Ireland Tourist Visas

Travelling to Ireland as a tourist or to visit family and friends requires an Irish tourist visa. Variously referred to as a travel visa, visit visa or visitor visa, short stay visas for tourism in Ireland are granted for a maximum of 90 days and require applicants to return to their country of residence once their visa expires.

As Irish immigration and visa specialists, Global Visas help clients to obtain the full range of Irish immigration services, including work permits and green cards. To begin your Irish visa application today, simply visit the online assessment area and complete one of our straightforward assessment forms.

Applying for an Irish Tourist Visa

As a short stay visa for Ireland, tourist visas are issued for a set period, which may be up to ninety days although the actual duration granted will be based upon the purpose of the trip involved and will ultimately rest with the immigration officer. Visit visas permit their holder to study in Ireland for up to three months, though the course cannot exceed the duration of the visa itself. Visit visa holders are not permitted to engage in any form of employment whilst in Ireland, however, once in possession of a tourist visa, a client may locate work and in some circumstances, it may be possible to switch to a work permit to remain in Ireland.

Clients will be required to submit their current valid passport as part of their Irish tourist visa application. Passports must be valid for at least six months. It will also be necessary to provide a range of supporting documentation and applicants must be able to show the purpose of their trip to Ireland. Where applicants are travelling to Ireland as tourists evidence of the purpose of their visit can be provided through a hotel booking, or where the trip is intended as a visit to family and friends, a letter of reference from the host can be provided.

As a temporary Irish immigration service, one of the key requirements is that candidates should be able to demonstrate that they intend to return to their country of residence once their leave to remain in Ireland has expired. In most cases, this intention can be demonstrated by providing evidence of ties to the country of residence through family commitments or employment. Applicants must also be able to show that they can finance themselves for the entirety of their time in Ireland, or demonstrate that they will be supported by the family or friends they are visiting. Where candidates will be sponsored by their host, a letter confirming this arrangement must be provided.

Family Immigration

Unlike longer-term Irish visas such as the Irish work permit and the Irish green card, short-term tourist visas for Ireland do not allow an applicant to include their dependent family members in their application. All clients who wish to apply for an Irish visa in this class must qualify in their own right.

Irish Work Permits

As outlined above, although an Irish tourist visa does not allow its holder to work in Ireland, it is permitted to seek employment and where an Irish work permit can be obtained a candidate can in principle remain in Ireland under their work permit status. The key requirement for an Irish work permit is that the candidate must secure a definite offer of employment from a company based in Ireland. It is important to note however, that applying for an Irish work permit can be a lengthy process and in most cases, it is likely to exceed the duration of a visit visa. As a result, a candidate may obtain a job offer in Ireland however, they may have to return to their country of residence whilst their work permit application is completed, before they can begin working in Ireland.

Find out whether you qualify for an Irish visit today by visiting the online assessment area. Our assessment forms are quick and easy to complete and a specialist Irish immigration consultant will contact you.