irish tourist visa from uk

Visa Information

Select the visa type that is right for you to see important information on visa fees, documents required, forms, photo specifications and processing times.

Documents Required

Photo specifications, processing time, download forms.

If you would like to visit Ireland for a short period (less than 3 months) for the purpose of tourism, attend an event, undertake short-term study etc. you will find useful guidelines and details of requirements for Tourist visa applications here .

If you would like to visit Ireland for a short period (less than 3 months) to visit family and friends in Ireland you will find useful guidelines and details of requirements for Family/Friend visa applications here .

Some customers are required to pay a visa fee, while others are exempt. Please refer here for information

If you are resident in the UK and you are a national of a country included in the Irish Visa Waiver Programme you require a separate Irish visa but you are not required to pay an application fee. Please refer to the Irish Visa Waiver Programme information note for details.

Applicable visa fee, in Pound Sterling (£), is as per the current exchange rate and may be subject to change without notice.

VFS service fee (inclusive of VAT) is charged per visa application, in addition to the applicable visa fee. . If you are not required to pay a visa application fee you will be required to pay the VFS service fee only.

All fees can be paid by Credit/Debit Card.

Cash payments are only accepted in London.

Cheque payments and direct bank transfers are not accepted.

All fees are non-refundable.

Along with your application form we will need to submit the supporting documents detailed in the link below.

IMPORTANT NOTES:

You are advised not to purchase travel tickets before you know the outcome of your visa application.

Photocopies of your bio page and all visas and stamps in your passport(s)- all immigration stamps and visas for all travel must be submitted. (Not only those relating to the UK and Ireland)

The onus is on you, the customer, to ensure that your fully complete application is submitted in sufficient time for a decision to be made before your date of travel.

• The photograph for each customer must be an un-mounted, full face photo, color photo as described below
• The photograph must have been taken within the last six months.
• 1 photo must be submitted.

The photo for each customer submitted must measure:

• 35 mm x 45 mm with the head centered in the frame.
• The head (measured from the top of the hair to the bottom of the chin) should measure at least 30 mm

Photo Appearance

• The photograph must be a full-face front view in which the visa applicant is facing the camera directly.
• The face should cover about 70-80 percent of the photo area.
• The photograph MUST be in color and have only a white or light background. Photos with dark, busy, or patterned backgrounds will not be accepted
• In general, the customers head, including both face and hair, should be shown from the crown of the head to the tip of the chin on top and bottom and from hairline side-to-side. It is preferable that ears be exposed
• Sunglasses or other wear, which detracts from the face, are not acceptable unless required for medical reasons (an eye patch, for example).
• A photograph depicting a person wearing a traditional facemask or veil that does not permit adequate identification is not acceptable.

Note: Please follow these instructions carefully. If photographs presented do not meet these requirements your application will be considered incomplete.

You can apply for a visit visa up to 3 months before your date of travel to Ireland.

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

Your application may also take longer if:

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

Note: 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.

The current target processing times for complete visa applications submitted to the Irish Visa Office, London are as follows:

Complete the online application form

You can apply for this visa if you are working outside Ireland and want to come to Ireland to carry out activities relating to your job, such as to attend meetings, attend trade shows for promotional work, arrange deals or negotiate or sign trade agreements or contracts, or carry out fact finding missions. Applicant will have to provide evidence that he/she falls under this category.

More information on this visa type is available here

Please follow this link in order to ascertain whether you require a visa to travel to Ireland: Click Here

VFS service fee (inclusive of VAT) is charged per visa application, in addition to the applicable visa fee. If you are not required to pay a visa application fee you will be required to pay the VFS service fee only.

Photocopies of the bio page and all visas and stamps in your passport(s) must be submitted. (All immigration stamps and visas for all travel, not only those relating to the UK and Ireland)

For most Short Stay visas, you can expect a decision within 8 weeks of the application being received by the London Visa Office. Applications for Long Stay visas may take longer.

Note : 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.

Important Notes

Processing times can fluctuate 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:

More information on this visa type is available here .

You can apply for this visa if you want to travel to Ireland for a conference, relating to your work, studies, or for an event. Customers will have to provide evidence that he/she falls under this category.

You can apply for this visa if you are required to work in Ireland. Customer will have to provide evidence that he/she falls under this category.

Exam / Interview

An interview visa may be used only attend an interview for a job that is on the Highly Skilled Eligible Occupations (HSEO) list . To attend a job interview, apply for a visa under the category 'Other' (not 'Employment') when submitting your application online.

If you are a visa-required national and coming to Ireland to take examination/ interview you will find useful guidelines and details of requirements for exam/ interview visa applications on this page. Applicants will have to provide evidence that he/she falls under this category.

Join Family

If you wish to come to Ireland to reside for longer than 3 months with a family member who is an Irish citizen or who is lawfully resident in Ireland you can apply for a long stay (join family) visa.

