Information

Citizens of certain countries must apply for an entry visa before they travel to Ireland. Information on those who do not need an entry visa is available in our document: Visa requirements for entering Ireland. If you require a visit/holiday visa and do not have one when you arrive in Ireland, you will not be allowed to enter the country. A visit/holiday visa is for a short-term stay and will not exceed a maximum of 90 days. If you are a citizen of an EU/EEA member state, you do not require a visit/holiday visa to travel to Ireland. (The members of the EEA are the 27 countries of the European Union (EU), together with Iceland, Norway and Liechtenstein).

Documentation required for all visa applications

The following information describes the minimum documentation that you must provide with any visa application. If any of this documentation is missing your application will be refused. All documents must be in English. If any document is in another language, you must provide a notarised translation as well as the original document. For the particular documentation needed for a tourist visa, see information headed 'Travelling to Ireland as a tourist', below.

You must complete all sections of the application form. You must sign the form yourself. The only exception is for children under 18 - the parent(s) may sign in this case. If a child (under 18 years of age) is travelling alone, both parents/guardians must have given consent. If the child is travelling with one parent, the consent of the other parent is required. Where only one parent has total custody and access rights, you must provide official evidence of this. You must have a passport which is valid for a period lasting at least 6 months after the date you propose to leave Ireland. You must be able to prove that you can support yourself for the duration of your stay in Ireland. A detailed bank statement, covering the 6 months before you apply for the visa, and showing sufficient funds, is required. You must provide details of any members of your family who are in Ireland or any other EU country. You must also give details of any previous applications that you have made for a visa to enter Ireland.

Travelling to Ireland as a tourist

If you will be visiting Ireland for a short period (less than 3 months) and you require a visa, you must present the following documents with your completed and signed visa application form:

Full details of the reason for your visit - for example to see friends or family.

If you plan to stay in a hotel, you will need written confirmation of the hotel booking containing the dates of your proposed stay. A letter from a reference in Ireland inviting you to come to Ireland. The letter should include contact details for the reference, proposed dates for your stay and details of where you will be staying during your visit. Written undertakings from both yourself and your reference, confirming that you will observe the conditions of your visa, that you will not become a burden on the State, and that you will leave the State on the expiration of your permission to remain. Details of your relationship to your reference, or how you are known to each other, along with supporting evidence of this. If your reference is not an Irish citizen, evidence of their permission to remain in Ireland. (That is, a copy of their Garda National Immigration Bureau (GNIB) card and copy of their passport showing immigration stamps) Evidence of how you intend to finance your trip and support yourself for the duration of your visit, allowing for any unforeseen events such as illness. A detailed bank statement, covering a 6 month period immediately prior to your visa application, and showing sufficient funds to cover all costs, is required. Evidence that you are obliged to return to your country of residence. This evidence can take the form of a letter from your employer detailing when you are expected to return to work or a letter from a college specifying the date on which your course of study recommences. If you do not work or study, a letter from a person in authority may be sufficient.

There is more information on the documentation required for a visit/holiday visa on the website of the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) of the Department of Justice and Equality.

Permission to land
Even if you do not require a visa to enter Ireland, all non-EEA nationals, including those with visas, must obtain permission to enter the State by reporting to an Immigration Officer at the port of entry. The length of time you will be allowed to stay in Ireland is determined by the Immigration Officer but will never exceed a maximum of 90 days. You should have supporting documentation relating to the pupose of your visit on your person when coming through immigration. You can read more in our document on permission to land in Ireland.

What do I do if I want to leave for a short while?

The visiting/holiday visa issued to you allows you to enter the State once. If you have wish to leave for a short while and then return you must apply for a re-entry visa. (See 'How to apply' below for information on how to apply for a re-entry visa.) It is your responsibility to ensure you have the correct visa (if required) for the country you intend travelling to. Please note that you must obtain a visa from the UK authorities before travelling to Northern Ireland (Counties Antrim, Armagh, Derry, Down, Fermanagh and Tyrone).

