Processing times and decisions
Visa Processing Times
EU Treaty Rights and PreClearance Categories
Weekly Decision Reports
Appeal a Negative Decision
Visa Processing Times
We recommend that for Short Stay ‘C’ visas you apply up to 90 days in advance of your travel dates.
For further information on applying to visit Ireland see Short Stay FAQs.
Processing times for Long Stay ‘D’ visas can be found here: Visa Decisions
We advise all applicants not to book flights until you have received and validated your visa. Our office bears no responsibility for missed travel.
It is the applicant’s responsibility to apply on time and under the correct category. Except in the case of serious travel emergencies, requests to expedite the processing time will not be entertained.
EU Treaty Rights and PreClearance Categories
If your application falls into one of these categories processing times and decisions are published here: Visa Decisions – Immigration Service Delivery
Applications to reside in Ireland under the EU Free Movement Directive (Directive 2004/38/EC):
Applications to reside in Ireland under preclearance categories (which apply to travellers from visa-required and non visa-required countries):
Visa Decisions
Decisions will be made on applications in date order from the date received by the Visa Office. Due to the volume of applications received it is not possible to provide an update on individual applications.
Decisions made after 01 June 2026 can be accessed here: Visa Decisions
My application has gone over the stated processing time, what does this mean?
Applicants are advised that unforeseen delays can arise, which are outside the control of the Visa Division. With this in mind, we recommend that for short stay visas you apply up to 90 days in advance of your travel dates.
In the event that your application has significantly exceeded the above times, it is likely that – on initial assessment – the application has not met the criteria, and further assessment/verification is required. In such instances, processing times will be longer than those stated above.
The speed at which your application will be processed is largely dictated by the quality of your supporting documentation, and your adherence to the applicable immigration policies. The volume of applications on hand will also impact decision times.
Appeal a negative decision
With effect from 1 June 2026, visa applicants will no longer be able to appeal the refusal of certain short-stay visa applications.
The right of appeal continues to apply to all Long Stay (type D) visa refusals. 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. There are steps to follow when making an appeal and certain conditions may apply.
Please refer to your decision letter for instructions on where to submit your appeal.
If you are directed to submit your through a Visa Application Centre please read these instructions on how to submit an appeal.