In This Section
Introduction
A short stay ‘C’ visit (family/friend) visa allows you to travel to Ireland to visit family or friends who are resident here, for up to 90 days. Check if you need a visa and plan your journey before you apply.
About this visa
A short stay āCā visit (family/friend) visa allows you to travel to Ireland for up to 90 days. This visa does not allow you to:
Do work (paid or unpaid) of any kind
Use any publicly funded services. For example, a public hospital.
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.
Who needs to apply?
If you are a visa required national you must apply for a visa before travelling to Ireland. You can find out if you need a visa here. Each traveller must apply for a separate visa. There are no family visas.
A parent or legal guardian should make a tourist visa application for a young person (aged under 18). You should not buy travel tickets before you receive a decision on your visa application.
How to apply
You must apply for a visa from your home country or a country where you are a legal resident. Prepare your application 3 months before you travel. Your application has 3 parts:
Create a visa application online
Pay the visa application fee
Send your passport & other documents for processing.
We will give information about where to send your documents. We provide this after you create your visa application. If your application is successful, we will place an Irish visa into your passport/travel document. We will then return this to you. Generally, you can expect a decision about 8 weeks after we receive your documents.
Important: Do not include false or misleading information or documents in your application. If you do, we may refuse your application. In some circumstances, you may not be able to appeal the visa decision. Additionally, we may prohibit you from getting an Irish visa for 5 years.
Create your visa application online
AVATS is the online visa application system. To apply for a visa, answer all questions in AVATS fully and honestly.
Short stay visit (tourist) visa
To come to Ireland to visit family or friends for less than 90 days, select the following options in AVATS:
Visa type: āShort Stay (C)
Reason for travel: āVisit Family/Friendā
Journey type: āSingleā or āMultipleā (as appropriate for you).
Ā Ā Note: We approve āMultipleā entry visas in limited circumstances only.
Policy considerations underpinning decisions on applications for short stay multi entry visas:
Multi entry visas are usually only issued to an applicant who has shown a compliant travel history.
If you have had 2 previous Irish visas and have observed the conditions of these visas (e.g. you did not overstay or work illegally) you may apply for a visa for multiple journeys.
A multi entry visa may be approved in certain circumstances if you have no travel history to Ireland, for example if:
- you need to travel regularly to Ireland on short visits for business meetings. You should submit evidence of this from your employer and the company in Ireland with whom you are engaging in business (where relevant)
- while in Ireland on business, you need to travel to another country, returning to Ireland for further meetings, or onward travel, or
- you are travelling to and from another country, via Ireland.
Application summary
Visa Application Transaction Number: Keep a note of this number. You will need it to check progress on your application or when contacting us
Application summary sheets: Print, sign and date these sheets and send them to your application office (as below). Send these sheets along with your passport and other documents
Application office: Send your application to the office address shown on your summary sheet. Your application office could be:
- The Dublin visa office
- An International visa office, or
- An Irish Embassy or Consulate worldwide (depending on where you apply from).
In some cases, your application office may send your application to a different office for a visa decision.
Pay the visa application fee
Payment methods and currency options may differ between offices. Contact your application office to find out how to pay. Some applicants are exempt and do not pay visa fees. Current fees are:
ā¬60: Single entry ā Short stay āCā visa
ā¬100: Multiple entry ā Short stay āCā visa.
Extra charges may apply for some applications. For example, consular fees. The visa fee covers the administrative cost of processing your application. This will not be refunded if you withdraw your application or if we refuse your application.
Document guidance
You must send the documents listed below to your application office. You must do this within 30 days of creating an application via AVATS.
Prepare your documents carefully. They contain information we need to make a decision about you. It is your responsibility to provide the necessary information that will enable us to grant you a visa.
Documents must be original
Do not submit documentation on USB sticks, memory cards, CD ROMs as documents on these devices cannot be accessed. You should also not submit documentation on file sharing platforms such as Drop Box, Sharefile. Documents in hardcopy format only will be accepted.
