Dummy ticket for an Ireland visit visa from India

An Irish short-stay visit visa does not require a dummy ticket or a paid flight ticket. The Embassy of Ireland in New Delhi states that flight bookings are not required and that bookings made before visa approval are at the applicant's own risk. You still need to give travel dates in the application and signed letter. A tentative itinerary can help you prepare these details.

The Embassy's position on flights, in its own words

On its processing times page, the Embassy of Ireland in New Delhi is blunt: flight bookings are not required for a visa, and flights booked before receipt of a visa are booked at your own risk. Irish immigration guidance elsewhere states that the same about transport and accommodation generally and adds that the visa office is not liable for losses if the decision is negative or late.

So an Irish visit application is judged on other things. The officer reviews your signed application letter, six months of bank statements, evidence of your job or business, where you will stay, and why you will return to India. A flight document is optional background at most.

Dates you must commit to on AVATS and in your letter

Even without a ticket, you cannot leave the dates vague. The AVATS online form requests your proposed dates of entry to and departure from Ireland. Your application letter is expected to give the reason for the visit, how long you will stay, where you will stay, and an undertaking that you will follow the visa conditions and leave before your permission expires. If you are visiting family or a friend, their invitation should carry the same dates.

Working these out from real flight options avoids small contradictions. For example, a letter that says you will stay 14 nights while the form shows 16 days because of an overnight connection. A saved itinerary or held reservation gives everyone, including your host in Dublin or Cork, one set of dates to copy. If you include it in the file, list it as a proposed itinerary.

Six to eight weeks changes how you plan

The Embassy says visit visas typically take six to eight weeks from the date it receives the application, and recommends applying well ahead, up to about 90 days before travel. Add transit time. Papers lodged at the Delhi centre reach the Embassy the next working day, and other centres take approximately two working days. The passport comes back by courier after a decision.

That has two consequences. First, pick travel dates at least ten weeks after you submit. Second, your passport is with the Embassy for that whole period, so do not plan other international trips in between. A flight reservation typically remains verifiable for around two weeks, which is much shorter than Irish processing. If you choose to include one, treat it as a snapshot of your plan on the day of submission. See how long a dummy ticket stays valid.

Getting to Dublin from India without a second visa problem

No airline flies non-stop between India and Ireland at the time of writing. The simplest routings are a single stop in Dubai, Doha or Abu Dhabi, all of which have direct flights to Dublin and need no transit visa for a normal connection.

Connections through Europe or London need more thought:

• Via Frankfurt, Paris or Amsterdam: several Schengen states require Indian citizens to hold an airport transit visa. Holding a valid visa issued by an EU member state such as Ireland generally exempts you, but confirm with the airline and the country concerned.
• Via London: check the UK's transit rules. Changing airports, or collecting bags on separate tickets, means entering the UK.
• Via Belfast: Northern Ireland is part of the UK and needs a UK visa.

Cork and Shannon have far fewer long-haul links, so most Indian visitors arrive at Dublin and travel on by road or rail.

The British-Irish Visa Scheme and combined trips

Indian nationals are covered by the British-Irish Visa Scheme. An eligible Irish short-stay visa endorsed with BIVS allows you to visit the UK as well, provided you travel to Ireland first, and an eligible UK visitor visa with the endorsement works the other way round. The conditions are specific, so read the scheme page on the Irish Immigration website before you build a Dublin and London trip on a single visa.

If you rely on the scheme, your itinerary should indicate the first landing in the country that issued the visa. A plan that lands in London first on an Irish visa will not work. Our UK visitor visa guide covers the British side.

Where you submit, and whether a reservation is worth it

VFS Global accepts Irish applications in India at centres including New Delhi, Mumbai, Pune, Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Chennai, Hyderabad, Kochi, Kolkata, Chandigarh and Jalandhar. You submit the signed AVATS summary, passport and originals, and give fingerprints if required. The centre does not decide anything.

For most Irish applications a reservation is a planning aid, not a requirement. If you want one, Flight Dummy Tickets issues a held airline booking with a PNR you can check on the airline's site, for ₹799 per passenger, sent by email and WhatsApp in approximately 10 minutes. It is not a ticket and cannot be used to travel. Order at the booking page, and purchase your actual flights only after the visa arrives.

Frequently asked questions

Is a Schengen visa valid for travel to Ireland?

No. Ireland is in the EU but not in the Schengen area, so a Schengen visa does not allow entry. Indian citizens need an Irish visa, or an eligible UK visa endorsed under the British-Irish Visa Scheme.

What should my Irish visa application letter say about flights?

State your intended dates of arrival and departure and where you will stay. You do not need to quote a booking. You can add that tickets will be purchased once the visa is granted, which corresponds to the Embassy's advice.

How early should I apply for an Ireland visit visa from India?

The Embassy in New Delhi recommends applying well in advance, up to about 90 days before travel, and says visit visas typically take six to eight weeks from receipt. Allow extra days for VFS transit and courier.

Can I visit Belfast and the Giant's Causeway on an Irish visa?

Northern Ireland is part of the UK. You need a UK visa, unless your Irish visa carries the BIVS endorsement and you meet the scheme's conditions. Verify before booking a tour across the border.

Will Dublin Airport immigration want to see a return booking?

An immigration officer can ask about the length and purpose of your stay and may request supporting papers. Travelling with your real return ticket, bought after the visa, and your accommodation details is sensible.