IrelandVisits and short stays

Ireland transit visa and Dublin airport connections

Transit visa (and transit rules at Irish airports)

In short

Ireland’s €25 transit visa is required only from nationals on a published list. Other travellers changing planes at Dublin need no transit visa if both flights use Terminal 2 between 04:00 and 20:00 on the same day. Leaving the terminal, collecting bags or connecting overnight means passing border control, which needs a full Irish entry visa if your nationality is visa-required.

Apply on AVATS – Automated Visa Application and Tracking System checked 23 October 2026

Key facts

Maximum stay
No stay: a transit visa only allows passage through an Irish airport or seaport to another country.
Validity
Single or multiple transit; multiple-entry transit visas are granted only in limited circumstances.
Fee
€25Transit visa fee, not refunded on refusal. Visa-required travellers who must pass border control pay the €60 or €100 entry visa fee instead.
Processing time
About 8 weeks after the documents are received.
Work
No. A transit visa does not allow entry to Ireland for any purpose.
Family
Every traveller, including each child, needs an individual application; Ireland issues no family or group visas.
Where to apply
AVATS, from your home country or country of legal residence; documents go to the Irish office named on the summary.

Who needs an Irish transit visa

ISD publishes the list of transit-visa-required countries, which includes Afghanistan, Albania, Georgia, Iran, Iraq, Lebanon, Moldova, Nigeria, Somalia, South Africa, Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe among others. Being visa-required for entry does not by itself mean you need a transit visa.

Nationals on the list need a transit visa even for an airside connection, and apply from the country where they legally live.

When a connection becomes an entry

At Dublin Airport a transit stays airside only if both the arriving and departing flights use Terminal 2 between 04:00 and 20:00 on the same day. You pass border control, and so need an entry visa if you are visa required, when you leave the terminal for any reason, change terminals, must collect and recheck bags, or connect overnight, because all Irish airports close at night.

Ask your airline before booking whether your connection requires passing border control. In every case you present to an immigration officer.

Documents for a transit visa

Applicants on the list submit the AVATS summary sheets, an application letter, two photos, their passport, proof of permission to be in the country they apply from, the itinerary and tickets, and the visa for the destination country where one is needed.

Required documents

Identity

  • Two passport photographs meeting Irish visa rules
  • Passport and proof of permission to be in the country of application

Travel

  • Itinerary and tickets showing the onward connection

Other

  • AVATS application summary sheets, signed and dated
  • Application letter explaining the journey

Supporting documents (where they apply)

Travel

  • Visa for the final destination, if that country requires one

Refusals

ISD states that there is no appeal against a refusal of a short-stay transit visa; a new application is needed, addressing the reasons in the refusal letter.

How to apply, step by step

  1. Check your route: if your nationality is not on the transit list and both flights use Dublin Terminal 2 between 04:00 and 20:00 on the same day, no transit visa is needed.
  2. Ask the airline whether you must collect bags or change terminals; if so, apply for a short stay C visit visa instead.
  3. Nationals on the transit list create an AVATS application with reason for travel 'Transit' and journey type single or multiple.
  4. Send the signed summary, passport and documents to the office named on the summary, and pay €25.
  5. Wait for the decision, about 8 weeks, before booking non-refundable tickets.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a transit visa for Dublin?

Only if your nationality is on ISD’s transit visa list. Otherwise you need an entry visa only if your connection requires passing border control and your nationality is visa-required.

My connection in Dublin is overnight. What do I need?

Irish airports close at night, so you must pass border control and need a short stay C visa.

Can I use a UK visa to transit Ireland?

A UK transit visa does not qualify for the Short Stay Visa Waiver Programme; only UK short-stay visitor visas used after entering the UK first are accepted.

Is the transit visa fee refundable?

No. The €25 fee covers processing and is not returned if the application is refused or withdrawn.

Official sources

Summarised from the official sources above. Rules, fees and processing times change: confirm with the embassy or the official portal before you apply.

Other visa types for Ireland

Visits and short stays

  • Tourist visa Maximum stay: Up to 90 days; the immigration officer at the border writes the permitted date on the landing stamp and may give less.
  • Family and friends visit visa Maximum stay: Up to 90 days; the immigration officer at the border writes the permitted date on the landing stamp and may give less.
  • Medical treatment visa Maximum stay: Up to 90 days; the immigration officer at the border writes the permitted date on the landing stamp and may give less.
  • Culture, sports and events visa Maximum stay: Up to 90 days; the immigration officer at the border writes the permitted date on the landing stamp and may give less.

Business and self-employment

  • Business visa Maximum stay: Up to 90 days; the immigration officer at the border writes the permitted date on the landing stamp and may give less.
  • Entrepreneur and start-up visa Maximum stay: 2 years at first, renewed for 3 years, then in 5-year instalments.

Study and training

  • Student visa Maximum stay: Permission follows the course; the total time on student permission is capped at 7 years (8 years including the graduate stage for level 9 graduates).
  • Language course visa Maximum stay: Up to 8 months of permission per course; at most three courses, two years in total, after which only a higher education programme can be continued.
  • Researcher visa Maximum stay: As long as the hosting agreement and the registered permission run.
  • Internship and trainee visa Maximum stay: Unpaid: up to 90 days, with no extension. Paid via Internship Employment Permit: up to 12 months. Paid via AWS: up to 12 months.

Work

  • Work visa Maximum stay: Initial permit up to 2 years, renewable for up to 3 more years; after 5 years a permit is generally no longer needed.
  • Skilled worker visa Maximum stay: Issued for 2 years; it is not renewed but replaced by Stamp 4 permission from the Department of Justice.
  • Intra-company transfer visa Maximum stay: Up to 24 months initially, extendable to a maximum stay of 5 years; trainees up to 12 months.
  • Job seeker visa Maximum stay: 12 months for level 8; up to 24 months (12 + 12) for level 9 and above, within the 7-year (level 8) or 8-year (level 9+) limit on student permission.

Family

Residence

  • Retirement visa Maximum stay: Temporary permission renewed on a TPER renewal form while you remain financially independent.
  • Residence permit Maximum stay: The IRP card is valid for the period of the permission granted (for example one academic year on Stamp 2, two years on Stamp 4).
  • Permanent residence Maximum stay: Stamp 4 usually 2 years at a time; Long Term Residency 5 years; Stamp 5 valid until your passport expires.

Protection

  • Asylum and international protection Maximum stay: While the application and any appeal are pending you may stay as an applicant; recognised refugees and subsidiary protection holders receive a residence permission.

Ireland visa guide