Finances not shown
Statements with a large recent deposit or no clear income.
The fix. Show 6 months of regular salary credits and explain every large credit.
Ireland short stay visa for Indian passport holders
Ireland is not in the Schengen area, so Indian citizens need an Irish short stay C visa (EUR 60 single entry, EUR 100 multiple entry) lodged online on AVATS and submitted with the passport at a VFS Global Ireland centre in India, with decisions from the New Delhi visa office taking about 8 weeks. Two shortcuts exist: Indians holding a UK short stay visa who have entered the UK can visit Ireland without an Irish visa under the Short Stay Visa Waiver Programme, extended to 31 October 2026, and a UK visa endorsed BIVS covers both countries. The visa allows up to 90 days for tourism, family visits, business or conferences, and from 1 June 2026 a refused C visa cannot be appealed, so the first file must be complete.
Ireland Short stay visa (type C): quick answers
Do Indians need a visa for Ireland? Yes, unless you hold a valid UK short stay visa and have entered the UK on it, in which case the Short Stay Visa Waiver Programme (to 31 October 2026) lets you travel on to Ireland for up to 90 days or the remainder of your UK permission, whichever is shorter. A Schengen visa does not work for Ireland. Everyone else applies for a C visa for tourism, visiting family, business, conferences or short courses under 90 days; stays over 90 days need a D visa.
What does it cost? EUR 60 for a single-entry visa and EUR 100 for multiple entry, paid in rupees at VFS Global at the embassy rate (about INR 5,700 and INR 9,500 in 2026), plus the VFS service fee of about INR 2,300 and optional courier. Children pay the same fee; spouses and children of EU citizens exercising treaty rights are exempt. The fee is not refunded on refusal. Vistolane charges the visa fee at the official rate and shows its service separately.
How long does it take from India? The Irish visa office in New Delhi decides most short stay visas in about 8 weeks from the date the file reaches it, longer from May to August and before Christmas; biometrics have been collected at VFS for Indian applicants since 2024. Apply up to 3 months before travel and at least 8 to 10 weeks ahead, and do not book non-refundable travel until the visa is issued.
At a glance
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Visa type | Short stay C visa, single or multiple entry, up to 90 days |
| Government fee | EUR 60 single entry; EUR 100 multiple entry |
| Processing | About 8 weeks at the New Delhi visa office; longer in summer |
| Where to apply | AVATS online form, then passport and documents at VFS Global Ireland in India |
| UK visa waiver | Indians with a UK short stay visa who have entered the UK need no Irish visa, to 31 October 2026 |
| Funds | No fixed table; recent statements showing you can cover the trip, or a host's undertaking |
| Appeals | No appeal for C visa refusals from 1 June 2026; reapply instead |
| Verified | 30 Oct 2026 against irishimmigration.ie |
Who qualifies, and how the Irish visa office assesses a visit
Any Indian passport holder with a passport valid 6 months beyond the departure date can apply. The officer assesses the purpose, your finances, your ties to India and your immigration history. Tourists show an itinerary and bookings; family visitors attach the host's letter, their Irish Residence Permit or passport and proof of the relationship; business visitors attach the Irish company's invitation and the Indian employer's letter; conference delegates the registration. Ireland does not publish a daily funds figure, but officers expect 6 months of statements with a steady balance that covers the trip without a sudden deposit.
The Short Stay Visa Waiver Programme matters for Indian travellers: if you hold a UK short stay visit visa (not a transit or long-stay permission) and have been admitted to the UK on it for up to 180 days, you may enter Ireland without an Irish visa for up to 90 days or until your UK permission ends, whichever is first, until 31 October 2026. The British-Irish Visa Scheme goes further: a UK or Irish visa endorsed BIVS allows travel to both countries on one document, and Indian applicants can request it in either application.
Ireland is outside Schengen, so days in Ireland do not count against the Schengen 90-in-180 limit, and an Irish visa does not allow entry to Northern Ireland or Great Britain, which need UK permission. From 1 June 2026 a refused short stay visa cannot be appealed; the only remedy is a fresh application addressing the refusal reasons.
Fees and what they cover
| Item | Fee | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Short stay C visa, single entry | EUR 60 | Paid in INR at VFS; not refunded |
| Short stay C visa, multiple entry | EUR 100 | Usually for frequent business travellers or those with prior Irish visas |
| Transit visa | EUR 25 | Airside transit at Dublin for Indian nationals |
| VFS Global service fee | About INR 2,300 | Per application; courier and SMS extra |
| UK visa waiver | Free | No Irish fee when travelling on a qualifying UK visit visa |
| Travel insurance | Market rate | Recommended; not mandatory |
Fees are set by the Immigration Act 2004 (Visas) orders and have been EUR 60 and EUR 100 for over a decade. Vistolane charges the fee at the official rate, books VFS and shows its service separately.
