Irish Short-stay Visa Waiver Programme

The Irish Short-stay Visa Waiver programme, valid until October 2016, means that bearers of a valid UK 'C' general visa to enter the UK for a short term visit up to 180 days who want to travel from there to Ireland will not require an additional visa for Ireland. “General visas” (C Visa) cover short-term visit, tourist and business visitors.

Holders of UK “general visas” who have been successfully admitted entry to the UK, will be able to travel to Ireland within the period of validity of that visa without the requirement to obtain a separate Irish visa. UK “General Visas” are virtually all multiple entry visas and the vast majority are valid for use for a period of 6 months. A small percentage of “General Visas” are valid for use for a period of 1 year, 2 years, or in exceptional cases 5 years. The maximum period of validity of stay of all such visas is 180 days. i.e. You cannot stay longer in the UK than 180 days in any single visit, or a total of 180 days as a combined total of visits in any 1 year period. The maximum stay in Ireland will be 90 days, or to the end of the period of validity of the visa, whichever is the shorter. Overall, it is not envisaged that anyone could stay for longer than a combined total of 180 days in a year in the Ireland/UK Common Travel Area. A person may return to Ireland within the period of validity of the UK visa but will not be able to stay in Ireland for more than 90 days in any one visit. The immigration officer at port of entry has the ultimate decision on the length of stay.

Other types of visa, for example transit visas, long-term student visas, employment, join spouse or family reunification visas, are not encompassed. UK Transit Visa holders will still have to apply for their Irish Visa at the accredited Irish Embassy/Consulate for their country of nationality. Please note an Irish Visa cannot be used under any circumstances to enter the UK (including Northern Ireland).

In order to avail of this programme, we request you to kindly contact your local Irish Embassy/Consulate prior to travelling to the Republic of Ireland, and visitors to Northern Ireland should contact their local British Embassy/High Commission or Consular Office for other terms and conditions

If you wish to travel to Ireland and do not have a current valid UK Visa, and have no need to apply for a UK Visa, you must apply for an Irish Visa in order to enter Ireland. Indians should contact their local Irish Embassy/Consulate prior to travelling to the Republic of Ireland, and visitors to Northern Ireland should contact their local British Embassy/High Commission or Consular Office. 

Visas For Republic of Ireland

Indian national visitors to the Republic of Ireland require an Irish visa.

Republic of Ireland Visa Procedures:

Going to Ireland has become simpler. A new online visa application facility for Ireland is now available to Indian tourists.

Applicants can apply on line in the visa section of the site www.visas.inis.gov.ie. They can complete their application form on line from the comfort of their home or office and receive a unique application number. Once this is completed they will receive a printed summary which directs them to www.inis.gov.ie in order to check what documentation is required.

Applicants can then follow this up by submitting their passports and supporting documentation to their nearest Irish Consulate (Mumbai/Bangalore), VFS offices (Chandigarh /Jalandhar /Delhi /Kolkata / Hyderabad /Chennai/Cochin) or the Irish Embassy in New Delhi.

The visa takes usually about 7 days to get processed.

For further information and guidelines please visit:

New Visa Application Form
Information on completing Visa Application Form

For more information please visit www.irelandinindia.com 

Visa For Northern Ireland 

Visitors to Northern Ireland require a UK visa which will be issued by the British High Commission in Delhi  / the British Deputy High commission in Mumbai / The British Trade Office in Bangalore. Addresses are as below. For more information please visit www.ukvisas.gov.uk

Embassies & Consulates

Republic of Ireland

The Embassy of Ireland
230 Jor Baug
New Delhi 110 003. 

Tel: + 91 11 2462 6733 / 43 
Fax: + 91 11 2469 7053 

Email:Ireland@ndf.vsnl.net.in 
www.irelandinindia.com

The Consulate of Ireland
C/o Biocon India Limited
20 KM Hosur Road, Electronic City
Bangalore 560 100 

Tel: 080 2808 2808 
Fax: 080 2852 3423 

The Consulate General of Ireland
2nd floor, Kamanwala Chambers
Sir P M Road,
Fort,
Mumbai 400 001. 

Tel:+91 22 6635 5635 
Fax: +91 22 6639 1945 

Northern Ireland

Tel: +91 22 6650 22 22 
Fax:+ 91 22 2202 7940 

Delhi 
British High Commission
Shantipath 
Chanakyapuri 
New Delhi – 21. 

Tel: +91 11 26872161 

Bangalore 
The British Trade Office
7/4, Thapar Niketan
Brunton Road,
Bangalore 560 025 

Tel: 080 221 00691

Kolkatta
The British Deputy High Commission
1 HO Chiminh Sarani 
Kolkatta 700 071 
Tel: 033 2288 5177