As with most services online, you will need to do a little admin to apply. You will need to scan a copy of your passport for example, as well as create a digital online photograph of yourself for the visa. Some previous passengers have used photographic developing services like ‘Snappy Snaps’ or photography services in large supermarkets to make digital photographs (see below too). Visa costs are cheaper for those with an Irish passport.
Some tricky steps you might encounter:
Your passport copy may be in JPEG format, yet the site may ask for it in ‘PDF’ format – and it needs to be less than 300kb in size. If you’re pretty adept on the internet, there are some sites that do this for free. Search under ‘convert jpg to pdf’ and upload your passport copy, and follow instructions. Save this new version to your computer, then go back online and search ‘compress pdf’ and upload the PDF copy of your passport and follow instructions. Save this again for uploading.
For payment by card, select SBI.
Once the you have completed the above, the visa usually takes around 72 hours to process. An email is sent to you to confirm it is ready. You usually have to revisit the website with your visa reference and passport number to print the visa. The ‘e-visa’ itself is one A4 sheet of paper which includes your photograph and a bar code. You need to take this when you travel. Please see the following for full information.