Ireland Visit Visa from Pakistan (2026): Documents, Fees and the Real Waiting Time

Last updated: 30 October 2026 | Checked against Immigration Service Delivery (ISD), the Dublin Visa Office processing table of 27 October 2026 and VFS Global Pakistan.

An Ireland visit visa from Pakistan is not hard to understand. It is just slow, and that catches most people out. ISD’s own guidance says short stay decisions take about eight weeks, but its Dublin processing table tells a different story: on 27 October 2026, the Dublin Visa Office was working on tourism and family visit applications that arrived on 7 October 2025. That is roughly a year.

Because Pakistani applications are decided in Dublin, that queue is the one that matters to you. This guide covers who needs the visa, the documents that actually decide the outcome, what it costs in rupees, why a refusal now means starting again, and how to plan a trip around a wait this long.

Key Facts at a Glance

Do Pakistanis Need a Visa to Visit Ireland?

Yes. Pakistan is a visa-required country for Ireland, so every visit, however short, needs a Short Stay ‘C’ visa issued before you travel.

A UK visa does not change this. Ireland’s Short Stay Visa Waiver Programme lets some UK visa holders continue to Ireland without an Irish visa, but its list of countries (checked on 29 October 2026) does not include Pakistan. The British-Irish Visa Scheme, the other shortcut people mention, covers only Chinese and Indian nationals. A Schengen visa is not valid for Ireland either.

One more rule: you apply from where you live legally. A Pakistani living in Pakistan applies through VFS Pakistan and is decided in Dublin. A Pakistani resident in the UAE or Qatar applies there, and the Embassy of Ireland in Abu Dhabi decides the file.

The Real Waiting Time: About 12 Months in Dublin

Dublin updates its processing table every Tuesday. It does not show how long each file takes. It shows the date of the applications officers are working on now. These were the figures published on 27 October 2026:

Three practical points follow from this:

• Plan the trip a year out, not three months. ISD recommends preparing about three months before travel, but that advice assumes the eight-week target. For Dublin visit files right now, that is not realistic. A wedding or family event next summer needs an application now.
• Do not buy flights. ISD tells applicants not to buy tickets before a decision. With this queue, a fixed booking is very likely to be wasted.
• Choose the category that honestly fits. Business and visit files sit in different queues. If your trip really is for business, apply as business with business documents. Do not apply in the wrong category to skip the line: a mismatch between your stated purpose and your documents is a reason to refuse.

To check whether your own file has been decided, use the weekly Dublin list. Our guide on how to check your Ireland visa decision explains how.

Documents You Need

ISD wants hard-copy originals. It does not accept USB sticks, cloud links or photocopies on their own. Documents not in English need a full certified translation, and official Pakistani documents such as birth or marriage certificates must be attested or apostilled by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Your own documents

• Signed AVATS summary sheets, printed, signed and dated.
• Application letter, signed and dated: your full name and address, why you are visiting, arrival and departure dates, where you will stay, who is paying, and a commitment to follow the visa conditions, not to use public services and to leave on time. If visiting family or friends, add their names and Irish addresses and how you know them.
• Passport valid for at least six months after you leave Ireland, with photocopies of every page of all your previous passports.
• Two colour photos meeting the Irish visa photo rules, with your signature and AVATS transaction number on the back.
• Bank statements for the last six months (see below).
• Proof of ties to Pakistan: your job, studies, family or property (see below).
• Accommodation plan: your host’s details, or printed hotel or rental confirmations for every night.
• Proof of fee payment, as your summary form directs.
• All previous visa refusals for any country, with the original refusal letters. ISD says that failing to disclose a refusal will lead to refusal.

If you are visiting family or friends: what your host provides

• A signed, dated invitation letter saying why they are inviting you, the dates and how they know you, and confirming you will follow the visa conditions. If you will stay with them, it must also give their full address with Eircode.
• A colour copy of the photo page of their passport or national ID. This applies to Irish citizens too.
• If they are not an EU, EEA or Swiss citizen: copies of their valid Irish Residence Permit and current immigration stamp.
• A utility bill from the last six months, if you will stay at their home.
• If they are paying for any of the trip: a cost estimate in euros, their original bank statement, their three latest payslips, their most recent Revenue employment detail summary and an employer letter (or business evidence if self-employed).

Each host at a different address writes a separate letter.

Money and Ties: What the Visa Officer Is Really Checking

Every short stay applicant has to persuade the officer of two things: that the trip is paid for, and that you will go home. Most visit refusals come down to one of these.

Finances. There is no minimum balance. The officer judges whether the money fits the trip and your life. ISD wants an original statement on bank letterhead showing your name, account details and six months of money in and out; a printed online statement only counts if the bank certifies it. Savings accounts need a bank letter confirming you can withdraw the money, and large deposits need a written explanation. A large sum appearing a few weeks before you apply, with no explanation, is one of the easiest ways to get refused.

