Do you need a visa to move to Ireland? (Long stay D visa)

What it is

Whether you need a visa to come to Ireland depends on your nationality, not on why you're coming.

• EU, EEA, Swiss and UK citizens never need one.
• Citizens of visa-required countries need a Long stay (D) visa before they travel, to come for more than 90 days to work, study or join family.
• Citizens of non-visa-required countries (for example the United States, Canada or Australia) don't need a visa: they show their documents to the immigration officer when they arrive.

A visa only lets you travel and ask to enter. Your right to live here comes from registering your immigration permission (IRP card) after you arrive, for everyone from outside the EEA.

Check before you plan

• Look up your nationality on the visa-required countries list on the Immigration Service Delivery (ISD) website.
• Some reasons need permission first, even without a visa: an employment permit to work, a conditional letter of offer (Stamp 0) to retire, or the Start-up Entrepreneur Programme to run a business. See those guides.

Before you start (if you need a visa)

You'll need:

• A passport valid for at least the length of your stay.
• Proof of why you're coming: an employment permit, a letter from your college with proof of fees paid, or proof of your family relationship.
• Proof you can support yourself (bank statements) and, for many visa types, private medical insurance.
• Photos and the application fee.

Steps

1. Apply online on AVATS, the Irish visa application system, and print the summary.
2. Send your documents with the summary to the Irish embassy, consulate or visa office named at the end of the application.
3. Wait for the decision. Apply at least 8 weeks before you plan to travel.
4. Travel and show your visa and documents to the immigration officer at the airport or port.
5. Register your immigration permission (IRP card) by the date on your entry stamp: see that guide.

Cost

A visa fee, shown when you apply. There's a separate fee when you register for your IRP card.

Common pitfalls

• Booking flights before the decision. Decisions can take longer at busy times.
• Travelling on a short-stay visa. A short-stay (C) visa is for visits of up to 90 days, not for moving here.
• Forgetting the IRP registration. The visa isn't your residence permission.

When to ask a helper

Ask someone from your country who got a D visa for the same reason recently: they'll know which visa office handled it and how long it took.