Visa to Ireland for Russians in 2021

The Republic of Ireland owns most of the island of the same name. Only its northern regions are under British jurisdiction.

For centuries, the island of Ireland has attracted conquerors. The Celts, Vikings, Scots, and English visited here. All of them have left their mark on the architecture and traditions of the island, making them unique and distinctive. Visitors definitely try to visit Dublin Castle, the ancient corridor tomb of Newgrange, and St. Patrick's Cathedral in Ireland. Nature lovers will love Phoenix Park in Dublin with live deer and the 200-meter cliffs of Moher that drop sharply into the ocean. Tourists also pay attention to Irish cuisine and beer.

Dublin, Ireland

Some Russians choose Irish universities to receive a European education. There are also those who come to the island to work or establish business cooperation or build personal relationships.

Main types of visas

Visiting Ireland for a period of no more than 90 days is possible with a short-term Short Saty-C visa. It is requested for tourist and business trips, attending training courses, and guest visits. Most often, the Irish issue single entry permits. If you confirm the need for frequent travel for business and other reasons, you can count on a multiple visa issued for several years.

Irish visa

When visiting Ireland while passing through, Russians need to obtain a transit visa.

Long-term residence in the republic is possible with a long-term Long Stay–D visa. It is obtained for studying in formal educational institutions, working, building relationships and reuniting with family. Usually it is one-time. Multiple entry is issued only to nurses with a work permit and Green Card holders from the Department of Enterprise. Holders of any Long Stay–D must register with the Police Department/National Immigration Bureau within 3 months of arrival in Ireland.

How much does a visa to Ireland cost in 2021?

The cost of an Irish visa consists of a consular fee (charged for processing documents and making a decision on issuing a visa) and a service fee (fee for accepting documents at the VFS Global visa center). Fees are accepted in rubles at the exchange rate on the day of submission of documents to the CC. Payment is possible in cash or by credit card.

From May 2021, the cost of an Irish visa is:

• 60 € for Single Journey visa (single entry);
• 100 € for Multiple Journey visa;
• 25 € for a transit visa.

Regardless of the visa requested, the service fee is 20 €.

Spouses and dependent children of citizens of Ireland, Switzerland, and countries of the European Economic Area are exempt from paying the fee. Visas requested under the recreation program for children of the Chernobyl zone and accompanying persons are also issued free of charge.

If, instead of the requested multiple visa, the Irish issued a single entry visa, the difference in cost of 40 € is not refunded.

How to apply?

You must apply for a visa from Russia or the country where you are a legal resident. You need to prepare your application 3 months before your trip to Ireland

Your application consists of 3 parts:

1. Create a visa application online or through the Russian Embassy, ​​in this case the embassy works exclusively through VFS Global, Russian Federation
2. Pay the visa fee
3. Submit your passport and other documents for processing, this will also have to be sent through VFS Global, Russian Federation
4. In some cases, you may also be required to provide biometric information.

You will be provided with information on where to send your documents after submitting your visa application.

If your application is successful, the Irish visa will be affixed to your passport and the document will be returned to you. As a rule, you have to wait about 8 weeks for a decision after receiving your documents.

How to get a visa to Ireland yourself?

As of October 22, 2021, the Irish Embassy in Moscow has stopped accepting visa applications by courier and by post. Now the Irish have entrusted the receipt of documents to VFS Global.

To obtain an Irish visa you must:

• fill out an online application;
• prepare a package of documents;
• submit documents to the visa center, pay fees.

Any visa questions are asked through a special form on the website of the Irish Embassy in Russia.

The Irish Embassy does not conduct interviews. However, in the application you must indicate a current telephone number at which the visa officer can ask questions if necessary.

Who to contact for help when applying for a visa to Ireland

With us you can get a visa to Ireland in Moscow, St. Petersburg and any other city in Russia, regardless of whether there is a visa center there or not. Personal advice and assistance in Moscow can be obtained at the head office of our agency, which is located at: Melnitsky Lane, 1, office 316. Come to us to conclude an agreement and discuss with a specialist your visa case, the list of necessary documents that will need to be collected, and others questions. To contact us in St. Petersburg, visit our office, which is located at: Liteiny pr., 26, office 445.

If it is more convenient for you to resolve all visa issues online or you live in another city, you can use the service remotely. Call. We will tell you about this in detail.

Application for a visa to Ireland

The Irish invite Russians to fill out an online application instead of a paper application. The application is available in English. Answers must also be given in English, ensuring that the form is accurately filled out in accordance with passport and other personal data. Instructions with explanations in Russian will help you fill out the online application correctly. The completed online application must be printed and signed.

After filling out the online application, the system will provide its number and a recommendation where to send the documents and visa fee.