What do I do after my arrival if I wish to stay in Ireland for longer than 3 months?
Visit/holiday visas are only granted for short term stays and never exceed 90 days. It is not possible to extend your stay beyond 90 days. You must leave the State on or before the date which has been stamped on your passport by the Immigration Officer when you entered.

Rules
Information on those who do not need a visa to visit Ireland is available in our document: Visa requirements for entering Ireland. You do not require a visa if you are from an EU/EEA member state.

Rates
Standard non-refundable visa application processing fees are: Single-journey visa: 60 Multiple-journey visa: 100 Certain applicants are not required to pay a fee. They include visa-required spouses and certain family members of EU/EEA citizens. In addition, applicants from some countries are not required to pay a fee. As this changes from time to time, you should check with your local Irish embassy or consulate, or with the Visa Office - see 'Where to apply'.

How to apply
An online visa application facility was introduced to all Irish embassies and consulates on a phased basis during 2008. This facility is now available worldwide, so you must apply for a visa online. There is information on how to complete an online application in English (pdf) as well as in Arabic (pdf), Chinese (pdf), Russian (pdf), French (pdf), Turkish (pdf) and Urdu (pdf). Details of what documents you will need and the photographic requirements are on the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service website. The Irish Government has started collecting biometric data from certain visa applicants. From March 2010 all visa applicants aged 6 years and over residing in Nigeria must provide fingerprints. You can find information about biometric data in this list of frequently asked questions on the INIS website. The Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service recommends that you should allow at least 8 weeks for your visa application to be processed.

Applying for a re-entry visas

Before applying for a re-entry visa you must register with the local immigration officer for the district in which you are staying (Garda National Immigration Bureau if staying in Dublin). You can read more about registration in our document on Registration of non-EEA nationals in Ireland. Sent your completed Re-Entry Visa Application Form (pdf), along with all required documentation, by registered post to the: Re-entry Visa Processing Office, Irish Naturalisation & Immigration Service, 13-14 Burgh Quay, Dublin 2. Apply for your re-entry visa well in advance of your proposed dates of travel. Postal applications for re-entry visas will be processed within 4 days of receipt and your re-entry visa will be returned to you by registered post. You can also apply in person for a re-entry visa at the above address within certain hours. You will need to have a completed application form and all required documentation with you. There is more information on applying for a re-entry visa, as well as information on photographic requirements on the Irish Naturalisation & Immigration Service website.

Where To Apply
If you require a visa in order to visit Ireland, your application must be made online. Irish embassies and consulates

Visa Office
Department of Justice and Equality Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service 13-14 Burgh Quay Dublin 2 Ireland Homepage: http://www.inis.gov.ie/ Email: visamail@justice.ie

Garda National Immigration Bureau

13/14 Burgh Quay Dublin 2 Ireland Opening Hours:Mon to Thurs inclusive: 8am to 10pm, Friday 8am to 4pm Tel:+353 1 666 9100

Homepage: http://www.garda.ie/Controller.aspx?Page=31 Email: gnib_dv@garda.ie

Visa requirements for entering Ireland

Information Rates How to apply Where to apply

Information
People from certain countries need a valid Irish entry visa before arriving in the State, whether by air, sea or land. An Irish visa is a certificate placed on your passport or travel document to indicate that you are authorised to land in the State subject to any other conditions of landing being fulfilled. This means that you will still be subject to immigration control at the point of entry to the State even if you have a visa. You may also need to register with the immigration authorities. People from a small number of countries also need a transit visa when arriving in Ireland on their way to another country - see below. A transit visa does not permit you to leave the port or airport. The list of countries whose citizens do not require a visa to enter Ireland is defined in the Immigration Act 2004 (Visas) Order 2011 (SI 146 of 2011).

