Ireland Visit Visa from UAE
Ireland is a popular travel destination across the world, including in the UAE. If you are a citizen of the UAE, you will not require a visa in order to visit Ireland for periods of up to 90 days. If you are a non-citizen resident of the UAE, however, you may require an Irish Visit visa, depending on your particular nationality.
Navigating Ireland’s immigration rules can often be difficult. Contact Total Law today on (+353) 061 518 025 to learn more about our full range of services and to receive bespoke assistance with applying for an Irish visa.
Visit Ireland with a Short Stay 'C' Visa
If you are planning to visit Ireland as a tourist, you may require a Short Stay C visa in order to do so. Whether or not you require this Visit visa will depend on your specific citizenship status.
In the case of UAE citizens, no Visit visa is necessary for visits of up to 90 days. If you are a resident of the UAE but are not a citizen, however, whether or not you require a visa in order to visit Ireland will depend on your particular nationality. Citizens of the EU, for example, do not require a Short Stay C visa in order to visit Ireland, whereas citizens of India generally do.
The Short Stay C visa allows stays of up to 90 days and authorises certain activities, such as visiting family and friends, completing a short educational course, getting married, attending business meetings, and travelling the country. You will not, however, be authorised to work during your stay or to use publicly funded services like public hospitals.
Page Contents
- Visit Ireland with a Short Stay ‘C’ Visa
- Do I Need a Visa to Visit Ireland?
- On Arrival in Ireland
- Ireland Visit Visa Requirements from the UAE
- Required Documents for Ireland Short Stay Visit Visa
- Application Process for Ireland Visit Visa
- Ireland Visit Visa Processing Time
- Application Cost for Ireland Short Stay Visa
- What Happens After I Apply for an Irish Visit Visa?
- How can I track the status of my Ireland visit visa application?
- How Can Total Law Help?
- Frequently Asked Questions
Do I Need a Visa to Visit Ireland?
Whether or not you require a visa in order to visit Ireland for short stays will depend on your particular nationality. In the case of citizens of the UAE, EU, and UK, for example, no visa will be required in order to visit Ireland.
The nationals of a number of countries do require a visa in order to visit Ireland, however, including the following:
| Countries | Countries |
|---|---|
| India | Oman |
| Albania | China |
| Bahrain | Philippines |
| Colombia | South Africa |
| Dominica | Sri Lanka |
| Cuba | Thailand |
| Egypt | Turkey |
| Georgia | Vietnam |
| Indonesia | Kuwait |
| Iran | Lebanon |
| Jamaica | Nepal |
| Jordan |
While this is not an exhaustive list, it demonstrates that there are a number of countries whose citizens generally require a visa in order to visit Ireland.
UAE citizens do not require a visa for stays of up to 90 days but they do require a visa for longer stays: in order to move to Ireland for work, for example. Citizens of EU countries and the UK, on the other hand, do not require a visa in order to live and work in Ireland long-term, nor to settle there permanently.
On Arrival in Ireland
On arrival in Ireland, you will be expected to show your passport and visa to an immigration officer. You are also advised to bring a range of additional documents which show that you satisfy the entry criteria and that you have a valid reason for entering the country. For example, you should aim to bring the following:
- A copy of the Application Summary Sheet you received after completing your online visa application
- A copy of the application letter you submitted as part of your visa application, detailing your reason for wanting to enter the country
- Travel plan details, e.g. accommodation and transport booking confirmations
- Proof of your ability to financially support yourself during your time in the country
- Proof of travel/medical insurance
Note that receiving an Irish visa does not provide a guarantee that you will be granted access to the country. This is down to the discretion of the immigration officer who interviews you at the border. Before being granted entry, you will be expected to demonstrate that you have a legitimate reason for entering the country. Failure to do so could lead to you being denied entry.
Ireland Visit Visa Requirements from the UAE
When applying for an Irish Visit visa, there are a number of requirements which you will need to satisfy, including the following:
- You must be able to clearly outline your reason for visiting Ireland
- You must intend to leave Ireland before your visa expires and be able to show evidence that you have strong ties to your home country
- You must have sufficient financial means to support yourself for the duration of your stay
You should only apply for an Irish visa if you actually need a visa in order to enter the country. If you are a citizen of the EU or UK, for example, you should not apply for an Irish visa.
Required Documents for Ireland Short Stay Visit Visa
There are a number of documents which you will need to provide when applying for an Ireland Visit visa, including the following:
- Valid passport
- Passport photos
- Application Summary Form (generated by the online application system)
- Application letter, in which you explain your reasons for entering the country and provide the details of any friends or family whom you will be visiting
- An invitation letter from the friend(s) or family whom you will be visiting
- Accommodation details (including booking confirmations, if applicable)
- Confirmation that you have paid the visa application fee
- Proof that you have sufficient financial means to support yourself for the duration of your stay
- Proof that you have strong ties to your country of residence and so plan to return there before your Irish visa expires
- The details of any previous visa refusals (from any country, not just Ireland)
Make sure that you have gathered all the required documents by the time of application. Failure to provide all of the necessary evidence could lead to application delays or to a visa refusal.