A comprehensive statement of national immigration policy on the area of family reunification is contained in the Policy Document on Non-EEA Family Reunification published on 31 December 2013.

The policies outlined in the document apply to all decision making in relation to family reunification cases where ministerial discretion applies including long stay (join family) visa applications.

The policies do not apply to:

• applications pursuant to Directive 2504/38/EC on the rights of citizens of the Union and their family members to move and reside freely within the territory of Member States
• Customers for family reunification by recognised refugees or persons granted subsidiary protection.

Before you apply for a long stay (join family) visa please read the Policy Document carefully to find out:

• who is eligible to be a sponsor for the purposes of an application for family reunification,
• who may be sponsored and the eligibility requirements,
• whether waiting periods apply before a person becomes eligible to sponsor,
• whether a sponsor must achieve a minimum level of earnings prior to being eligible to sponsor,
• what a person who is granted a join family visa may do in Ireland,
• how dependency is measured when this is adduced in support of an application for family reunification.

Customer will have to provide evidence that he/she falls under this category.

If you hold other passports, or have held previous passports, you must also submit them with your application. If you are unable to do so include a written explanation with any relevant police reports.

You can apply for a study visa if you are planning to come to Ireland to undertake a course of study.

You can apply for a study visa up to 3 months before your date of travel to Ireland. Please follow this link in order to ascertain whether you require a visa to travel to Ireland: Click Here

You can apply for this visa if you are required to travel to Ireland as a Volunteer. Customer will have to provide evidence that he/she falls under this category.

Please follow the link to know more about Volunteering in Ireland: Click Here

Please follow the link to know more about Minister of Religion: Click Here

Family Members Of Eu/eea/swiss Citizens

Applications under the European Directive 2004/38/EC (Free Movement Directive) may be submitted through this office.

Information about this type of visa application is available here

Information about the type of documentation that should be included for consideration for this type of application is available here

Note : Please follow these instructions carefully. If photographs presented do not meet these requirements your application will be considered incomplete.

Performance Visa

This visa type should be used if you intend to stage a performance or take part in a competitive tournament, information is available here

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Visa requirements for entering Ireland

Introduction, do i need a visa, types of visa, visa waivers for uk visa holders, school student visa waiver, do i need preclearance, how to apply for a visa orpreclearance, further information and contacts.

If you are travelling to Ireland and you are not a citizen of the UK, Switzerland, or a country in the European Economic Area (the EU plus Norway, Iceland and Lichtenstein), you may need to apply for a visa.

An Irish visa is a certificate placed on your passport or travel document that allows you to travel to Ireland. You still have to present your passport and documents to immigration control when you arrive at the airport or port, and an immigration officer may still refuse you entry to Ireland .

If you are travelling with children , you have to apply for a visa for your children too.

You may also have to register with immigration authorities .

Ukrainian citizens

From 25 February 2022, citizens of Ukraine do not need a visa to travel to Ireland . Read information for people who have arrived in Ireland from Ukraine .

You do not need a visa to land in Ireland if you:

• Are a citizen of the EU or the EEA (the EU plus Iceland, Norway and Lichtenstein) or Switzerland
• Have a residence card issued by an EEA country or Switzerland because you are the family member of an EEA or Swiss citizen living in a country outside of the EEA/Swiss family member’s home country (for example, you live in Germany with your French spouse)
• Have a UK short-stay visa and qualify for the short-stay visa waiver or the British-Irish Visa Scheme (see ‘Visa waivers for UK visa holders’ below)
• Are a school student who lives in an EU/EEA country and you are travelling as part of a school trip (see ‘School Student Visa Waiver’ below)
• Are a citizen of a country listed in the table below.

Note Visa free travel also applies to the following types of British nationality:

• British national (overseas)
• British overseas territories citizen (previously called ‘British dependent territories citizenship)
• British overseas citizen

Visa free travel does not apply to people who have a British passport as a ‘British protected person'.

If you are moving to Ireland to live with your Irish de facto partner, a spouse or partner who holds a Critical Skills Employment Permit, or your UK spouse or partner, you have to apply for preclearance even if you are from one of the countries listed above (this does not apply to citizens of Switzerland or the UK). See ‘Do I need preclearance’ below.

If you have a short stay visa for the UK and are an Indian or Chinese citizen, you can travel to Ireland without a visa. See ‘Visa waivers for UK visa holders’ below.

Travelling with a refugee travel document

If you have a refugee travel document issued by a country outside Ireland, you must apply for a visa to enter Ireland. Visa free travel for travel document holders is suspended until further notice.

Family members of EEA/Swiss citizens

If you are coming to Ireland to join or accompany your EEA family member , you must apply for a visa if you are from a country that is not in the list above. If you are already living in another EEA country or Switzerland because you are the family member of an EEA or Swiss citizen who is exercising their free movement rights, you do not need a visa to travel to Ireland.

