Ireland Visa

The thing most people get wrong

Ireland is a member of the European Union but is not part of the Schengen Area. This is the single most common misunderstanding we see: travellers assume a Schengen visa covers a side trip to Dublin, and find out at the airport that it does not. Ireland runs its own visa system and needs its own application.

If your itinerary covers both Schengen countries and Ireland, that is two separate applications. We can handle both and sequence them so your passport isn't tied up in two places at once.

Do you need a visa?

Whether you need a visa depends on your citizenship, not on your status in the United States. US citizens do not need a visa for stays up to 90 days for tourism or business. If you hold a Chinese passport — including as a US green card holder — you do need an Irish visa.

One requirement green card holders often miss: the green card must remain valid for at least three months beyond your intended departure date from Ireland.

Visa categories

• Short Stay 'C' — up to 90 days: tourism, visiting family or friends, business meetings, short courses, medical treatment
• Long Stay 'D' — more than 90 days: employment, study, joining family and similar categories

No in-person appearance

Irish visas do not require you to appear in person. After the online form, the signed summary goes to the consulate by post along with your passport and supporting documents — no biometrics appointment, no interview.

That differs from Schengen and UK applications, and it is why we can take Irish cases by mail from anywhere in the 50 states — you don't need to travel to a consulate for this one.

What's included

• Confirming whether you need a visa, which category applies, and which consulate covers your state
• Completing the AVATS online application — the mandatory first step for every Irish visa
• Printing and assembling the signed summary form, document checklist and itinerary paperwork
• Mail-in submission and follow-through until the passport comes back