Indian citizens need a short stay C visa for Ireland, unless they hold a UK short stay visa and have entered the UK first, in which case the Short Stay Visa Waiver Programme (extended to 31 October 2026) lets them visit Ireland without an Irish visa. The visa costs EUR 60 single entry or EUR 100 multiple entry, is completed online on AVATS and lodged at VFS Global Ireland in India, and the New Delhi visa office decides in about 8 weeks. Ireland is not in the Schengen area, so a Schengen visa is not valid for Ireland and an Irish visa is not valid for Schengen.
The short version with the price card and checklist is on the Ireland short stay visa route page. This article is the long version: who needs the visa, how the UK visa waiver works, funds, documents, the timeline from India and the refusal reasons that recur.
Do Indians need a visa for Ireland?
Yes. The Ireland visa for Indians on a short trip is the short stay C visa, required for tourism, visiting family or friends, business meetings, conferences, short courses under 90 days and medical treatment. Ireland shares the Common Travel Area with the United Kingdom but is not in Schengen, so the Irish visa stands alone: it does not admit you to France or Germany, and a Schengen visa does not admit you to Ireland. Travellers combining Dublin with the mainland need an Irish visa plus a Schengen visa, planned with the Schengen visa step-by-step guide.
The exception is the Short Stay Visa Waiver Programme: an Indian national who holds a valid UK short stay visa and has entered the UK on it may travel on to Ireland for up to 90 days, or until the UK visa expires if sooner, without an Irish visa. The programme has been renewed repeatedly and currently runs to 31 October 2026. It does not work in reverse, so an Irish visa gives no right to enter the UK, and the UK Standard Visitor visa guide explains the UK side.
How much does an Ireland visa cost for Indians?
| 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 granted after a previous Irish visa |
| Transit visa | EUR 25 | For airside transit through Dublin |
| VFS Global service fee | About INR 2,500 | Per application; courier and SMS extra |
| Travel insurance | Market rate | Recommended; visitors pay for healthcare |
| Re-entry visa for residents | EUR 60 | Not needed for visitors |
Fees are set in euro and converted at the embassy rate on the day you pay. Spouses and children of EU citizens, some government scholarship students and certain programme participants are exempt. Vistolane charges the EUR 60 or EUR 100 fee at the official rate, books VFS and shows its service separately on the Ireland destination page.
How much money do I need to show for an Ireland visa?
The Irish visa office does not publish a daily figure. It reads 6 months of bank statements in your name for regular income consistent with your employment or business, a balance that comfortably covers flights, accommodation and daily spending for the stay, and no unexplained lump sums in the weeks before applying. Payslips, the employer's leave letter, income tax returns and business registration back the statements.
Visitors staying with family or friends attach the host's letter of invitation with their passport or Irish Residence Permit, proof of address such as a utility bill, and their own recent bank statements if they are covering costs. The host's status matters: a Stamp 4 holder or Irish citizen is a stronger host than a student on Stamp 2. Strong ties to India, employment, property, dependants and previous travel history, complete the picture, because the officer is assessing whether you will leave Ireland at the end of the visit.
What documents does the Ireland short stay visa need?
Identity and forms. The AVATS summary sheet, signed, a passport valid 6 months beyond the return date with previous passports, two colour photos 35 by 45 mm and the signed declaration.
Trip. Flight reservations (not paid tickets), accommodation bookings for every night or the host's invitation and documents, a day-by-day itinerary, travel insurance and, for business, the Irish company's invitation and the Indian employer's letter.
Funds and ties. Six months of bank statements, payslips and the employer's leave letter, income tax returns, property or family evidence and, for students, a bona fide certificate and parents' documents. The travel document checklist helps you assemble the file before you book VFS.
How does the application run?
- Complete the AVATS online form, print the summary sheet and sign it; it names the VFS centre where you lodge.
- Book a VFS Global Ireland appointment (New Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chennai, Kolkata, Hyderabad and others) within 30 days of submitting AVATS.
- Lodge the passport, photos, summary sheet and documents at VFS, give fingerprints and pay the EUR 60 or EUR 100 fee plus the VFS fee in rupees.
- Wait about 8 weeks; the visa office may request documents by email. Track on the ISD decisions page by application number.
- Collect the passport with the visa sticker and travel; carry the itinerary, funds evidence and insurance for the immigration officer at Dublin or Shannon, who stamps the permitted stay.
How long does an Ireland visa take from India?
| Stage | Typical time | What you do |
|---|---|---|
| Documents | 1 to 2 weeks | Statements, letters, bookings |
| AVATS and VFS appointment | 1 to 2 weeks | Appointments fill in summer |
| Decision | About 8 weeks; 10 in May to August | Answer requests promptly |
| Passport return | 3 to 5 days | Courier or collection |
| Travel | Within the visa dates | Officer sets the stay at the border |
Apply no more than 3 months before travel and at least 8 weeks before, earlier for summer trips. Applicants using the UK visa waiver skip all of this but must enter the UK first.
What happens at the border and during the stay?
The immigration officer at the airport examines the visa, the purpose, funds and accommodation, and stamps the passport with the permitted stay, usually the length of the trip and never beyond 90 days. Visitors may not work, study for more than 90 days or access public funds, and must leave before the stamp expires; extensions are rare and only for documented emergencies. A visitor cannot switch to a work or study permission inside Ireland and must apply for a long stay D visa from India, covered in the Ireland student visa guide and the Ireland employment permit guide.
Why are Ireland short stay visas refused, and what fixes each reason?
Insufficient finances or unexplained funds. Lump sums before applying or statements that do not match stated income. Show 6 months of regular balances and explain every large credit with evidence.
Ties to India not established. Weak employment, no property or dependants, no travel history. Add the employer letter, tax returns, property papers and family evidence; keep the trip short.
Host's documents incomplete. Invitation without the host's permission or address proof. Attach the host's passport or IRP, utility bill and statements.
Inconsistent information. Itinerary, bookings and form dates that disagree. Align every document before lodging.
Previous refusals not disclosed. Any Irish, UK or Schengen refusal must be declared. Disclose and explain; from 1 June 2026 there is no appeal for C visa refusals, so correct the file and reapply. The guide to reading a refusal letter explains the codes.
How Vistolane files it
Vistolane prepares the funds and ties evidence, checks whether the UK visa waiver saves you an application, completes AVATS and books VFS, charging the EUR 60 or EUR 100 fee at the official rate. Start with the free eligibility check or the Ireland short stay visa route page.
