Key Messages from the Embassy Paris Visa Team

UPDATED 21 JUNE 2023

1. Ireland is not a part of the Schengen Agreement. A Schengen visa or French residence permit does not entitle you to travel to Ireland without a visa.

If you are uncertain whether you require a visa to visit Ireland, please first consult the Irish Immigration Service Travel Path and our list of visa-required nationalities.

2. Visa applications may be sent to the Embassy by registered post or courier. They may also be physically dropped to the Embassy letterbox.

The Embassy consular section is also open to the public without appointment from 9.30 to 11.30. For further information, click here.

3. Visa applications may take up to 8 weeks to be processed.

Once a decision has been made on your application, you will be contacted directly. In order to ensure that resources can be used to best effect, we do not provide status updates on applications.

Any visa queries not answered on this page or on the page of the Irish Immigration Service should be submitted by email only to consularparis@dfa.ie.

SPECIAL NOTICE FOR UKRAINIAN NATIONALS AND RESIDENTS OF UKRAINE SEEKING TO TRAVEL TO IRELAND

If you are a Ukrainian national, you do not need a visa to travel to Ireland.

Full details can be found on www.irishimmigration.ie.

All other non-EEA nationals who are ordinarily subject to a visa requirement still need to apply for a visa, even if travelling from Ukraine or travelling with a Ukrainian national. You can confirm whether you need a visa by checking the list of visa-required nationalities.

You can find further information on visas for Ireland in English, Ukrainian, French, and Russian.

Who needs a Visa

Whether you need a visa to travel to Ireland depends on what country you're from. Visit the Irish Immigration Service Travel Path for more information regarding your personal requirements for travelling to Ireland.

Information on visa requirements for transiting through Ireland is available here

Please note that Ireland is not party to the Schengen Agreement, and a Schengen visa or residence permit does not entitle you to travel to Ireland without a visa.

Unless you qualify for the Short Stay Visa Waiver Programme or the British Irish Visa Scheme a valid UK visa does not entitle you to travel to Ireland without a visa. Further information on these schemes is available on the website of the Irish Immigration Service.

Note: A visa allows you to travel to Ireland only. It does not give you permission to enter the country or to stay here. An immigration officer at border control can refuse entry even if you have a visa.

Remember…

If you're a citizen of a non-EEA country, whether you need a visa or not, you will be subject to immigration control when you enter Ireland.

Types of Visa and Documentation

Full information on the different types of visas, required documentation, and how to apply can be found on the website of the Irish Immigration Service.

Information on applying for a short-stay (less than 90 days) tourist visa is available here.

Information on coming to work in Ireland is available here.

Information on coming to study in Ireland is available here.

Information on coming to join family in Ireland is available here.

Visa Appeals

If your visa application is refused, you will receive a letter from the visa office telling you why it has been refused and if you can appeal the decision.

Further information on appealing visa decisions is available on the website of the Irish Immigration Service

All appeals are handled directly by the Irish Immigration Service

How to Apply

You need to:

Complete the online application form

This will generate an application summary form and declaration at the end, which you must print, sign and date.

Gather your supporting documentation, passport photograph and fee.
Submit your application

To complete the process, you must submit your passport and supporting documents for processing. Where you submit your application depends on where you are living. The summary application form will direct you to the relevant Embassy, Consulate or Visa Application Centre.

Check the website of the relevant Embassy or Consulate for further information on how to submit your application for processing

If you applied at an Embassy or Consulate, they will contact you once a decision on the visa application has been made.

If you applied directly to an Irish Immigration Service Visa Office or if your application was referred to the Irish Immigration Service for a decision, you can check the Irish Immigration Service Visa Decision Weekly Listing using your reference number.

On Arrival in Ireland

Further information on what to expect on arrival in Ireland can be found on the website of the Irish Immigration Service.

Information on entry for EU/EEA and Swiss nationals is available here.

Information on entry for non-EU, non-EEA and non-Swiss nationals is available here.

Information on travelling with children is available here.

Information on transiting through Ireland is available here.

Fees

Check the website of the Irish Immigration Servicefor information on preclearance and entry visa fees, including information on visa fee exemptions.

You can also contact your local Embassy or Consulate for more details on fees and payment methods

Payment Details

We accept the following forms of payment:

Payment can be made only by French cheque, payable to ‘Ambassade d'Irlande’.

Nationals of certain countries are exempt from visa fees. Please see here for the list of countries whose nationals are exempt.

If you are exempt from visa fees, you must include a cheque for €10 for return postage.

If you are not exempt from visa fees, you must include two cheques with your application:

A cheque for the applicable processing fee; and
A cheque for €10 for return postage costs.

The Embassy does not accept payment by cash, bank transfer, or credit card.

The fees for visas are:

Single entry: €60 (for all first time applications)
Multi entry: €100
Transit: €25

The visa fee is an administration fee that covers the cost of processing your application. This fee will not be refunded if your application is refused, withdrawn, abandoned, or if your planned dates of travel pass.

Completing your paper application

We understand that compiling the documents for your visa application can seem complex. We are here to help.

Embassy Paris has developed resources to help you complete your paper application for the most common categories of application we receive.

Checklists

When you submit your paper application, please use the below checklists to ensure that you include all the necessary documents.

• Business
• Conference or Event
• Employment
• Join EU Spouse
• Performance or tournament
• Study
• Tourist
• Visit Family or Friend
• Visit or Travel with EU Spouse

Please make sure to include your name and email address in block capitals. This makes it easier for us to contact you if we need to.

Checklist companion

There are specific requirements for all the documents you have to provide.

When you are completing your checklist, you should consult the Checklist Companion for each item on the list. This companion explains the requirements for each document in simple language.

It is your responsibility to meet these requirements. If you do, your application is more likely to be straightforward, efficient, and successful.

Model letters

All applications must be accompanied by an application letter that meets certain requirements.

In order to help you meet those requirements, we have prepared a model application letter. You should use this as the basis for your application letter, adding the relevant details for your own application.

We have also prepared three other model letters for specific categories of application where additional letters are required:

• Invitation letter
• Letter from the conference organiser/tournament organiser
• Sponsorship letter

You can tell if you need to provide these letters by using your checklist.

Important note: Embassy Paris provides these resources as a practical way to help applicants through the application process for the most common categories of application we receive. They are not intended to cover all application categories or possible scenarios. We reserve the right to seek further documentation.

The authoritative guidance on visa application requirements is that provided on the Irish Immigration Service website.

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Embassy of Ireland, France