Processing times and decisions
Median processing times
18 July 2024
The processing times below refer to the median, meaning some applications can take longer to process for various reasons. To avoid any unforeseen delays disrupting your travel plans, you should apply six to eight weeks in advance of your travel dates.
Flight bookings are not required for a visa. Flights booked before the receipt of a visa are booked at your own risk.
Remember: Processing times relate to the number of working days, from date of application receipt in the Embassy to date of decision in the Embassy. They do not include the time it takes to secure a VFS appointment, the time it takes for your documents to reach the Embassy from VFS or the time it takes to reach your home address after a decision (see VFS transit times). Importantly, working days exclude Saturdays, Sundays and Embassy closure dates.
Visa category | Sub-category | First instance decision | Appeal decision |
---|---|---|---|
Business / Conference / Event | 12 working days | 2 calendar months | |
Employment | Category A* | 20 working days | 2 calendar months |
Category B* | 40 working days | 3 calendar months | |
Join family** | 3 calendar months | 12 calendar months | |
Study | 30 working days | 2 calendar months | |
Visit | 25 working days | 2 calendar months | |
Other* | 12 working days | 2 calendar months |
* Categorisation is based on section 16.4 of the Policy Document on Non-EEA Family Reunification.
** Some Join family applications fall under Dublin-based processing.
How do I know if my visa is ready?
Applications are processed chronologically and in line with the above processing times. Each day a list of all decision made, to date in the year, is posted in the visa decisions section below. Applicants can search for their application reference number in this list.
Once a decision is made your documents are returned via VFS (India and Nepal), our Honorary Consulate (Sri Lanka) or arranged through courier through VFS (Bangladesh).
My application has gone over the stated processing time, what does this mean?
The above processing times relate to the median, or average case.
If your application has not been processed within these stated time, it is likely it has been delayed for various reasons, such as a delay in biometric information, ineligibility (applicants must ensure they qualify for a visa before applying) or your application is awaiting verification.
Delays to Join family applications and the importance of meeting financial criteria
If you have applied for a Join family visa and your application has been delayed, it is likely that, on initial assessment, your sponsor has not met the criteria set out in the Policy Document on Non-EEA Family Reunification. In order to avoid delays, ensure that both the applicant and sponsor meet the required criteria, specifically under sections 16 and 17, before you apply.
As per section 17, for a visa to be approved for a family member of a Category B sponsor (e.g. General Employment Permit holder), the sponsor must meet the following financial criteria:
- Sponsoring a spouse only: you must have gross earnings of at least €30,000 in each of the two years prior to application/decision.
- Sponsoring children: you must have net earnings at the relevant Working Family Payment threshold for the number of dependent children, in each of the two years prior to application/decision.
Where possible, you should provide Revenue issued Employment Detail Summary (EDS) forms showing you meet the relevant thresholds in each of the two previous years. If you do not have full year EDS forms, you should provide salary slips for the year to date showing the relevant gross and net earnings.
For Category B sponsors who have resided in Ireland for less than two full years, earnings accrued outside of Ireland can be considered if evidence is provided.
Join family appeals
We currently have a backlog of Join family appeals, specifically those involving Category B sponsors in Ireland who failed to meet the criteria above.
We are working through this backlog; however, processing times will be delayed and will mimic those of similar appeals processed in Dublin. Please see the following link for expected processing times: https://www.irishimmigration.ie/visa-decisions/#visa
Please note, our office does not respond to requests for application/appeal status updates. Unless there is a medical emergency, such requests are deleted without response.
VFS transit times
Applications lodged at Delhi VAC arrive at the Embassy the next working day. Applications lodged elsewhere take two working days to be received, while applications lodged at Cochin and Kathmandu VACs take between four and six working days to be received.
Once your application is decided, the return package is sent to Delhi VAC the next working day. From Delhi VAC they are dispatched to Blue Dart for delivery to the address provided. Generally, return packages are delivered by Blue Dart within two working days of collection from Delhi VAC; however, local or external factors can affect the delivery times.
Applicants should be mindful of the two way document transit times, which should be added to our median processing times, when calculating how long it will take for the average visa to be received.
Dublin-based processing
Those applying under the following categories will have their application transferred to our head office in Dublin for processing:
Applications to reside in Ireland under the EU Free Movement Directive (Directive 2004/38/EC):
- Family member of EU/EEA/Swiss cit. (de facto partner);
- Family member of EU/EEA/Swiss cit. (other);
- Family member of EU/EEA/Swiss cit. (spouse);
Applications to reside in Ireland under preclearance categories (which apply to travellers from visa-required and non visa-required countries):
- Join Family (Irish nat.)(de facto partner);
- Join Family (de facto partner CSEP/HA);
- Join Family (UK nat.);
- Minister of Religion; and
- Volunteer.
Processing times for these applications will differ from the processing times listed above. If your application falls into one of these categories you should visit the Irish Immigration Service website. Any queries relating to these applications must be addressed to Visa Division in Dublin, our office has not role in processing these applications.
Visa decisions
Each morning, by approx. 11:00 (Indian standard time), we publish a list of visa outcomes made to date in 2024, up to the night before. Applications not included in the list are still awaiting an outcome in the Embassy.
Please remember, we process applications chronologically, in line with advertised processing times.
Visa decisions made from 1 January 2024 to 4 September 2024 (.ods, 441KB)
Visa outcome data is hosted on behalf of the responsible authority, the Irish Immigration Service.