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Please be advised that the Embassy of Ireland, United Arab Emirates website has moved and this page is no longer being updated. The Weekly Visa Decision Report is now available at Ireland.ie/abudhabi.

Visa Processing Times and Weekly Decision Reports

Visa Processing Times

Visa applications are processed strictly in the order they are received. The minimum processing times depend on the type of visa you are applying for.

The current target processing times 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

Approx. 4 weeks

Business/Conference etc.

Approx. 4 weeks

Employment

4 to 8 weeks

Study

4 to 8 weeks

Join Family

Up to 24 weeks

Important Notes
  • Where you are applying for a visa to reside in Ireland, you are advised not to cancel your current residence permit before a decision on your application has been made. This applies particularly to Join Family applications
  • Processing times can change during the year, e.g. before holiday periods. You are advised not to pay for a travel ticket before you receive a decision on your visa
  • Incomplete applications may not be accepted or may result in a visa refusal
  • The onus is on you, the applicant, to ensure that your fully complete application is submitted in sufficient time for a decision to be made before your date of travel

Your application may also take longer than advertised:

  • If you have not submitted the necessary supporting documentation
  • If your supporting documentation needs to be verified
  • Because of personal circumstances, e.g. you have a criminal conviction

Weekly Decision Report

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.