If you plan to stay in Ireland for more than 3 months you must apply for residence after your arrival.

The type of visa you need depends on the purpose and length of your stay in Ireland.

Short stay visas

If you want to come to Ireland for less than 3 months, you should apply for a short stay ‘C’ visa . You should apply for this type of visa if you want to come to Ireland as a tourist or to visit someone, for a business meeting, or to attend a short course.

You cannot stay for longer than 3 months on a ‘C’ visa. You must leave Ireland and apply for another visa if you want to return.

Long stay visas

If you want to come to Ireland for more than 3 months, for example to study, for work or to settle permanently in Ireland with family members who live in Ireland, then you can apply for a long stay ‘D’ visa .

If you are granted a long stay ‘D’ visa and wish to remain in the State for longer than 3 months you must register and get an Irish Residence Permit (IRP).

You can read more information about different types of visa available on the ISD website .

Re-entry multiple entry visas

The first visa issued to you is valid for a single entry to the State. If you leave Ireland, you must apply for another visa to travel to Ireland again.

If you have had single entry visas in the past and you have obeyed the conditions of those visas, you can apply for a multiple entry visa. You can also apply if you need to come to Ireland frequently for business. A multiple entry visa allows you to travel to Ireland on more than one occasion during the period that the visa is valid.

Re-entry visas for people who live in Ireland

If you have a valid Irish Residence Permit (IRP), you no longer need a re-entry visa to re-enter Ireland when traveling abroad. Children under 16 do not get an IRP. They can return to Ireland without a re-entry visa if they are travelling with parents or guardians. The parents or guardians must have an IRP.

Transit visas

If you are travelling through Ireland on your way to another country, you may need a transit visa when arriving in Ireland on their way to another country. A transit visa does not permit you to leave the port or airport. If you are a citizen of one of the following countries, you will need a valid Irish transit visa when landing in the State:

The Short Stay Visa Waiver Programme allows nationals of a number of Eastern European, Middle Eastern and Asian countries who have a short-term UK visa, to come to Ireland without the need for a separate Irish visa. The countries included in the scheme are:

• Bosnia and Herzegovina
• North Macedonia
• Philippines
• Saudi Arabia

Citizens of India and China , who have a short stay UK visa can travel to Ireland under the British Irish Visa Scheme (BIVS) without a separate Irish visa. You can also use your Irish visa to travel to the UK. Your visa must be endorsed with ‘BIVS’.

School students who are citizens of a country that would normally need a visa to enter Ireland can apply for a waiver if they live in an EU or EEA country and are travelling as part of a school trip.

The principal of the school must complete an application form and present this form to immigration upon arrival.

If you do not need a visa to come to Ireland, you may still have to apply for preclearance. Preclearance is permission to enter Ireland to apply to reside for certain reasons. You have to apply for preclearance if you want to come to Ireland:

• To volunteer
• As a minister of religion
• As the de facto partner of a Critical Skills Employment Permit or Hosting Agreement holder
• As the de facto partner of an Irish citizen
• As the family member of a UK citizen

A de facto partnership is when you are in a relationship with someone that is like a marriage.

You can apply for pre-clearance online. If you are approved, and you intend to stay in Ireland for more than 3 months, you have to register for an Irish Residence Permit after you arrive in Ireland.

You must apply for an entry visa or preclearance online .

There is information on how to complete an online application in English (pdf) as well as in Arabic (pdf) , Chinese (pdf) , Russian (pdf) , Hindi (pdf) , French (pdf) , Turkish (pdf) and Urdu (pdf) .

You should apply at least 8 weeks before you plan to come to Ireland. Details of the photographic requirements and current processing times are on the ISD website.

Biometric data : All visa applicants residing in Nigeria must provide biometric data . Applicants residing in Pakistan, India and China must provide fingerprints.

Appeals: If you are refused a visa you can appeal the decision by writing to the Irish Immigration Service Visa office .

The standard non-refundable visa application processing fees are:

Entry and re-entry visas

A single journey visa costs €60 and will be valid for one entry to the State up to a maximum of 90 days from the date of issue.

A multi journey visa costs €100 and will be valid for multiple entries to the State up to a maximum of 5 years from the date of issue.

A transit visa costs €25.

There may also be communications charges in some cases. Information about these charges, and on the fee in your local currency, is available from your local Irish embassy or consulate.

Who does not pay the fee?

Some applicants are not required to pay a fee . This includes visa-required spouses and certain family members of EEA citizens (including Irish nationals) provided that proof of the relationship is provided with the application. In addition, applicants from some countries are not required to pay a fee. As this can change from time to time, you should check with your local Irish embassy or consulate, or with the Visa Office.  

