You need a visa for Ireland

You need a Business Visa to come on a business trip to Ireland.

Your exact preparations depend on your plans and personal circumstances. Some of the most important are described below. Read this information carefully to make sure you have everything you need.

You are from a visa required country and you wish to visit Ireland for business for less than 3 months. Change your answers

 

Before you travel

Apply for a Business Visa

You must apply for a short stay Business Visa. All short stay visas are also called 'C' visas.

You will not be allowed to come to Ireland without a visa.

When you travel

Prepare for border control

You will need to prove that you have a valid reason for entering Ireland to an immigration officer at border control.

To do so you will need your passport, visa and other documents.

If you cannot satisfy the immigration officer, you will not be allowed into Ireland.

Special programmes

Travel to Ireland using a UK visa

You may be able to visit Ireland without applying for a separate Irish visa, if you have an eligible UK (short stay) visitor visa and you are a citizen of an approved country.

Read how this works under the Short Stay Visa Waiver Programme.

Travel between Ireland & UK using a single UK-Irish visa

You can visit Ireland and the United Kingdom using a single visa issued by either country, if you are a Chinese or Indian citizen. For instance:

  • You can visit the UK (including Northern Ireland) without applying for a UK visa, if you have an Irish Business Visa.
  • You can visit Ireland without applying for an Irish visa, if you have an eligible UK (short stay) visitor visa.
  • You can travel an unlimited number of times between each country with either visa, for as long as it is valid.

Read how this works under the British-Irish Visa Scheme.

During your stay in Ireland

Examples of activities you are permitted to do during your visit

  • Attend meetings
  • Negotiate or sign a contract
  • Do fact finding
  • Work or become an intern for 14 days or less.

To work or be a paid intern for more than 15 days, you must apply for permission.

Travel to Northern Ireland & United Kingdom

You cannot travel to Northern Ireland using an Irish visa, except if travelling under the British Irish Visa Scheme (explained above). You need a visa issued by the United Kingdom.

If you travel from the Republic of Ireland to Northern Ireland and then wish to return to the Republic, you must have a Multiple Entry visa (explained below).

Leaving & returning to Ireland

If you plan to leave and return to Ireland during your stay, you can request a Multiple Entry visa when you apply.

Multiple Entry visas are approved in limited circumstances only, if justified by your application.

How to apply

When to apply

You should apply for a visa 3 months before you travel.

You may need extra time to prepare documents to support your application, eg invitation letter from a host company in Ireland, hotel reservations.

How to apply

You must apply from your home country or a country where you are a legal resident:

  1. Read detailed instructions for the Business Visa
  2. Submit your visa application online
  3. Send your passport and other documents for processing

You will be given instructions where to send your documents when you apply online.

Visa costs

Extra charges may apply for some applications, eg consular fees.

 

Contact

If you have questions, contact us.

Updated: 20 January 2017

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