For assistance with preparing the documents for your Ireland Visit visa, contact Total Law now.
Application Process for Ireland Visit Visa
When applying for an Irish Visit visa, there are a number of steps which you will need to complete. These are generally as follows:
Step 1: Gather the required documents for an Irish Visit visa application
Step 2: Submit an application online via AVATS, Ireland’s online visa application system. As part of this process, an Application Summary Form will be generated for you, which you must print off, sign, and date. This will then need to be submitted along with your other documents.
Step 3: Pay the application fee and print off the payment confirmation.
Step 4: You will now need to send your required documents to the address provided on your Application Summary Form. In the case of UAE applicants, this is likely to be the Irish embassy in Abu Dhabi, which has the following address:
Atiq Bin Majid Al Muhairi Street
Al Bateen, P.O. Box 61581
Abu Dhabi
United Arab Emirates
However, you should make sure to follow the specific submission instructions which are given on your Application Summary Form.
As noted above, you should also send your signed and dated Application Summary Form along with your other documents. You should also send your application fee payment confirmation.
Step 5: Once your documents have been sent off, you now need to wait for your application to be processed.
Step 6: Once a decision has been made, you will be informed of the outcome, and your documents will be returned to you by post.
If you successfully obtain an Irish visa, you can now use this to enter Ireland. If your application is unsuccessful, you can consider appealing the decision.
Ireland Visit Visa Processing Time
Waiting times vary depending on how many other applications are being processed and whether there are any issues with your application. Your application might also take longer to process if you have a criminal record, in which case the Irish embassy may request additional information.
In general, however, you should expect to wait around 8 weeks after applying for a decision. You can follow up with the embassy or consulate through which you applied if you still haven’t received a decision after this time.
In order to avoid delays, make sure to promptly provide any additional information which is requested and to submit your original application carefully and thoroughly. Also make sure to apply for your visa in plenty of time before your planned travel.
Application Cost for Ireland Short Stay Visa
When applying for an Irish Visit visa, you will need to pay an application fee. The exact fee will depend on whether you are applying for a Single-Entry visa or a Multiple-Entry visa. In the case of a Single-Entry visa, the fee will be €60. In the case of a Multiple-Entry visa, this increases to €100.
Additionally, you may need to pay to have your documents translated into English or Irish, if applicable.
Some applicants also choose to pay for legal support with their application. Contact Total Law today on (+353) 061 518 025 to learn more about our full range of services and to receive bespoke immigration assistance.
What Happens After I Apply for an Irish Visit Visa?
After you apply for the Short Stay C visa, your application will be processed. In the case of UAE applicants, it is likely that your application will be processed by the Abu Dhabi Irish embassy. The embassy will check that you have submitted all of the required documents, including the Application Summary Form and proof of payment of the application fee.
Your application will then be processed in the order in which it was received. If any information is missing from your application, you may be contacted by the embassy and asked to provide additional evidence.
Once your application has been processed, you will receive a decision. If your application is successful, an Irish visa will be added to your passport and can be used to enter Ireland. If your application is unsuccessful, you will receive a letter explaining why and will have the option of appealing the decision.
How can I track the status of my Ireland visit visa application?
When you are completing your online application for an Irish visa, you will be given a Visa Application Transaction Number. This number can be used to track the progress of your application via the office to which you sent your documents, such as the Dublin visa office or your local Irish consulate or embassy.
In the case of UAE applicants, your local embassy will be the Irish embassy in Abu Dhabi.
How Can Total Law Help?
Ireland is a popular tourist destination which offers a number of exciting benefits, such as areas of stunning natural beauty, culturally rich towns and cities, and a friendly culture. Whether you are visiting the bustling streets of Dublin or the beautiful countryside of Connemara, there is an Irish holiday to suit everyone.
However, if you are a resident of the UAE, you may require a visa in order to visit Ireland. The process of applying for an Irish visa can often be confusing and many applicants choose to seek legal assistance. At Total Law, our legal experts are adept at providing bespoke immigration advice and can help you get started on your own Irish travel journey. Contact us today on (+353) 061 518 025 to learn about our full range of services and to ensure that your visa application process runs as smoothly as possible
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During this untimed Advice Session with our professional immigration lawyers in London, you will receive our comprehensive advice, completely tailored to your needs and your situation.
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With our Application Package, your dedicated immigration lawyer will advise you on your application process and eligibility. Your caseworker will then complete and submit your forms to the Home Office on your behalf.
