Ireland Tourist Visa
The Tourist Visa allows foreign citizens to visit Ireland for tourism purposes and stay there for up to 90 days.
To receive assistance with your Tourist Visa application, call our immigration team today on 0333 305 9375.
What is the Tourist Visa?
The Tourist Visa is intended for foreign citizens who want to visit Ireland. It allows them to come to Ireland to engage in standard tourism activities or to take part in a short-term English language course.
The Tourist Visa is a Short Stay ‘C’ Visa, which means that if you receive it, you will be able to stay in Ireland for up to 90 days. After your visa expires, you have to go back to your home country.
The Tourist Visa does not allow you to seek and undertake employment in Ireland nor use publicly funded services such as public hospitals.
Who has to apply for the Tourist Visa?
If you are a citizen of a country that belongs to the EU/EEA, or a citizen of Switzerland, you do not have to apply for a visa to visit Ireland. Citizens of these countries can stay in Ireland for up to 90 days without a visa.
The Tourist Visa is intended for individuals coming to Ireland from a visa required country. You have to submit your application for the Tourist Visa in your home country or the country where you are a resident.
You should apply for the Tourist Visa if you want to come to Ireland to explore the country and its culture or take part in an English language course.
If you are not sure whether you need a visa to come to Ireland, talk to our immigration consultants. They will analyse your situation and will explain to you what you need to do before buying a flight ticket to Ireland.

How to apply for the Tourist Visa?
If you need a Tourist Visa to come to Ireland, you need to apply for it before you arrive in the country.
It is recommended that you apply for it three months before your travel to Ireland.
This should allow enough time for the processing of your application.
Keep in mind that you will not be allowed to enter Ireland without a valid visa.
To apply for the Tourist Visa, you have to use the online visa application system. In the form, you will need to provide personal details and information about the purpose of your trip to Ireland.
When you finish, you will see the summary of your application. There, you will find the following information:
- Your Visa Application Transaction Number – you will need it to check the progress in the processing of your visa application
- Application summary sheets – you need to print and sign them. You also need to include them in the portfolio of evidence that you will send to the application office at a later stage of the application process.
- Your application office – you need to send your application and documents to the office featured on your summary sheet.
Once you submit the application, you have to pay the visa application fee of either €60 or €100 depending on whether you need a single or multiple entry permit.
Depending on where you are applying, payment methods and currency may differ.
The visa application fee is non-refundable even if you are not granted the visa or you withdraw your application.
After that, you can start gathering all the required supporting documents that prove your eligibility for the Tourist Visa.
Once you have compiled all of them, you need to send them to the application office displayed on your application summary sheet.

What are the eligibility requirements for the Tourist Visa?
Before you submit your application for the Tourist Visa, you have to determine whether you meet the following eligibility requirements:
- You have a passport valid for at least six months past your planned stay in Ireland
- You have enough funds to support yourself during your visit
- You are able to provide information about any previous Irish visa applications
- You are able to complete all the sections of the visa application form
- You can prove that you have ties that will make you return to your home country after your visa expires.
Additionally, you have to provide details of any of your family members who currently live in Ireland or another EU country. You also have to sign the application yourself.
What documents are required for the Tourist Visa?
When you are applying for the Tourist Visa, there are a number of documents that you need to submit. These include:
- Signed application summary sheet
- Application letter explaining why you want to come to Ireland
- Details of dates you plan to arrive and leave
- A statement that you promise to obey the conditions of your visa
- Details of your accommodation in Ireland
- If you are coming to take part in a short study course – details of the course and a confirmation letter showing that you registered for it
- Proof of having travel and medical insurance
- Receipt showing that you paid the visa fee
- Your current passport valid for at least six months after the date you plan to leave Ireland
- Two passport-size photographs in colour
- Proof of having enough money to cover your expenses during your stay in Ireland
- Evidence of having social or economic ties that will make you return to your home country after your visa expires.
All documents you submit have to be in their original form. Photocopies will be rejected. Moreover, if any of the application documents are issued in a language that is not English, you have to have them translated by an official, certified translator.
If you fail to include some of these documents, the processing of your application might take longer. To avoid delays, hire one of our immigration experts. They will help you put together a complete portfolio of evidence.
How can IAS help?
Hiring an immigration lawyer? Our team of highly trained immigration consultants can make the process of applying for the Tourist Visa much easier than it would be if you went through it otherwise.
Our team have expert knowledge of the Irish immigration system and they can guide you through each step of applying for your chosen visa. Thanks to their help you can be sure that your application is complete and meets the required standards.
If you hire one of our experts, you will have access to professional assistance, which can increase the chances of your visa application being approved.
To find out more about how we can help, call us today on 0333 305 9375.

