracking Number on the back of both of them
• A letter provided by a reference in Ireland, inviting you to come to Ireland
• Details of your relationship with your reference. If the reference is not an Irish citizen, you must be able to provide evidence of their permission to remain in Ireland
• If you are going to be staying at a hotel, you will need to provide a document showing the details of your booking
• Written confirmation from both yourself and your reference which confirms that you will not fall foul of any visa conditions, will not become a burden on the state and will leave the state within 90 days of the date of your permission to enter
• Evidence showing that you are obliged to return to your home country. The evidence could be a letter from your employer indicating your proposed return date to work, or from a college which specifies the date a course is due to begin or re-commence
• You need to provide details for any visa refusal or preclearance in the past for any country
• Medical or travel insurance is not required with your application. However, the Visa Officer may request it before they make a decision on your visa application

The documents must fall in accordance with the following rules:

• Documents need to be provided in their original form. Photocopies will not be accepted
• Any letters from companies and educational establishments must be on official headed paper
• Documents which are not in English or Irish must be fully translated by a translator who is certified. You will need to provide both the original documents and the translated ones in your application

Here at the IAS we have an unrivalled level of experience in Irish immigration law, and we can provide expert guidance on the required documentation for visitor visa applications. Please do not hesitate to contact us on +353 (0)61 518 025 for any help you might need.

The current fees for Ireland tourist visa applications are as follows:

• €60 for a single-journey visit visa for Ireland
• €100 for a multiple-journey visit visa for Ireland

You cannot be reimbursed for the visa application if your application is rejected.

As well as this standard fee, you will need to take into account the costs of any professional translation of your documents.

The Department of Justice & Equality will consider your application, examining all the documentation which has been provided.

It is important to provide all the required documentation in its proper form. Failure to do so will result in a delayed decision on your application, and possibly an automatic rejection.

Specifically, Irish immigration officials will check that your application includes signed and dated application summary sheets, that you have paid the application fee and that you have provided all necessary documentation.

Irish immigration officials might contact the Irish police or other government and international departments and agencies if they feel it is necessary.

The specific time it will take to process your Ireland tourist visa will depend on the visa office that will handle your application. Applications may also take longer to process at certain times of year, such as around holiday times.

However, generally speaking, it will normally take around up to 8 weeks for the office to process your Ireland tourist visa application.

If you’ve submitted your application to an Irish embassy, you may be able to view updated decision times via the Visa Processing Times and Weekly Decision Reports.

It is crucial to understand that even if your visa application was accepted, you are not guaranteed entry into Ireland. Ultimately, a Tourist Visa will grant you permission to travel to Ireland, but not permission to enter.

When you arrive in Ireland, you need to report to immigration officials. You are required to provide your passport, visa and all other relevant documents. In order to make this process as smooth as possible, it is highly recommended that you bring photocopies of your application documents which you can show to border control when you arrive in Ireland.

The immigration official will make a decision based on the information you provide. If they are happy with your information and documentary evidence, you will be given official permission to enter and your passport will be stamped.

If you would like any guidance or advice on the border control process, please do not hesitate to call us on +353 (0)61 518 025.