We do not accept photocopies (except where stated).
Letters must be original
Letters from companies, universities, schools, colleges, etc., must be on official headed paper. These must show the organisationās:
Email address (Yahoo and Hotmail email addresses are not accepted)
A contact personās name and title/position
Written signature of an authorised representative (electronic signature is not accepted).
Documents must be translated and certified
You must provide a full and certified translation into the English or Irish language of any documents not in English or Irish. Send us both the original documents and the certified translations.
Read a longer description about how to make a certified translation of a document.
Any State issued official documents, such as Birth Certificates, Marriage Certificates, Death Certificates, Divorce Certificates that wereĀ issued by a State outside of the EEA or Switzerland, must be attested/apostilled as genuine by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the State that issued the document, in order that it can be accepted as evidence for Irish visa purposes. Such documents are required to be translated into English or Irish, if necessary. Translations done outside the EEA or Switzerland must also be attested/apostilled as genuine, by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the country in which the translation occurs. Send us both the original documents and the certified translations. Translations done in the EEA or Switzerland do not need to be attested by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Any State issued official documents, such as Birth Certificates, Marriage Certificates, Death Certificates, Divorce Certificates that wereĀ issued by a State within the EEA or SwitzerlandĀ do not require to be attested as genuine from Member States. A translation of these documents is not required where a multilingual standard form (MSF) is also provided. Such MSF forms are available from Member States on request. If an MSF is not provided by you then those documents are required to be translated into English or Irish, if necessary in order that it can be accepted as evidence for Irish visa purposes.
Translations done outside the EEA or Switzerland must also be attested/apostilled as genuine, by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the country in which the translation occurs. Translations done in the EEA or Switzerland do not need to be attested by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. We will also accept the Extract of a European marriage certificate, issued in accordance with the āConvention on the issue of multilingual extracts from civil status recordsā, as proof of a marriage within the EEA or Switzerland. Send us both the original documents and the certified translations.
Return of documents
We will return marriage, birth and death certificates to you after we process your application. If there are other documents you want returned, type or write a list of the documents you want and then:
Include the list with your visa application
Include the original documents from the list (we will return these after processing)
Include a photocopy of each document (we will keep these).
Note: Do not send photocopies only. You must include the original documents. We may refuse your application if you do not submit all documents. Even if you submit everything required, there is no guarantee that we will grant you a visa.
Documents required
Application summary sheets
Proof of visa fee payment
Obligations to return home
Medical or Travel insurance
Print, sign and date the application summary sheets (from AVATS). Your signed and dated summary application form and the appropriate fee (where applicable) must be accompanied by the supporting documentation set out below. If you do not submit the required documentation your application may be refused on the basis of insufficient documentation.
Type or write a letter explaining why you want to come to Ireland. Sign and date the letter and submit it with your documents.
Your letter must include your full name and postal address, and:
- The reason you want to come to Ireland
- The dates you plan to arrive and leave
- The place(s) you will stay, for example home address of your friend/family, hotel, hostel, B&B, etc
- A description of who will pay (or help to pay) for your vacation, for example you, friend/family.
If you are visiting aĀ friend(s), your letter must also include:
- The name(s) and address(es) of your friend(s) in Ireland
- A description of how you and your friend(s) know each other
- Documentary evidence of the relationship between you and your friend(s), for example copies of letters, emails, photographs together, etc
- The names and addresses of any members of your family who also live in Ireland (even if you will not visit them)
- The names and addresses of any members of your family who currently live in any other EU/EEA country or Switzerland.
If you are visitingĀ family, your letter must also include:
- The names and addresses of all members of your family who live in Ireland (including family members you will not be visiting)
- The names and addresses of any members of your family who currently live in any otherĀ EU/EEA country or Switzerland.
- Documentary evidence to show you are related to them (for example, birth certificates and marriage certificates etc.)