Documents for a visa to Ireland: list from 2021

The Irish stipulate that all documents for obtaining a visa must be provided in English or have a certified translation. It is necessary to prepare originals of bank statements, employment certificates and, if possible, other documents. They must include accurate contact details so that the Irish visa officer can verify the accuracy of the information.

Dublin, Ireland

To obtain a visa in 2021 you must provide:

1. a printed online application form with a signature and a photo attached;
2. international passport (valid for long-term visas for 1 year, for short-term visas 6 months after leaving Ireland);
3. copies of invalid passports (if any);
4. 1 photo;
5. documents confirming the purpose of the trip;
6. Visa fees.

If there have been visa refusals from any country, you must provide copies of letters with justification. If they are not in English, a certified translation will be required.

The materials provided will not be returned, with the exception of the international passport and the original work permit. If a foreign passport is needed to visit another state before receiving an Irish visa, you must additionally attach a copy of the foreign passport and justification for its temporary return. The applicant must arrange the delivery of the passport from/to the embassy himself.

You can buy insurance for Ireland online using the Cherehapa service. There are 14 insurance companies represented there. You can choose the best offer in terms of price and quality.

Photo for visa to Ireland

On the embassy website, the photo requirements for an Irish visa are simple: width 35-38 and height 45-50 mm. More detailed requirements can be found on the Irish (Immigration and Naturalization Service) website, which states that the photograph must show a close-up of the face (70-80% of the image) and the top of the shoulders.

The photo should also be:

• “fresh” (not older than 6 months);
• colored (with good color balance, natural skin tones, no red-eye);
• made on a white or light gray background;
• with a neutral facial expression and head erect;
• with eyes open and mouth closed;
• Printed on photo paper with a matte back.

Example of a correct photo for an Irish visa
Only those who wear it for religious reasons are allowed to be photographed with a headdress. Glasses are allowed only for medical reasons and if the eyes are clearly visible in the photo.

One of the photographs is attached to the application. On the back of the second photo you must write in capital letters the applicant's full name and visa application/transaction number.

Visa documents for children

Since 2008, it has been possible for children to receive separate visas to Ireland, even if they are included in their parents’ passport. To do this, submit an individual package of documents.

For children under 14 years of age, a copy of the internal passport is replaced by a copy of the birth certificate. A notarized permission for the departure of parents who are not accompanying the child when crossing the border is also required.

Galway, Ireland

Additional documents for different types of visas

What documents need to be prepared to obtain a visa to Ireland, depending on the duration and purpose of the trip, can be found on the Irish website (Immigration and Naturalization Service).

Required documents

An application for a visa to Ireland requires the provision of the following package of documents:

• application form filled out in English and printed out;
• a foreign passport valid for at least 6 months from the date of departure from Ireland;
• copies of old foreign passports (if available);
• two color photographs measuring 3.5x4.5 cm;
• papers confirming the purpose of the visit (hotel room reservation, as well as information about planned movements);
• confirmation of financial solvency - a certificate from the place of work with data on salary and the duration of the vacation granted, a bank account statement for the last 6 months, etc.;
• health insurance with a minimum coverage of 30,000 EUR;
• payment of the consular fee.

It is worth providing documentary evidence of connections with the country of residence (presence of real estate, family and work relationships, etc.), as well as other evidence of the person’s intentions to return to Russia.

If the applicant has previously received refusals to issue an entry permit from other states, he should provide them with them and an explanation of the alleged reasons for the refusal.

Documents submitted to the consulate must be completed in English or accompanied by a notarized translation. A set of papers for each applicant should be packed in a thick envelope. When several citizens submit an application at the same time, it is permissible to seal the envelopes into one common one.

How long does it take to get a visa to Ireland?

The Irish Embassy does not indicate the exact processing time for an application for a short-term visa. The website stipulates that it will be considered on a first-come, first-served basis. On average, visa processing takes 10 days, but in the spring-summer period the number of applicants, and therefore the processing time for applications, increases. You can submit documents no earlier than 13 weeks before your trip.

Document verification for long-term visas takes longer. The period for consideration of applications is up to 6 months.

Cost and processing time

To obtain a visa, the applicant must pay the consular fee. The cost of a type C visa is 60 EUR, to obtain a multiple visa you need to pay 100 EUR, for a transit visa - 25 EUR. The fee is paid in cash in rubles. It is not possible to pay by credit card on site, but it is possible to make a transfer to a bank in Ireland.

The processing time for a type C visa lasts about 8 weeks from the date of receipt of the package of documents, but the consulate admits that this period will be longer if an incomplete package of documents is provided or for another reason.

In some situations, a decision can be made extremely quickly - from 10 days. But citizens applying for a long-term visa type D need to wait about 6 months.