Ties to Pakistan. Show what brings you back:

• Employed: your three latest payslips and an employer letter giving your length of service, approved leave dates and return date.
• Student: a letter from your college confirming your course and that you will return.
• Family: details of family staying in Pakistan, including birth certificates of children who remain at home.
• Property or business: title deeds, a tenancy agreement or proof your business is trading. For business owners, documents such as recent tax returns help show the business is real.

Travel or medical insurance does not have to go in with the application, but the officer may ask for it, and you must have it when you arrive in Ireland.

What It Costs

Rupee figures use the rate VFS applies to its own fee, so the bank charge on your card may differ slightly. Neither fee is refunded if you are refused or withdraw. Certified translations, MOFA attestation and courier return of your passport cost extra.

How to Apply from Pakistan

1. Complete AVATS online: visa type “Short Stay (C)”, reason “Visit Tourist” or “Visit Family/Friend”, single or multiple entry.
2. Pay the visa fee online and print the payment confirmation email.
3. Print and sign the summary sheets and put your documents in the order of the checklist.
4. Attend a VFS Global Ireland centre within 30 days of creating the AVATS application: Islamabad, Lahore, Karachi or Mirpur. Addresses, hours and the VFS fee are in our guide to the Irish embassy and visa centres in Pakistan.
5. Check the Dublin list every Tuesday for your eight-digit application number.
6. Collect your passport from VFS, or pay for courier return.

Refused? There Is No Appeal Now

Since 1 June 2026, applicants refused a short stay visa can no longer appeal. Refusals made before that date kept the old appeal right; refusals on or after it did not. The only exception is for family members of EU citizens applying under the Free Movement Directive. The government’s reasoning is that visit trips are time-bound and a fresh application is faster than an appeal.

For you, that means the first application has to be the strong one. If you are refused:

• Read the refusal reasons carefully. They tell you exactly what the officer was not convinced about.
• Fix those points, not just the paperwork. If the issue was finances, show a steadier six months of history rather than a bigger last-minute balance. If it was ties, add stronger evidence of your job, family or business.
• Reapply on AVATS and declare the earlier refusal with its letter. Hiding it guarantees a second refusal.
• Remember the queue. A new application joins the back of the Dublin line, so a refusal can cost you another year.

Rules Once You Have the Visa

• A visa is not entry. It lets you travel to Ireland. The immigration officer at the airport decides whether to admit you and for how long, so carry copies of the documents you submitted.
• No work of any kind, paid or unpaid, and no use of publicly funded services such as public hospitals.
• Leave before your permission ends. Extensions are possible only in rare and exceptional circumstances, applied for from inside Ireland before your permission expires.
• Looking for a job? Working in Ireland needs an employment permit and an employment visa. Our Ireland work visa from Pakistan guide covers that route.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do Pakistanis need a visa to visit Ireland?

Yes. Pakistani citizens need a Short Stay ‘C’ visa before travelling to Ireland, for tourism or to visit family and friends.

Can I visit Ireland from Pakistan with a UK visa?

No. Pakistan is not on the list of countries covered by Ireland’s Short Stay Visa Waiver Programme, and the British-Irish Visa Scheme covers only Chinese and Indian nationals. You still need an Irish visa.

How long does an Ireland visit visa take from Pakistan?

ISD says about eight weeks, but Pakistani applications are decided in Dublin. On 27 October 2026 the Dublin Visa Office was deciding tourism and family visit applications received on 7 October 2025, a wait of about 12 months.

What is the Ireland visit visa fee for Pakistanis?

€60 for single entry or €100 for multiple entry, plus the VFS service fee of €66.20 (PKR 21,640). A typical single-entry application costs about PKR 41,250 in total.

How much bank balance do I need for an Ireland visit visa?

There is no fixed minimum. You need original bank statements covering the last six months, and the visa officer decides whether your funds fit the trip and your circumstances. Explain any large deposits in writing.

Can I appeal an Ireland visit visa refusal?

Not if the refusal was made on or after 1 June 2026. You can submit a new application that deals with the reasons for the refusal.

How long can I stay in Ireland on a visit visa?

Up to 90 days. The immigration officer at the airport decides how long you are given on arrival.

Can I work in Ireland on a visit visa?

No. The short stay visit visa does not allow paid or unpaid work of any kind.

Related Guides

• Irish Embassy in Pakistan: Address and VFS Visa Centres
• Ireland Visa Decisions: How to Check Your Result
• Ireland Work Visa from Pakistan (2026)
• Jobs in Ireland for Pakistanis
• Bringing Your Family to Ireland on a Work Permit

Official Sources

• ISD: Short stay ‘C’ visit (tourist) visa
• ISD: Visit family/friend visa
• ISD: Visa decisions and Dublin processing dates
• ISD: Appeals and the short stay change from 1 June 2026
• ISD: Short Stay Visa Waiver Programme
• Department of Justice: Removal of appeals for short stay visa refusals
• VFS Global: Ireland visa centres in Pakistan

Verification note: requirements, fees and dates in this guide were checked against the official pages above on 30 October 2026. Dublin processing dates are those published on 27 October 2026 and change every Tuesday. This guide is information, not legal or immigration advice.