- Documentary evidence to show your relationship with them (for example, copies of letters, emails, photographs together, evidence of previous visits by applicant or reference etc).
Your letter must also include a commitment from you that you will:
- Obey the conditions of your visa in full
- Not rely on public services (for example public hospitals) or become a burden on the State
- Leave Ireland before your immigration permission expires.
Invitation letter
Ask the friend(s) or family member(s) you plan to visit in Ireland to type or write a letter that states that they are inviting you to Ireland to visit them. Ask them to sign and date the letter. Include the letter with your application.
The letter must state:
- The reason they are inviting you to Ireland
- The dates they plan to see you in Ireland
- A description of how they know you.
The letter must include a clear legible colour photocopy of the picture page of their National Identity Card or passport (including for Irish citizens).
The letter must also include a statement by your friend(s) or family member(s) that they understand you must:
- Obey the conditions of your visa in full
- Not rely on public services (for example public hospitals) or become a burden on the State
- Leave Ireland before your immigration permission expires.
You must get a separate letter from each friend/family member you are visiting who has a different home address. A single letter for friends/family who live at the same address is acceptable.
Conditional requirements for the invitation letter
If you are invited to stay with your friend(s) or family member(s) in their home, the letter must state:
- That they are inviting you to stay with them in their home
- The dates you are invited to stay and their full postal address (including EirCode).
If the friend(s) or family member(s) inviting you to Ireland is a non-EU/EEA and non-Swiss citizen, the letter must include:
If your friend(s) or family member(s) will help to pay for your vacation, the letter must include:
- A cost estimate and a description of what they will pay for (if appropriate), for example cost of airline tickets in Euro, cost of accommodation and living expenses for your short stay in Ireland.
- Documents that prove they can afford to pay a full description of required documents is on this page.
You must submit:
- Your current passport ā your current passport must be valid for at least 6 months after the date you plan to leave Ireland
- A photocopy of each page from all previous passports you have (where available). Your application will be delayed if you do not provide copies of all previous passports you have
- Type or write a letter that describes your travel plan to and from Ireland if you intend to:
- Travel to Ireland from a different country (not your home country or a country where you are a legal resident), or
- Travel from Ireland to a different country.
The letter must also state if you need or do not need visas for those countries. Include the letter with your application.
If relevant, apply for those countriesā 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.
If you do not get the expected visas before you apply for an Irish visa, explain why in your letter. The visa officer will include those reasons when reviewing your application.
If you are not a citizen of the country you are applying from you must submit proof you have permission to be in the country you are applying from. If you are not a citizen you must submit proof you have permission to be in the country. For example, a photocopy of your residence card.
You must also show you have at least 3 monthsā permission to remain in that country after the date you plan to leave Ireland.
Include 2 passport-sized colour photographs of the visa applicant. On the back of each photo:
- Sign your name (in your native script and language)
- Write your Visa Application Transaction Number from AVATS
- Each photograph must meet all the following rules for visa photographs.
If you are staying with your friend or family in their home for each friend or family member you stay with, include the following:
Their full name, address in Ireland and proof that their live at their address, such as a utility bill (on headed paper) from within the last 6 months.
If you are staying in other accommodation include printed reservation confirmations (emails or letters) of your accommodation from:
- Hotels, guesthouses, hostels, B&Bs, AirBnBs, campsites and so on
- Shared or free accommodation, for example couchsurfing
- Any other type of accommodation.
Reservation confirmations must show the dates you intend to stay at each place. A full accommodation plan must be submitted with your application. Reservations must contain the full contact details of the accommodation provider.
If you plan to study during your stay, include information about your study plan, such as:
- The name, address, phone number, website and email of the place you are studying. For example, the school, college or institution
- Shared or free accommodation. For example, couchsurfing
- Proof you have reserved a place on the course. For example, a confirmation email or letter.
Evidence of medical or travel insurance does not need to be provided with your application. However, the Visa Officer may request it before they make a decision on your application.