Visa waivers
Visa Waiver Programme: A new holiday and other short-stay Visa Waiver Programme (pdf) has been set up for 16 countries whose nationals currently require a visa to visit Ireland. This Programme which started on 1 July 2011 allows nationals of countries such as India, China and the Russian Federation, who have a short-term UK visa to come to Ireland without the need for a separate Irish visa. The Programme was due to end on 31 October 2012 but has now been extended for another 4 years. Amending legislation is to be enacted to allow nationals of Bosnia and Herzegovina avail of the scheme. Olympic accreditation: From 30 March to 8 November 2012 holders of the Olympic accreditation document issued by the London Olympics Organising Committee will not require a visa to visit or transit through Ireland.

Do I need an entry visa?

You do not need a visa to land in Ireland if you are a citizen of one of the countries listed below (includes EEA member states). The members of the EEA are the 27 countries of the European Union (EU), together with Iceland, Norway and Liechtenstein.

Countries whose citizens are not required to be in possession of a valid Irish visa Andorra Guatemala Poland Portugal Romania Saint Kitts & Nevis Saint Lucia Saint Vincent & the Grenadines Samoa San Marino Seychelles Singapore Slovak Republic Slovenia Solomon Islands South Africa South Korea Spain Swaziland Sweden Switzerland Taiwan Tonga Mexico Monaco Nauru Trinidad & Tobago Tuvalu United Kingdom & Colonies

Antigua & Barbuda Guyana Argentina Australia Austria Bahamas Barbados Belgium Belize Bolivia Botswana Brazil Brunei Bulgaria Canada Chile Costa Rica Croatia Cyprus Czech Republic Denmark Dominica El Salvador Estonia Honduras Hong Kong (Special Admin. Region) See additional information Hungary Iceland Israel Italy Japan Kiribati Latvia Lesotho Liechtenstein Lithuania Luxembourg Macau (Special Admin. Region) Malawi Malaysia Maldives Malta

Countries whose citizens are not required to be in possession of a valid Irish visa Andorra Fiji Finland France Germany Greece Grenada Guatemala Netherlands New Zealand Nicaragua Norway Panama Paraguay Poland United States of America Uruguay Vanuatu Vatican City Venezuela

If you are not a citizen of one of the countries listed above, you will need a visa when you travel to Ireland. See How to apply below for more information. If you are coming to Ireland from another EU country as a dependant of an EU national, and you are not a citizen of the EEA or of one of the countries listed above, you will need a visa when you first travel to Ireland. If you plan to stay for more than 3 months, you should register with the immigration authorities and apply for a residence card. If you receive a residence card, you will not need a re-entry visa for travel into Ireland in future.

Who else can land in Ireland without a visa?

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

You hold a valid travel document issued by one of the following countries in accordance with Article 28 of the Geneva Convention: Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Iceland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovak Republic, Spain, Sweden, or Switzerland. You hold either a valid residence card 4 EU FAM or a valid permanent residence card 4 EU FAM issued by the Garda National Immigration Bureau under the European Communities (Free Movement of Persons) (No. 2) Regulations 2006 (SI 656 of 2006). You are a family member of an EU citizen and you hold a document called "Residence card of a family member of a Union citizen" as referred to in article 10 of Directive 2004/38/EC (pdf).

Do I need a transit visa?

If you are a citizen of one of the following countries, you will need a valid Irish transit visa when landing in the State:

Countries that require an Irish transit visa Afghanistan Albania Cuba Democratic Republic of the Congo Eritrea Ethiopia Ghana Iran Iraq Lebanon Moldova Montenegro Nigeria Serbia Somalia Sri Lanka Zimbabwe

Do I need a re-entry visa?

