Department of Foreign Affairs

2. I already have a UK residency visa/ leave to remain in the UK/ UK work permit/ UK travel document: do I need a separate visa to travel to Ireland?
Yes. Ireland is a separate country to the United Kingdom and a separate visa is required. Check the “Who needs a visa” page of this website to see if you are a national of a country that is visa-required.

3. I hold a Schengen visa: do I need a visa to travel to Ireland?
Yes. Ireland is not part of the Schengen agreement and a separate visa is required. Check the “Who needs a visa” page of this website to see if you are a national of a country that is visa-required.

4. I live in Northern Ireland: do I need a visa to travel to Ireland?
Yes. Northern Ireland is part of the United Kingdom and you will need an Irish visa in order to cross the border into Ireland. Check the “Who needs a visa “page of this website to see if you are a national of a country that is visa-required.

5. I am the family member of an EU national and resident in the UK: do I need a visa to travel to Ireland?
Yes. Check the “Who needs a visa” page of this website to see if you are a national of a country that is visa-required.

Please note: if you state on your application that you are travelling with your EU family member, then you will be issued with a visa stating “accompanying EU family member”. If you then travel without that EU family member you may be refused entry to Ireland and/or have a visa warning entered on your passport.

6. I hold a UK visit visa and am currently in the UK on holiday/visiting family and/or friends. I would like to travel to Ireland from the UK for a visit: can I apply through the London Visa office?
All visa applicants should apply for their visa in their country of permanent residence. The London Visa office can only process visa applications from UK residents.

In exceptional circumstances (i.e. serious illness or death of a family member in Ireland), a visa to travel to Ireland may be issued by this office to the holder of a UK visit visa. In that event, proof of the exceptional circumstances will be required.

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7. I am resident in the UK and require a visa to travel to Ireland: how do I apply?
Step 1: Check the visa pages of the Embassy website for information on the supporting documents required, processing timeframes, processing fee, photo requirements and other useful information.

Step 2: Complete your online application – there is a link to the online application service on the visa pages of the Embassy website (“Applying for a visa”). Remember to click on the “Submit” option once you have completed your application.

Step 3: Print down the 2 page summary sheet and sign it beneath the declaration on the second page. The “Print” option is available once you have clicked the “Submit” option.

Step 4: Check that you have all of the documentation required to support your application. Submit your summary sheet, current passport, passport photo and all of the required supporting documentation to the Visa Office.

8. What documents do I need?
Check the “Supporting Documents required” page of the Embassy website to see what documents are required.

Family members of EU nationals who are travelling to Ireland on holiday or to visit family/friends, please note:

If you are visiting Ireland with your EU family member, then you should look at the checklist for Visit Visa (spouse of EU national/partner of EU national) or Visit Visa (child of EU national/spouse of EU national).

If you are visiting Ireland without your EU family member then you should look at the checklist for the standard Visit Visa.

9. Do I have to go to the Embassy Visa Office to lodge my visa application?
No you don’t. You can post in your application and supporting documents to the Visa Office. You should ensure that all of your documents are included as we cannot accept additional documents submitted at a later stage.

You can send your application to us by a variety of postal options (standard post, recorded delivery, special delivery, courier etc). However if you submit your application by post we ask that you include a self addressed Royal Mail Special Delivery envelope as it is a guaranteed next day, secure delivery service. You should keep note of the special delivery number so that you can track the return of your documents.

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10. Can someone lodge an application at the Visa Office on my behalf?
Yes, someone can bring in your application to the Visa Office and lodge it on your behalf. However, if you wish them to collect your passport once the visa decision has been made, you must provide them with a letter of authorisation giving them permission to do so and they must bring a form of photographic ID when they come to collect. This even applies to family members.

11. Once I’ve completed my online application, do I have to do anything else?
Yes, completing the online application is just the first part of the application process. The second part is to submit the summary sheet with your passport, photo and all of the required supporting documentation to the Visa Office so that the application can be processed.

If you do not submit the summary sheet, passport and supporting documents then the application cannot be processed.

12. I’m only going to Ireland for a couple of days, do I still need to provide all of the supporting documents?
Yes you do. All short term visa applicants are required to provide the same supporting documents, regardless of the length of their trip.

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13. I want to apply for an Irish visa but I need my passport back as I have to travel abroad before my date of travel to Ireland. What can I do?
You can submit your application with all of the required supporting documents and your passport. We will take a copy of your passport and return it to you immediately. Once you have returned to the UK you can re-submit your passport to us for the visa to be affixed in the event that your application is successful.

If you are applying in person, just let the Visa counter team know that you need the passport back. If you are applying by post, include a note to the Visa team explaining why you need your passport back.

However, you are responsible for ensuring that you re-submit your passport to the office upon your return and before your proposed date of travel to Ireland.

14. How do I get a multi entry visa?
That depends on the type of visa you require. There are usually two types: business or visit.

For the business visa applicant, we require letters from your UK employer and the company you are visiting in Ireland confirming that a multi entry visa is required, the reason why and the period during which the repeat visits will take place (see the business visa checklist on the “Supporting Documents Required” page).