How the application runs, step by step
- Decide whether you need an Irish visa. Travelling on a qualifying UK visit visa? Use the waiver. Otherwise complete the AVATS online form and print the summary.
- Gather documents. Passport, photos, letter of application, bookings or host's letter, 6 months of statements, employer letter, tax returns, ties evidence.
- Lodge at VFS Global Ireland. Within 30 days of the AVATS form: biometrics, passport, documents, EUR 60 or EUR 100 fee and the VFS fee.
- Decision in about 8 weeks. The New Delhi visa office may request more documents by email; track the reference on irishimmigration.ie.
- Collect the passport and travel. Carry the host's letter, bookings and funds for Dublin border control; the visa does not cover the UK.
Timeline for an Indian traveller
| Stage | Typical time | What you do |
|---|---|---|
| Documents | 1 to 2 weeks | Statements, letters, bookings |
| AVATS and VFS appointment | A few days | Lodge within 30 days of the form |
| Visa office decision | About 8 weeks | Longer May to August and before Christmas |
| Passport return | 3 to 5 days | Courier or collection |
| Validity | Single trip or multiple entries over the period granted | Apply up to 3 months ahead |
Indian families visiting relatives in Dublin, Cork and Galway for summer should lodge in March; Christmas visitors by early October.
At the border and during the stay
Dublin Airport immigration officers decide the length of stay, usually the dates requested up to 90 days, and stamp the passport; keep the host's letter, bookings, return ticket and funds to hand. Visitors may not work or register with immigration, and a C visa cannot be extended or converted in Ireland except in rare cases; students, workers and family members apply from India for D visas covered on the other Ireland route pages.
Travelling between Ireland and Northern Ireland crosses into the UK, which needs separate UK permission for Indian nationals; the Common Travel Area applies to Irish and British citizens, not to visa nationals. Overstays are recorded and weigh on future Irish and UK applications.
Document checklist: identity and forms
| Document | Standard the officer applies |
|---|---|
| Passport valid 6 months beyond departure, 2 blank pages | Plus previous passports |
| AVATS summary sheet, signed | Lodged within 30 days |
| Two photos 35 by 45 mm | Taken within 6 months |
| Letter of application | Purpose, dates, who pays, undertaking to leave |
Trip
| Document | Standard the officer applies |
|---|---|
| Flight and hotel bookings, or host's invitation | Host's IRP or passport and proof of the relationship |
| Travel insurance | Recommended |
| Business invitation or conference registration | For business and conference visits |
Funds and ties
| Document | Standard the officer applies |
|---|---|
| 6 months of bank statements | Steady balance; explain large credits |
| Employer letter with leave approval, salary slips | Or business registration and GST |
| Income tax returns | Last 2 years |
| Family and property evidence | Reasons to return to India |
Why applications on this route get refused, and the fix
Obligation to return not demonstrated
Weak employment, family or property ties.
The fix. Add the employer letter, tax returns, property papers and dependants' evidence.
Host's documents incomplete
Host's immigration status or relationship not proven.
The fix. Attach the host's IRP or passport, proof of address and the relationship documents.
Inconsistencies
Dates in the letter, bookings and form do not match.
The fix. Reconcile every date before lodging; a refused C visa cannot be appealed from 1 June 2026.
Insufficient documentation
Missing letter of application or untranslated documents.
The fix. Follow the Indian checklist on irishimmigration.ie and add certified translations.
Official sources
Questions, answered
How much is an Ireland visa for Indians?
EUR 60 for a single-entry short stay visa and EUR 100 for multiple entry, paid in rupees at VFS Global, plus the VFS service fee of about INR 2,300. Travellers using a qualifying UK visit visa under the waiver programme pay nothing to Ireland.
Can I visit Ireland with a UK visa?
Yes, under the Short Stay Visa Waiver Programme until 31 October 2026, if you hold a UK short stay visit visa and have entered the UK on it; you may stay in Ireland up to 90 days or until your UK permission ends. A UK visa endorsed BIVS also covers Ireland.
How long does an Ireland visa take from India?
About 8 weeks at the New Delhi visa office once VFS forwards the file, longer in summer and before Christmas; apply 8 to 10 weeks ahead and up to 3 months before travel.
Can I use a Schengen visa for Ireland?
No. Ireland is not in the Schengen area; a Schengen visa does not allow entry to Ireland, and an Irish visa does not allow entry to Schengen states or the UK.
Does Vistolane file Ireland visitor visas?
Yes. Vistolane prepares the letter of application and funds evidence, completes AVATS, books VFS, charges the EUR 60 or EUR 100 fee at the official rate and shows its service separately.