The first visa issued to you is valid for a single entry to the State. If you wish to leave the State for a short period of time you must apply for a re-entry visa. This includes travel to Northern Ireland when you will need a re-entry visa to re-enter the State. Before you can get a re-entry visa you must be registered with the Garda National Immigration Bureau (GNIB). If you apply for a single-journey visa, this will only be valid for one entry to the State within 90 days from the date of issue. If you apply for a multi-entry visa it will be valid from the date of issue until the expiry date on your GNIB card, or the expiry date of your passport, whichever is earliest. This will allow you to leave and re-enter the State any number of times while your visa is valid.

Where can I get more information?

There is more information on the different types of visas as well as on employment permits, tourist visas, business visas and student visas. Detailed information on the application procedures is available on the website of the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) - see 'How to apply' below. It is advisable to consult this website before applying for your visa, to make sure that you have the most up-to-date information. There are also lists of frequently asked questions about visas.

Rates
The standard non-refundable visa application processing fees are:

Single-journey visa Multiple-journey visa Transit visa

60 100 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 changes from time to time, you should check with your local Irish embassy or consulate, or with the Visa Office - see 'Where to apply'. It was announced on 12 March 2012 as part of the Short-stay Visa Waiver Programme that nationals of the countries covered by the Programme who are long-term legal residents of the UK or the Schengen area will not have to pay the visa fee. This waiver is to be reviewed after 6 months.

How to apply
Visas
You must apply for a visa online unless you are resident in Ireland and applying for a re-entry visa - see below. There is information on how to complete an online application in English (pdf) as well as in Arabic (pdf), Chinese (pdf), Russian (pdf), French (pdf), Turkish (pdf) and Urdu (pdf). You should apply at least 8 weeks before you plan to come to Ireland. Details of what documents you will need and the photographic requirements are on the INIS website. Appeals: If you are refused a visa you can appeal the decision by writing to the Visa Appeals Officer at the INIS Visa Section - see 'Where to apply' below. Biometric data: The Irish Government has started collecting biometric data from certain visa applicants. From March 2010 all visa applicants aged 6 years and over residing in Nigeria must provide fingerprints. You can find information about biometric data in this list of frequently asked questions on the INIS website.

Re-entry visas
Before making any travel arrangements you must apply to the Visa Office of INIS using the reentry visa application form (pdf).

Where to apply
Irish embassies and consulates

Visa Office
Department of Justice and Equality Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service 13-14 Burgh Quay Dublin 2 Ireland Homepage: http://www.inis.gov.ie/ Email: visamail@justice.ie

IRISH NATURALISATION

Becoming an Irish citizen through naturalisation

Information Rules Rates How to apply Where to apply

Information
What is naturalisation?
Naturalisation in Ireland means the process whereby a foreign national living in Ireland may apply to become an Irish citizen. In order to apply for naturalisation in Ireland, you must have been physically resident in Ireland for a certain length of time. All applications to become a naturalised Irish citizen are decided by the Minister for Justice and Equality. This Minister has absolute discretion as to whether or not to grant naturalisation. There are strict rules about applying for naturalisation as an Irish citizen and these rules are set out below. Since 10 November 2011 there is a 175 fee and new forms for all applications for naturalisation - see 'How to apply below. The Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2011 allows for civil partners to receive treatment equal to married couples in citizenship matters. It allows certificates of naturalisation to be presented at formal citizenship ceremonies.

Rules
Who is eligible for naturalisation?
If you wish to become an Irish citizen through naturalisation, you must:

Be 18 years or older (you must be married if you are under the age of 18) or, Be a minor born in the State (from 1 January 2005) and Be of good character - the Garda Sochna (Ireland's national police) will be asked to provide a report about your background. Any criminal record or ongoing proceedings will be taken into consideration by the Minister for Justice and Equality in deciding whether or not to grant naturalisation. Details of any proceedings, criminal or civil, in the State or elsewhere, should be disclosed in the application form, and Have had a period of 365 days* (1 year) continuous reckonable residence in the State immediately before the date of your application for naturalisation and, during the 8 years preceding that, have had a total reckonable residence in the State amounting to 1,460 days* (4 years). Altogether you

must have 5 years (5 x 365 days*) reckonable residence out of the last 9 years - see calculating reckonable residence below, and Intend in good faith to continue to reside in the State after naturalisation and Make a declaration of fidelity to the nation and loyalty to the State, and undertake to observe the laws of the State and respect its democratic values (see below for the point in the process at which this is required).

