Enchanting castles, a plethora of stories and festivals, the famous GOT locations and charming coastlines. Over the years, Ireland has become one of the most desired tourist destinations. If you too are planning to visit the country soon for a holiday, you will need a tourist visa to begin with. How do you get one? That’s exactly what we’re here to guide you with.

Do Indians need a visa for Ireland?

Yes, Indian passport holders do need an Irish visa to visit the Republic of Ireland. But if you plan to visit Northern Ireland, then a UK visa would suffice. 

For a short stay, all Indians require a tourist visa to travel to Ireland. Their maximum stay could be for 90 days and these visas are called ‘C’ category visa. One should know that a tourist visa does not allow the visitor to:

• Do any kind of work either paid or unpaid.
• Use any public facility like a hospital.

An Irish tourist visa is valid for a maximum of 90 days.

Is there a visa on arrival in Ireland for Indian citizens?

No, there is no visa on arrival for Indians traveling to Ireland. However, those with a valid UK visa can still travel to Northern Ireland.

The following are a list of documents you’d require:

• Printed and signed application form: Mention the details related to travel like dates, places, and duration.
• Passport sized coloured photographs. The photograph should be 35X45 mm with white background and Matt finish. Make sure that about 70-80% of the face is visible.
• Original passport with a minimum of one blank page. It is necessary for the insertion of the visa sticker. The passport should be valid for 6 months.
• Proof of stay in Ireland such as hotel reservations.
• Air tickets both inwards and outwards. 
• Itinerary of the applicant during his or her stay in Ireland.
• Copy of your travel insurance policy.
• Income Tax Return copy of last 3 years. 
• Around 6 months bank statements of the candidate.
• Salary slip for the last 3 months of the current organization(applicable if working).
• If you run a business, then a business registration certificate is needed.
• If students are traveling then they need to submit a bonafide certificate or ID proof.
• NOC from husband if a solo woman is travelling to Ireland.

The process to apply for Ireland Tourist visa is quite simple and can be executed online. The candidate needs to follow these steps:

• Visit the website http://www.inis.gov.ie  and fill the form online.
• Make sure all the details entered are correct.
• Submit the form carefully after reading the information twice.
• Pay the due fees for the tourist visa.
• Schedule an appointment at the nearest Ireland visa application center.

After the application process is complete and the interview is done, the processing is in the hands of the embassy.

Ireland tourist visa processing time

It usually takes about 10-15 working days to process the Ireland Tourist visa.

With visa in your hands and bookings confirmed, pack your bags for a fun-filled exotic vacation in Ireland.

The whole point of a vacation is to take a break, relieve stress and rejuvenate. Securing your trip with a travel insurance ensures that even in the case of unforeseen circumstances, you don’t end up stressed or worried. Following are some of the benefits of a travel insurance for your trip to Ireland:

• To cover medical expenses in all cases. Think of it that you were excited when you reached Giant’s Causeway, Co. Antrim. Your feet stuck in one of the rocks, turning your ankle and gosh you got injured with minor bleeding. You need medical assistance for the treatment. With your travel policy, medical expenses could be covered.
• Suppose you were at Malin Head, North most point of Ireland. Somehow you skid and sustained serious injuries that left you in fracture. Now you could not move but you needed to reach the hospital. Such medical evacuation to the safest place is covered under the Travel Policy.
• Travel Insurance will cover immediate cancellation costs like booking amounts of hotels and tickets only due to the unexpected happening your employer passed away and all your leaves were cancelled.
• For the times when you lost your bag which had your passport and other valuables. Without any essential documents like your passport, survival in any foreign country could bring some strain. But if you have a travel policy then it will compensate you for that too.
• Not each time can we be cautious of our acts. Imagine that you end up damaging someone else’s property, you will be protected for all such liabilities incurred. 
• Think of the moment when you were waiting for a cab with all your luggage. And somebody with a blink of an eye just took all your belongings. Travel insurance covers you for all such losses.