Quick answer
Indians need a visa for Ireland unless they use a UK visa. A valid UK visitor visa lets you visit Ireland after entering the UK, and a BIVS-endorsed UK visa covers both countries. Otherwise apply on AVATS, submit at VFS Global, and pay EUR 60 for single or EUR 100 for multiple entry. Ireland expects six months of certified bank statements.
At a glance
- Visa type
- Short stay 'C' visit (tourist) visa
- Stay allowed
- Up to 90 days, as stamped by the Irish immigration officer
- Fee
- EUR 60 (about ₹6,100) single entry or EUR 100 (about ₹10,200) multiple entry, plus a VFS Global service charge; nil if you use a UK visa under the waiver or BIVS
- Processing
- Often 4–8 weeks from submission; Ireland publishes weekly decision lists
- Validity
- As issued for your trip dates; multiple entry on request for frequent visitors
- Apply at
- Official portal
Documents checklist
- AVATS application summary sheet, printed, signed and dated
- Passport valid at least 6 months after you leave Ireland, plus old passports
- Two recent colour passport photographs
- Signed, dated application letter: purpose, dates, who pays, and a commitment to obey visa conditions and leave on time
- Bank statements for the last 6 months, original on bank letterhead or bank-certified, showing account number, type and transactions
- Bank letter confirming you can withdraw funds, if you rely on a savings or deposit account
- Employer letter with approved leave and salary slips, or business registration and accounts
- ITR acknowledgements for the last 2–3 years
- Hotel bookings, or an invitation letter from each host household with their ID and address
- Details of all previous visa refusals from any country, with the original refusal letters
- Proof of fee payment, if your application office asks for it
Common mistakes that get Indians refused
- Not disclosing a previous refusal from any country; Ireland states this alone leads to refusal.
- Uncertified internet bank statements, which Ireland does not accept.
- Flying straight from India to Dublin on a UK visa you have never used to enter the UK; the waiver needs a prior lawful UK entry.
- Arriving without travel or medical insurance, which you must show at the border if asked.
Do you need an Irish visa at all?
Often not. Ireland gives Indian travellers two ways to visit without a separate Irish visa:
- Short Stay Visa Waiver Programme. If you hold a valid UK visitor visa and have entered the UK lawfully on it, you can travel on to Ireland without an Irish visa, for up to 90 days or until your UK permission ends, whichever is shorter. You must land in the UK first. If you have already visited the UK and gone home with time left on your UK permission, you can then fly directly to Ireland within that permission.
- British-Irish Visa Scheme (BIVS). Indians living in India can get a UK or Irish short-stay visa endorsed BIVS, valid for both countries. You must enter the issuing country first, then you can move between the two on that journey.
If you are visiting only Ireland, or want to arrive in Ireland first without a BIVS visa, you need an Irish visa. For the UK side, see our UK visa guide.
How do you apply for an Irish visa?
- Complete the online application on AVATS (Automated Visa Application and Tracking System).
- Print, sign and date the summary sheet.
- Submit it with your passport, photos, fee and documents at the VFS Global Irish visa centre, as instructed at the end of the AVATS form. The Embassy of Ireland in New Delhi decides.
The fee is EUR 60 (about ₹6,100) for single entry or EUR 100 (about ₹10,200) for multiple entry, plus the VFS charge. Decisions often take four to eight weeks, and Ireland publishes weekly decision lists so you can track your application number.
What Irish officers want to see
Ireland is more prescriptive than most countries:
- Bank statements must be original on bank letterhead, or a printed internet statement certified by the bank, showing account number and type and money in and out over the last six months. Savings accounts need a bank letter confirming you can withdraw.
- Application letter, signed and dated, with your details, purpose and a commitment to obey visa conditions and leave on time.
- Previous refusals from any country must be declared with the original refusal letter. Not declaring them leads to refusal.
- Passport valid at least six months after you leave Ireland.
There is no fixed minimum balance; the officer judges whether your funds suit your circumstances.
Insurance, entry and refusals
You don't always submit insurance with the application, but you must have travel or medical insurance when you arrive and show it if asked. Irish guidance on refused short-stay applications is to apply again, addressing each reason, rather than appeal.
On a BIVS visa, if you enter Ireland over the land border from Northern Ireland, you must report to an Irish immigration office within 30 days.
Our visa assistance team prepares UK and Irish files together, and we arrange travel insurance that satisfies the arrival check. For a combined trip, see the UK trip cost guide.
Frequently asked questions
Can I visit Ireland on a UK visa?
What is the British-Irish Visa Scheme for Indians?
How much does an Irish visa cost for Indians?
What bank statements does Ireland need?
Can I appeal an Irish short-stay visa refusal?
How we checked this page
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Written and fact-checked by the Elitech Travels editorial desk in New Delhi, drawing on our consultants' day-to-day booking work and the official sources below. Rules, fares and fees change — always confirm anything critical with the issuing authority before you travel. Our editorial policy.