Last modified on August 8th, 2023 at 10:54 am

Advice Package
Need help with an immigration issue? Book a one-to-one advice session with one of our legal caseworkers.

Application Package
We can complete your visa application on your behalf, taking the stress and hassle out of the process.

Fast Track Package
Need to submit an application quickly? We can help you complete and send it off in as little as 24 hours.

Document Check Package
For extra peace of mind when you need to confirm that your documents and application adhere to regulations.

The Advice Package
With our Advice Package, you can book a one-to-one session with one of our legal team and receive bespoke advice tailored for your situation. We will review your case and give you expert advice on how best to proceed with your immigration matter. Reach out to a member of our team and book your session today.

The Application Package
Our Application Package is designed to help relieve the stress of immigration applications. One of our legal caseworkers will help you throughout the entire process, including establishing your eligibility for your chosen route, completing your application form to the highest standards and organising your documents. We will then submit it and monitor its status on your behalf.

The Fast Track Package
Our premium Fast Track Package is ideal if you need to submit an application quickly, such as if you need to meet a tight deadline. Our lawyers will work closely with you to see that your application is completed to the highest standards and ensure you get your application in on time, helping to take the stress and pressure off you.
The Document Check Package
If you’re confident in organising your own visa application and documents but need that extra bit of reassurance, our Document Checking Package is ideal. We can check and proof your application and documentary evidence, confirming that they’re free of errors and adhere to Home Office guidelines. We also use our professional expertise to advise you on any missing documents that might strengthen your application, granting you total peace of mind.
Related pages for your continued reading.
Frequently Asked Questions
Having enough money to be able to support oneself during the stay in Ireland is an important eligibility requirement for the Tourist Visa. Nevertheless, there is no specific minimum amount of finance that applicants need to have. That varies depending on the individual circumstances of each visa applicant.
The visa officer will assess your situation and determine whether your funds will be enough to cover your expenses while in Ireland. To prove that you have enough finances, you should provide recent bank statements.
Most Tourist Visa applicants have to pay the visa application fee that covers the cost of processing their application. Some applicants, however, are exempt from this requirement. The nationalities exempt from visa fees are:
- Bosnia
- Côte d’Ivoire
- Ecuador
- Indonesia
- Jamaica
- Kosovo
- Kyrgyzstan
- Montenegro
- Morocco
- North Macedonia
- Peru
- Serbia
- Sri Lanka
- Tunisia
- Uganda
If your country of origin is not listed here, you have to pay the visa fee or you will not be able to proceed with your application.
If your application for the Tourist Visa is approved, you will be able to stay in Ireland for up to 90 days. As the Tourist Visa is a Short Stay ‘C’ Visa, you have to leave the country after that. Typically, it is not possible to extend it. Extensions are only granted in exceptional circumstances.
If you want to come to Ireland for longer than 90 days you should apply for a Long stay ‘D’ Visa.
Talk to our immigration consultants about the purpose of your trip to Ireland and they will help you which visa you should apply for.
When you are applying for short term visas in Ireland, including the Tourist Visa, you have to prove your intention to return to your home country after your visa loses validity.
You are also obliged to leave Ireland as soon as your visa expires. If you fail to do so and you stay in Ireland longer, you might face prosecution and/or deportation. You might also face trouble when applying for any Irish visas in the future.