For the visit visa applicant, you need to show that you have a good Irish visa history before we will consider issuing a multi entry visa. This means that you need to have had at least two previous Irish visas in recent years, no adverse Irish visa history (i.e. previously entering the country without a visa etc) and have abided by the conditions of the previous visas. You also need to explain to us why you need a multi entry visa.

15. I have already checked the main Irish Immigration website, why should I check the information on the Embassy website?
The main Irish Immigration website (www.inis.gov.ie) provides general information about a range of immigration, asylum and citizenship issues.

Individual Embassy websites provide detailed information that is specific to that particular country such as local visa processing fees, processing timeframes, specific supporting document requirements, contact details etc.

You should always check the Embassy website for the most up to date local information before you submit your visa application.

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16. How much does a visa to Ireland cost?
Information on visa processing fees is available on the “Visa Fees” page of the Embassy website. Nationals of certain countries are fee-exempt and there is a link to the list of those countries on the “Visa Fees” page.

17. Can I pay by cheque or credit/debit card?
No. We cannot accept personal or company cheques and we do not have the facilities for credit/debit card payments.

Applicants who apply in person can pay by cash, postal order or bank draft. Postal applicants should pay by bank draft or postal order only – please do not send cash payments through the post.

18. How long does it take to get a visa to travel to Ireland?
Application processing times can vary depending on the type and complexity of the application. Details of processing times can be found on the “Processing Timeframes” page of the Embassy website but you should note that these are indicative timeframes only.

During busy periods such as the summer months or in the months leading to Christmas, the processing time can be longer. And occasionally it can take longer to check out all aspects of an application which will increase the processing time.

The Visa team works hard to ensure all visa applications are processed as quickly as possible but it is up to you to ensure that you have allowed sufficient time for your visa application to be processed before your date of travel.

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19. Do I need an appointment to lodge my visa application?
No, this office does not operate an appointment system. You should check the “Opening Hours & Phone Queries” page of the website for information on our current opening hours.

20. How do I find out the status of my application?
That depends on the type of application.

If you lodge your application in person, you will be given a yellow receipt that states the date on which your decision will be made and when you can collect your passport.

If you have sent in your application by post then you should receive a decision within the agreed processing timeframe for postal applications.

You should check the “Processing Timeframes” page on the website for more information. Please remember that these are indicative timeframes and can change during busy periods such as the summer months and in the run up to the Christmas period.

21. I sent my documents in to your office by post: how do I know if they have arrived?
If you sent your documents by Royal Mail Special Delivery or by Recorded Delivery within the UK you should have a “track and trace” number. The Royal Mail offers the “track and trace” facility on its website which allows you to see if your envelope has been delivered to this office. However you will need the “Track & Trace” number.

Please see the Royal Mail Website for more details: www.royalmail.com.

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22. I sent in my application by post but it was returned to me – why?
There are two main reasons why your postal application will be returned to you.

The first is that you have submitted your application on a form downloaded from the internet. This office can only process applications that have been entered through the online service. All applications submitted on downloaded forms are returned to the applicants with an information note explaining about the online service.

The second reason is that you submitted your application on one of the old visa application forms. Once again we cannot accept these forms as we can only process applications entered through the online service.

There may occasionally be other reasons why an application is returned to you, such as leaving insufficient time for an application to be processed before your date of travel. In these circumstances you should receive a letter informing you of the reason for the return of the application.

23. My visa application has been refused: why?
If your visa application has been refused, you will receive a letter from this office clearly stating the reasons for refusals. It is up to you to provide the required documents to support your application as the Visa Officers can only base their decision on the information provided.

The checklists provided on the “Supporting Documents Required” page of the website are there to assist you with your application so that you can provide the correct documents.

Please remember that all aspects of your application, including the supporting documents and your previous visa history, are checked by the Visa Officer before a decision is made. It is in your best interests to ensure that you have provided all of the required information at the application stage and that all of the information provided is correct.

24. Can I apply for a Working Holiday Authorisation (WHA) at the Irish Embassy in London?
If you are currently living in the UK or are passing through the UK en route to Ireland, you can lodge your WHA application with the Visa Office, Embassy of Ireland, London.

25. How long does it take for the WHA application to be processed?
While the application is lodged in London, it is actually processed in Canberra so it can take anything from 4 to 6 weeks before a decision is made.

26. Can I just go to Ireland and make the application there? Or can I make the application in London and then pick up the WHA in Dublin?
No. If you intend to work in Ireland under the WHA Scheme then you must have the WHA sticker affixed to your passport when you enter Ireland. This will inform the Immigration Officers at the port of entry of your intention to work.

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27. I want to make a WHA application but I can’t leave my passport with you for 6 weeks as I’m doing some travelling in the meantime: what can I do?
When you make your application, we can take a copy of your passport and give you back the original to take away with you. If your application is successful then you will have to re-submit the passport to this office so that the WHA sticker can be affixed.

28. I’m in the UK, my passport has been stolen and it has my valid Irish WHA in it: what do I do?
Contact the Irish Embassy Visa Office and explain the situation. We will contact our colleagues in Canberra and see if a new WHA can be issued.

In the event that we can issue a new WHA, you will have to provide us with your new permanent Australian passport (we cannot accept temporary ones) and the police report that confirms the theft of your passport.

29. How much does a WHA application cost?
Check the Visa Fees page of the Embassy website for up to date information on all fees charged by the Visa Office.

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