Dublin Tour - Visa Information
If you want to come with us to Dublin, you might need an Irish visa. Here's some helpful information...
Do you need a visa?
If you are from one of the following countries, you DO NOT need to apply for an Irish visa:
Andorra, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bahamas, Barbados, Belgium, Belize, Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominica, El Salvador, Estonia, Fiji, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guyana, Honduras, Hong Kong (Special Administrative Region), Hungary, Iceland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Kiribati, Latvia, Lesotho, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macau (Special Administrative Region), Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Malta, Mexico, Monaco, Nauru, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Norway, Panama, Paraguay, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Seychelles, Singapore, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tuvalu, United Kingdom and Colonies, United States of America, Uruguay, Vanuatu, Vatican City, Venezuela.
If your country is not on the list above you may need to apply for an Irish visa. Have a look here for more information: http://www.embassyofireland.co.uk/home/index.aspx?id=33738 and see below for information on how to apply.
Please note that all citizens of non-EU countries, whether they require a visa or not, are subject to immigration control at the point of entry to Ireland. Possession of a valid visa does not automatically guarantee entry into Ireland.
What about non-students?
The same rules as above apply to you too. However, if you hold a General Visitor Visa (Check to see if it says CATEGORY C – normally for stays of less than 6 months, and usually not for students) and are visiting the UK for less than 90 days, then the Visa Waiver Scheme means that people from the following countries also DO NOT need to apply for an Irish visa:
Bahrain, Belarus, India, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Montenegro, Oman, People’s Republic of China, Qatar Russian Federation, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, Turkey, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, Uzbekistan.
More information on this scheme can be found here: http://www.embassyofireland.co.uk/hoame/index.aspx?id=33738 by following the link at the bottom to ‘Short Stay Visa Waiver Programme’.
What happens next?
If you need to get an Irish Visa and still want to join our tour to Dublin you should:
- Book your place on the trip and make payment - you can't get your visa without confirmation of your booking with us first.
- Send us an email - tell us you need an Irish Visa and we will send you confirmation of your booking AND confirmation of your accommodation reservation. These are important documents that you will need to get your visa.
- Apply for your visa online - follow this link http://www.embassyofireland.co.uk/home/index.aspx?id=40020 and see our information below...
Applying for your visa
All applications from people based in the UK need to be completed online and then printed off and either posted to the Irish Embassy in London, or taken there in person. Detailed information can be found here: http://www.embassyofireland.co.uk/home/index.aspx?id=33732 but we’ve made some notes to help you along.
- When asked ‘Will you be travelling with any other person e.g. business colleague, family member, group?’ your answer should be yes. Please give the following 3 names (in any order) ‘David Gray, Benjamin Mills, Nevil Owen’ and when asked to give the relationship write ‘Group Leader’ for each one.
- When asked to give ‘Contact details for Contact / Host in Ireland’ you should write down the address of our hostel:
Sky Backpackers - The Liffey (formerly Litton Lane Hostel)
2-4 Litton Lane
Dublin 1
Phone number: 00353 1 872 8389
- When asked ‘Is the contact/host in Ireland personally known to you (e.g: family / Friends)’ select ‘No’. Then provide the following details of the contact person in Ireland:
Surname: Davis
Forename: Alison
Country of Nationality: Denmark
Occupation: General Manager
Relationship to applicant: General Manager of booked accommodation
- When you have finished you will be asked to print out a summary. Sign the declaration and send this to the Embassy in London along with your supporting documents. A list of the supporting documents that you need can be found here: http://www.embassyofireland.co.uk/home/index.aspx?id=49659 just click on the option that says ‘Visit Visa’. We will email you a confirmation of your booking with Don’t be a tourist and confirmation of your reservation from the accommodation in Ireland.
Links to downloadable guides to help you apply for your visa can be found here: http://www.embassyofireland.co.uk/home/index.aspx?id=40020 written in English, Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian, Turkish and Urdu.
Fees
Fees for visa applications are £53, which can be sent by cash or as a postal order or bank draft payable to the ‘Embassy of Ireland’. Your post office will be able to help you arrange a postal order as well as provide a self-addressed Special Delivery envelope for return of your passport and documents.
Nationals from the following countries don’t have to pay the fee:
Bosnia, Cote D'Ivoire, Ecuador, Indonesia, Jamaica, Kosovo, Kyrgyzstan, Montenegro, Morocco, Peru, Republic of Macedonia, Serbia, Sri Lanka, Tunisia, Uganda, Zambia
How long will it take?
We recommend you apply for your visa as soon as possible. As a rough guide your visa application can take around 7 working days to process if you deliver it to London in person, or around 15 working days if you post it. These are only indications of how long it can take. At busy times it could take longer and you should check with the Embassy.
Questions?
If you have any questions then give us a call on 0113 2816773 or email David at info@dontbeatourist.co.uk and we’ll do our best to help you out.
Disclaimer
The information provided above is a quick guide to try and help you through the visa application process. We are not visa specialists nor have any links with the Irish Embassy. We cannot be held responsible for any inaccuracies in the information provided and cannot guarantee your application will be successful. The Irish Embassy may change their requirements at any time and we recommend you double-check the information on the following website when applying for yourself: http://www.embassyofireland.co.uk/home/index.aspx?id=33732
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