Weekly Decision Reports
- Note: From July 1st 2024, applications from visa required residents of Qatar will be decided upon by Abu Dhabi Visa Office. Applications from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia will be decided upon by Ankara Visa Office or Embassy Riyadh as appropriate.
Visa Processing Times
The processing times below reflect the expected number of working days from date of receipt in the Embassy to date of decision. The stated times do not include both-way document transit times, between VFS/Embassy/Honorary Consulate and the Irish Embassy. Applicants should add this time to the visa processing times in order to get a more accurate estimate of when your finalised documents will be received. Please note, "working days" exclude Saturdays, Sundays and all office closure dates; listed under Embassy closure dates.
It is the applicant's responsibility to apply on time, and requests to expedite the processing time will not be entertained.
The current target processing times in working days (unless otherwise stated) for complete visa applications submitted to the Irish Visa Office, Abu Dhabi are as follows:
Visa Category |
Processing Time (From date of receipt of the application in our offices) |
---|---|
Visit | 6 to 8 weeks |
Business/Conference etc. | Approx. 4 weeks |
Employment | 4 to 8 weeks |
Study | 4 to 8 weeks |
Join Family | Up to 12 months |
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 Office. With this in mind, we recommend that you apply up to 90 days in advance of your travel dates. We advise all applicants not to book flights until you have received and validated your visa. Our office bears no responsibility for missed travel.
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. If you wish to withdraw your application, due to lengthy processing times, please visit Contact Us.
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 hands will also impact decision times.
Contacting the Visa Office for a status update
Except in the case of serious travel emergencies, do not contact the Visa Office seeking an update on your application. Non-emergency requests for status updates will not be responded to. Visa decisions are uploaded on a weekly basis, as per the Visa Decisions tab above. Once a decision is made, your documents will be returned via VFS or courier services.
Transit time
As stated above, visa applications submitted from some countries can take a number of days to be received in the Embassy. The transit times may vary from 2 days to more than 10 days for a one-way journey, depending on the location and distance to travel. Processing times begin from when the application is received in the Embassy.
Weekly Decision Reports
Every Friday afternoon a report detailing all visa decisions made during the reference period, by the Abu Dhabi visa office, is posted below.
To search for your decision, open a report, press Ctrl + F and enter your eight digit visa application reference number.