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By choosing our Appeal Package, you can rely on our lawyers’ legal knowledge and experience to ensure you have the highest chance of a successful appeal. We will also fully represent you in any hearings/tribunals.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Ireland’s Visit visa, also known as a Short Stay C visa, allows stays of up to 90 days. If you are hoping to remain in the country for longer than that, you will need to pursue alternative visa options.
In exceptional cases, Visit visa extensions are sometimes granted. However, you will have to provide strong evidence that you are no longer able to leave the country as planned: because you have become medically unfit to travel, for example. Extension decisions are made on a discretionary basis and should not be relied upon.
For assistance with identifying the Ireland visa route which is the right fit for you, contact Total Law today.
No, you cannot work when in Ireland on a Visit visa. This applies to both paid and unpaid work (i.e. volunteering). Nor can you access publicly funded services, such as public hospitals.
However, there are a number of activities which you will be able to do. You will be authorised to complete short-term educational courses, travel the country as a tourist, visit friends or family who are based in Ireland, get married, and receive medical treatment.
For more information on what you can and can’t do on an Irish Visit visa, contact Total Law today.
In some cases, yes, you can visit Ireland using a UK visa, via the Short Stay Visa Waiver Programme. Through this programme, nationals of certain countries who have a Short Stay UK visa can also use this visa to visit Ireland.
The following countries are included in the Short Stay Visa Waiver Programme: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bahrain, India, Colombia, Kosovo, Kuwait, Indonesia, Peru, Montenegro, Oman, Kazakhstan, Republic of North Macedonia, Qatar, China, Serbia, Saudi Arabia, Philippines, Turkey, Thailand, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, and Vietnam.
The rules of the programme vary slightly from country to country so make sure to check the specific rules which apply to you before travelling.
Note that UK Transit and Fiance visas are not eligible under this scheme. Nor are Electronic Travel Authorisations (ETAs) issued by the UK.
In general, it is not possible to extend an Ireland Visit visa. The Visit visa is only intended for short stays of up to 90 days and so, if you wish to stay for longer, you should explore alternative visa routes.
However, exceptions may sometimes be made in the case of exceptional circumstances, such as if you become medically unfit to travel during your stay.
Note that exceptions will be made on a case by case basis and should not be relied upon.
While you do not need to submit evidence of Irish travel insurance when applying for a Visit visa, the visa officer who is processing your application may request proof of insurance before making a final decision.
In the event that your application is successful, you will then need to obtain medical or travel insurance before arriving in Ireland. The immigration officer who interviews you upon arrival at the Irish border may request proof of insurance, in which case you will need to provide evidence that you are compliant with this requirement. Failure to do so could lead to you being denied entry into the country.
Note that, when visiting Ireland as a temporary visitor, you will not be eligible to access publicly funded medical services. As such, it is important to ensure that you have medical or travel insurance which is sufficient to cover your medical needs before arriving in the country.
Yes, when applying for an Irish Visit visa, you will need to prove that you have sufficient financial means to support yourself for the duration of your stay in the country.
For more information on the financial requirements of an Irish Visit visa, contact Total Law today on (+353) 061 518 025.
Yes, you can apply for a Multiple-Entry Visit visa to Ireland. In order to do so, you should select the ‘multiple’ option under ‘journey type’ when submitting your online application via AVATS.
However, note that Multiple-Entry Visit visas are only granted in certain circumstances. Generally, they are only granted to applicants who have visited Ireland before and demonstrated compliance with the requirements of their visa. If you have already visited Ireland on 2 separate occasions and complied with your visa requirements on both occasions, for example (i.e. you left the country before your visa expired and did not work illegally) you are likely to be granted a Multiple-Entry Visit visa.
If you have not previously visited Ireland, there are still some circumstances in which you may successfully obtain a Multiple-Entry visa, for example if you are travelling to and from a third country, via Ireland, or if you need to travel to Ireland frequently for business meetings. In both cases, you should make sure to provide evidence of your reasons for needing to enter Ireland more than once.
There are a number of reasons why your Irish Visit visa may be rejected. In most cases, it will be because you failed to provide sufficient evidence in support of your application. You may fail to provide enough proof that you have sufficient ties to your home country, for instance, in which case the visa officer processing your application may judge that you are at risk of overstaying your visa. You may also fail to prove that you have sufficient funds to support yourself for the duration of your stay.
To minimise the likelihood of an unsuccessful application, it is important to ensure that you satisfy the eligibility criteria before applying. Contact Total Law today for assistance with maximising your chances of a successful application.
Legal Disclaimer
The information provided is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. While we make every effort to ensure accuracy, the law may change, and the information may not reflect the most current legal developments. No warranty is given regarding the accuracy or completeness of the information, and we do not accept liability in such cases. We recommend consulting with a qualified lawyer at Total Law before making any decisions based on the content provided.