If your visa is approved, you must have evidence of medical or travel insurance when you arrive at the port of entry (airport or seaport) and must present it to the Immigration Officer on request.
In some circumstances, you may have to include proof that you have paid the visa application fee. Contact your application office to find out if you need to provide proof and what to include.
If you are exempt from the visa fee, you may have to include documents that prove you are exempt. Contact your application office about proof of exemption.
Proof of payment/exemption may differ between offices. Extra charges may also apply for some applications. For example, consular fees.
You must show that you have enough finance (money) to support yourself in Ireland.
Note: There is no minimum amount of finance for approving or refusing a visa application. The visa officer will decide if you have enough based on your own circumstances.
If you are paying for your own visit
Include an up-to-date bank statement with your documents. The bank statement must:
- Be original and on headed bank paper. Note: You may use a printed internet statement but it must be officially certified by your bank. We will not accept uncertified internet statements
- Show your name and address
- Show the bank account number and account type. For example, checking/current account, savings and deposit account
- Show money paid in and out of the account over the last 6 months.
If you submit a bank statement from a savings and deposit account, you must include an original letter from your bank (on headed paper). This must confirm you can withdraw money from it.
You must also include a written explanation of any large movements of money in or out of your account, if appropriate.
If a friend or family member in Ireland is helping to pay for your visit
Type or write an estimate of how much your friend/family member will spend (in Euro) and what they will pay for (if appropriate). For example, the cost of airline tickets.
Your friend/family member must also show that they can afford these costs. This applies to any friends/family members who will help to pay for your vacation, including Irish citizens.
To do so, you must ask them to send you the following original documents and include them with your application:
- An up-to-date bank statement, following the same rules as described above
- If they are employed, they must provide:
- Their 3 most recent payslips
- Their most recent tax return document, for example in Ireland, an employment detail summary from Revenue
- A letter from their employer that confirms they are employed.
- If they areĀ self employed, they must provide a letter that includes:
- A description of their business and the products or service they provide
- Proof that their business is trading, for example:
- Their most recent financial accountsĀ (clear colour photocopy)
- Recent tax return (clear colour photocopy
- Confirmation of payments from customers from within last 6 months (printed emails or letters).
You must also include your own personal bank statement, following theĀ same rules as described above.
If someone else (a third party) is helping to pay for your visit
Type or write a description that explains how and why your visit is being paid for by a third party. You must also include the third party’s:
- Full name and address
- Telephone number
- Email address (if available)
- Website (if appropriate).
You must also include:
- Proof of the relationship between you and the third party,Ā for exampleĀ copies of letters, emails, photographs together.
The third party must also show that they can afford these costs. This applies to any person who will help to pay for your vacation, including Irish citizens.
To do so, the same rules regarding employed and self-employed persons, as described above, apply.
You must provide one of the following:
- Acknowledgement from the Registrar confirming the date of receipt of notification of intention to marry or enter into a civil partnership
- Marriage Registration Form (MRF).
As you are applying for a short stay visa for Ireland (which permits visits of less than 90 days), it is important that you provide evidence that you have strong family, social or economic ties to your country of residence. This is necessary in order to satisfy the Visa Officer that you will leave Ireland on, or before, your intended date of departure from Ireland.
It is your responsibility to provide this evidence. All of the information that you provide must be in the form of documentary evidence which can be verified by the Visa Officer. Suggestions on how to show evidence your obligations to return.
Work
If you are employed, you must provide your 3 most recent payslips and a letter from your employer including:
- How long you have been employed there
- The dates you will be absent from your employment
- 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 tenancy agreement.
Self-employed
If you are self-employed at home, you must show that you have an obligation to continue it. To do so, you must provide a letter that includes:
A description of their business and the products or service they provide
Proof that their business is trading, for example:
- Your most recent financial accountsĀ (clear colour photocopy)
- Recent tax return (clear colour photocopy)
- Confirmation of payments from customers from within last 6 months (printed emails or letters).