*You must add 1 day for any period which includes 29 February. Normally, when you apply for naturalisation you must be supporting yourself and your dependants while living in Ireland - see 'Self supporting' below. The Minister for Justice and Equality has power to waive one or more of the conditions for naturalisation in the following circumstances:

If you are of Irish descent or of Irish associations or are a parent or guardian applying on behalf of a minor child of Irish descent or Irish associations If you have an entitlement to Irish citizenship if you were born on the island of Ireland If you are a naturalised parent applying on behalf of a minor child If you are the spouse or civil partner of an Irish citizen or a naturalised person If you have been resident abroad in the public service If you are recognised as a refugee (under the 1951 Geneva Convention relating to the Status of Refugees) or a stateless person (under the 1954 UN Convention regarding Stateless Persons).

In the case of a refugee, stateless person or a person of Irish associations, the Minister will normally waive 2 of the 5 years' reckonable residence requirement.

Calculating reckonable residence

Reckonable residence means periods of residence taken into account when examining an application for naturalisation. Certain periods of residence may be excluded from the reckoning when calculating periods of residence in the State. These are periods when your presence in the State was not properly documented or (in certain cases) periods covered by a permission to remain that was for study purposes (that is, you were on a student visa) or while having a claim for asylum examined. EEA nationals: The time that a EEA or Swiss citizen has spent in the State is reckonable for naturalisation purposes as EEA and Swiss citizens are not required to have residence permits or documents under the European Communities (Free Movement of Persons) (No. 2) Regulations 2006 (pdf). The European Economic Area (EEA) comprises the EU member states, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein. Non-EEA nationals: If you are not an EEA or Swiss citizen, any time when you did not have permission to remain in the State will not be counted as reckonable residence. Registration with the Garda National Immigration Bureau is the evidence of legal residence which meets the residency requirements for naturalisation. The following periods of residence will not be reckoned if the permission to remain:

Was for the purposes of study (that is, you were on a student visa) whether or not that study involved you being employed during any of the period of study, or Was granted as you were on a working holiday authorisation, or Was granted while your claim for asylum was being examined, if the claim was not granted.

Before you send in your application you can use the online residency calculator on the INIS website to check if you meet the naturalisation residency conditions.

Self supporting
In general, apart from refugees and stateless persons, applicants for naturalisation must prove they can support themselves and their families while living in Ireland. If you can show that you have not received State support in the 3 years before your application, this will generally meet the Minister for Justice and Equality's requirement that you have been supporting yourself and your dependants and that you will continue to do so.

How your application for naturalisation is processed

You will normally be informed within a week whether your application has passed the initial processing stage. If your application passes the initial stage, it is then processed further along with all other applications that are on hand. You will be given a reference number and you should quote this number when making queries either by phone or in writing. You do not have to pay any fee at this stage as you will be asked to pay if and when your application is approved. For incorrect or incomplete applications, the process is longer, but you can keep it as short as possible by replying quickly to any queries. If further documentation or clarification is needed, you will be asked for it once processing of your application has begun. You will be informed by registered post as soon as a decision has been made on your application. From June 2012 onwards, it is expected that around 70% of new applications will be processed within 6 months.

Certificate of naturalisation
If your application is approved, the letter notifying you of this decision will contain instructions regarding the final procedures that must be completed before the certificate of naturalisation can be issued. When you submit the required documentation and certification fee, you will be invited to a citizenship ceremony at which you will be granted your certificate of naturalisation. You are an Irish citizen from the date of issue of the certificate and you can apply to the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade for an Irish passport any time after that date. The certificate of naturalisation is written in Irish. The English version is Form 11 in the schedule of the Irish Nationality and Citizenship (Amendment) Regulations 2011.

