You need a visa for Ireland

You need a Marriage Visa to come to Ireland to marry.

Your exact preparations depend on your plans and personal circumstances. Some of the most important are described below. Read this information carefully to make sure you have everything you need.

You are from a visa required country and you wish to come to Ireland for less than 3 months to get married. Change your answers

 

Before you travel

Apply to Registrar of Civil Marriages in Ireland

You must receive an acknowledgement from the Registrar of Civil Marriages in Ireland that you wish to marry, before you apply for a visa.

The acknowledgement indicates the date that you officially notified the Registrar of your intention to marry in Ireland.

You must apply to the Registrar a minimum of 3 months before you intend to marry.

Apply for a Marriage Visa

Apply for a short stay Marriage Visa after you receive your acknowledgment from the Registrar of Civil Marriages.

All short stay visas are also called 'C' visas. You will not be allowed to come to Ireland without a visa.

When you travel

Prepare for border control

You will need to prove that you have a valid reason for entering Ireland to an immigration officer at border control.

To do so you will need your passport, visa, acknowledgement from the Registrar of Civil Marriages and other documents.

There are extra rules if you are travelling with children under 18.

If you cannot satisfy the immigration officer, you will not be allowed into Ireland.

During your stay

Travel to Northern Ireland & United Kingdom

You cannot travel to Northern Ireland using an Irish visa. You need a visa issued by the United Kingdom.

If you travel from the Republic of Ireland to Northern Ireland and then wish to return to the Republic, you must have a Multiple Entry visa (explained below).

Leaving & returning to Ireland

If you plan to leave and return to Ireland during your stay, you can request a Multiple Entry visa when you apply.

Multiple Entry visas are approved in limited circumstances only, if justified by your application.

After you marry

If you marry an Irish citizen living in Ireland

If your joint plan is to live in Ireland long term, you must leave Ireland after you marry and then apply for a long stay Join Family Visa to re-enter the country.

If you marry a Swiss or EU/EEA citizen (except Irish) living in Ireland

If your joint plan is to live in Ireland long -term, you must apply to stay in Ireland using your new spouse's EU Treaty Rights.

If you marry a non-Irish, non-Swiss & non-EU/EEA citizen legally resident in Ireland

If your joint plan is to live in Ireland long term, you must leave Ireland after you marry and then apply for a long stay Join Family Visa to re-enter the country.

How to apply

When to apply

You should apply for a visa 3 months before you travel.

You may need extra time to prepare documents to support your application, eg official acknowledgement from the Registrar of Civil Marriages.

How to apply

You must apply from your home country or a country where you are a legal resident:

  1. Read detailed instructions for the Marriage Visa
  2. Submit your visa application online
  3. Send your passport and other documents for processing

You will be given instructions where to send your documents when you apply online.

Visa costs

Extra charges may apply for some applications, eg consular fees.

Help & information

Registrar of Civil Marriages

General Register Office
Government Offices
Convent Road
Roscommon
Ireland

Web: www.welfare.ie
Email: gro@groireland.ie
Tel: +353 90 663 2900
Locall: 1890 25 20 76

 

Contact

If you have questions, contact us.

Updated: 20 January 2017

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