The date youĀ will return to your business at home.
For all visa or preclearance applications, if you have been refused a visa or preclearance in the past for any country, you must provide details to us. The original letter issued to you by the authorities of that country must be provided with your application. Not disclosing any previous visa refusals will result in your application being refused.
In addition if you have:
- Been deported from any country
- Been refused entry to any country
- Been otherwise required to leave any country (including overstaying in any country).
You must provide original documentation issued by the authorities of that country with your application and a full explanation for consideration.
Note: We will refuse your application for an Irish visa if you do not include information about past visa refusals.
Applications for young people (aged under 18)
A parent or legal guardian should make a visa application for a young person (aged under 18). The process follows the same steps described above with some extra conditions (as below) to protect the young personās safety.
Click here for extra conditions for young people aged under 18.
Submit your documents
Make sure that you have prepared all your application documents. Put them into a strong padded envelope and send them to your application office. If you are making a visa application for yourself and another person, you may send them together. To send together:
Place each personās application documents into separate envelopes
Write the name and Visa Application Transaction Number of each applicant on each envelope
Place each envelope into a larger envelope and send it to the application office
Be sure to pay the correct postage for large packages.
After you apply
When we receive your application, we will check that you have included:
Signed and dated Application Summary Sheets
Proof of payment of the visa application fee (if applicable)
All other documents listed above.
When reviewing your application we may contact you to ask for more information or documents. We may also:
Send your passport/travel document for official authentication
Contact An Garda SĆochĆ”na (Irish police) for information about you
Contact government departments or other agencies for information about you. For example, INTERPOL.
Biometric information
In some cases, you may need to provide biometric information as part of your application. Contact your application office (as listed on your application summary sheet). They will confirm if you need to provide biometric information and how to do so.
Visa decisions
We process visa applications in the order we receive them. Processing times differ between application offices and application types. This may also vary during the year. For example, during holiday periods. In general, you can expect a decision for a short stay visit (tourist) visa about 8 weeks after we receive your documents.
Note: Your application may take longer if documents are missing, we need to verify them or because of personal circumstances. For example, if you have a criminal conviction.
Check your visa decision
Dublin visa Office
If you sent your application to the Dublin Visa Office, new visa decisions and waiting times are published every Tuesday.
All other offices
If you sent your application to an international Visa Office, Irish Embassy or Consulate, contact that office for an update on your application.
If we approve your application
We will place an Irish visa into a blank page of your passport/travel document. We will return your passport/travel document and certain original documents by post. For example, marriage, birth or death certificates and other documents listed by you. You can also arrange for collection at an international Visa Office, Irish Embassy or Consulate.
Visas for young people (aged under 18)
An Irish visa issued to a young person aged under 18 will show if they are travelling alone (unaccompanied) or with an adult (accompanied).
If we refuse your application
We will send you a āletter of refusalā that explains why your application was not approved. We will return your passport/travel document and certain original documents by post. For example, marriage, birth or death certificates and other documents listed by you. You can also arrange for collection at an international Visa Office, Irish Embassy or Consulate.
Appeal a visa decision
You can appeal a negative visa decision and you do not have to pay to make an appeal. To do so, you must submit an appeal within 2 months of the date on your letter of refusal.
When you travel
An Irish visa allows you to travel to Ireland. It does not give you permission to enter the country. We can refuse you entry even if you have a visa.
Border control
When you arrive at border control, you must prove to the immigration officer that you have a valid reason for entering Ireland. To do so you will need your passport, visa and other documents. For example, you should bring copies of documents from your application with you when you travel.
If you cannot satisfy the immigration officer, you will not be able to enter Ireland. If you receive permission to enter, the officer will place a ālanding stampā in your passport. The landing stamp shows the reason for your visit (for example, tourism) and how long you can stay, up to a maximum of 90 days.