Revoking citizenship
The Minister for Justice and Equality can revoke your certificate of naturalisation if:

You obtained it through fraud, misrepresentation or concealment of material facts or circumstances You have, through an overt act, failed in your duty of fidelity to the nation and loyalty to the State You were ordinarily resident outside Ireland (other than in public service) for a continuous period of 7 years and, without a reasonable excuse, did not register your name and a declaration of your intention to retain Irish citizenship with an Irish diplomatic mission or consular office or with the Minister for Justice and Equality on an annual basis You are also, under the law of a country at war with the State, a citizen of that country You have, by any other voluntary act other than marriage or registration of civil partnership, acquired citizenship of another country.

Before revoking your certificate of naturalisation, the Minister for Justice and Equality will inform you in advance, stating the reasons why the certificate is being revoked and your right to apply to the Minister for an inquiry into the reasons for the revocation. If you apply for an inquiry into a decision to revoke your certificate of naturalisation, the Minister will refer your case to a Committee of Inquiry, which will report its findings to the Minister. A notice of the revocation of your certificate of naturalisation will be published in Iris Oifigiil (Ireland's official State Gazette).

Rates
Since 10 November 2011 the fee for each application for naturalisation is 175. The following are the relevant fees to be paid when the certificate of naturalisation is issued.
Application on behalf of a minor Widow, widower or surviving civil partner of Irish citizen Refugee, stateless person or programme refugee Others 200 200 No charge 950

How to apply
Since 10 November 2011 there are new application forms on the INIS website. If you are applying on or after 10 November 2011 you must use the new application form. The new application forms are:

Form 8 (pdf) for a person aged 18 or over Form 9 (pdf) for the minor child of a naturalised Irish citizen Form 10 (pdf), an electronic form which should be completed online by parents of a minor child of Irish descent or Irish associations. There is a guidance note on how to complete form 10 (pdf).

Form 11 (pdf), an electronic form which should be completed online by a parent/guardian of a minor child born in the State. There is a guidance note on how to complete form 11 (pdf).

You can find a list of frequently asked questions about Irish citizenship and naturalisation on the INIS website. The supporting documents required include evidence of your identity and nationality (longform birth certificate and passport). You also need to produce documents relating to your status and the duration of your stay in the State (Garda National Immigration Bureau - GNIB registration certificate, declaration of refugee status, or the like). If you are a non-EEA national applying for naturalisation your GNIB residency stamps are the only evidence which provide proof of your reckonable residence. If your application for naturalisation is based on your relationship to an Irish citizen, you will need to produce the documents needed to show that person's status and your relationship to that person (for example birth or naturalisation certificate of Irish spouse, marriage certificate, civil partnership certificate). The copies of birth, marriage, civil partnership, divorce and other certificates, such as the photo page of your passport, must be certified copies. Certified copies are photocopies of original documents which are made and certified by a solicitor, notary public, Commissioner for Oaths or Peace Commissioner. You will be expected to produce the original documents for inspection at a later stage during the examination of your application. As well as these documents, you must produce documents relevant to your financial and employment status (payslips for the previous 3 months, bank statements for the previous 3 months) and confirmation of your income tax situation. You should only send copies of the above documents with your application form. The information in your application form will be checked against the supporting documentation and any inaccuracy will lead to delays in ruling on your application. You should not sign the form until you are in the presence of the person who must witness you signing it. The application form contains instructions about who is eligible to be a witness.

Where to apply
Citizenship
Department of Justice and Equality Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service Heffernan House Dundrum Road Tipperary Town Tipperary Ireland

Opening Hours:Helpline: 10:00 am -12:30 pm, Tuesdays and Thursdays only Tel:+353 (0)62 32500 Locall:1890 25 28 54 Homepage: http://www.inis.gov.ie/