Information about visas is available from your nearest Irish embassy or consulate .

Visa Office

Immigration Service Delivery Department of Justice 13-14 Burgh Quay Dublin 2 D02 XK70 Ireland

Re-entry Visa Processing Office

Immigration Service Delivery 13/14 Burgh Quay Dublin 2 Ireland

Related documents

• Visas for tourists visiting Ireland Information about coming to Ireland for a short stay (less than 90 days). 2034.9255
• Visas for people visiting Ireland on business Certain people who wish to travel to Ireland for business purposes require visas. Find out more. 1893.2753
• Student visas to study in Ireland People from certain countries who wish to study in Ireland require visas. Find out more. 1832.1687

If you have a question about this topic you can contact the Citizens Information Phone Service on 0818 07 4000 (Monday to Friday, 9am to 8pm).

You can also contact your local Citizens Information Centre .

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British-Irish Visa Scheme

If you’re a citizen and resident in China or India, you may be eligible for the British-Irish visa scheme that lets you visit both countries without a single visa.

Contact us today via  (+353) 061 518 025  for immediate guidance on your Irish visa, immigration, and citizenship processing. We are here to help you in person, via the phone, or online.

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When it comes to obtaining an Ireland visa or permit, IAS Ireland immigration lawyers are well-equipped to help you.

With IAS’ track record of successfully helping clients visit or immigrate to Ireland successfully, we can help you achieve your goal.

Our dedicated immigration lawyers provide our services through a comprehensive and personalised approach. With IAS, you enjoy:

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What is the British-Irish Visa Scheme?

This is a reciprocal agreement and memorandum of understanding between the United Kingdom and Ireland. It was launched in June 2014. The aim of the British-Irish Visa Scheme (BIVS) is to foster tourism in both countries.

It follows the Irish Short-stay Visa Waiver program that permits nationals of 18 countries to enter Ireland with UK visas. The difference is that the British-Irish Visa Scheme allows travel in two directions: into Ireland and the UK.

As a reciprocal agreement, it means that the UK will recognize Ireland’s short-stay visas and vice versa. Hence, an Irish short-visa holder won’t need to get a British visa to enter the UK. The scheme is open to nationals of particular countries and allows applicants to travel freely through the Common Travel Area (CTA).

The scheme also allows free travel to Northern Ireland. However, it restricts access to the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man. China and India are currently the only countries the scheme supports.

Irish and UK Visas Eligible for British-Irish Scheme

The British-Irish Visa Scheme only recognizes short-stay visas. As mentioned earlier, the scheme is only open to Chinese and Indian nationals. They also must be residing in China or India, respectively.

If you meet these conditions, you can enter the UK under the British-Irish Visa scheme if you have:

• An Irish Family/Friend Visa
• An  Irish Tourist Visa
• An Irish Conference/Event Visa
• An  Irish Business Visa

In the same vein, you can enter Ireland under the British-Irish Visa Scheme if you have:

• A UK  Standard Visitor Visa
• A UK  Business Visitor Visa
• A UK  Child Visitor Visa
• A UK Prospective Entrepreneur Visitor Visa
• A UK Private Medical Treatment Visitor Visa
• A UK  Student Visitor Visa
• A UK  paid engagement visa

If you possess any other Irish or  UK visa  that doesn’t fall into the above categories, you’ll need to apply for a separate visa to enter Ireland or the UK. For example, you cannot enter the UK under the British-Irish Visa Scheme with an Irish work or study visa.

A UK visit visa that are valid for more than six months are not eligible for this scheme as they’re not short-stay visas. Also, children under 18 years cannot travel between Ireland and the UK under the British-Irish Visa Scheme unless they are in the company of an adult.

Get in touch with our expert immigration lawyers to receive assistance with your Irish visa application.

The UK Immigration rules and requirements of the British-Irish Visa Scheme

The British-Irish Visa Scheme requires all participants to be more than 18 years old. Also, they must have any of the Short Stay/visit visas listed above. Several other rules and visa requirements apply to this scheme.

If you have an Irish short-stay visa, for instance, you must first travel to Ireland before you can enter the Common Travel Area (CTA) in the UK. The rule states that you must first visit the country whose visa you’re carrying. When you want to return to Ireland or the UK, you won’t need a re-entry visa.

Another rule to note is that you can only engage in the activities your visa allows. If you’re carrying an Irish short-stay family/friend visa, for instance, you cannot engage in business or paid work of any kind. In addition, there are limits to the duration of your Irish/UK visa depending on the issuing country and the country you’ll be entering. They include:

• With an eligible UK visa, you can only stay in the UK for a maximum of 180 days.
• With an eligible Irish visa, you can only stay in Ireland for a maximum of 90 days.
• With an eligible UK visa, you can only stay in Ireland for a maximum of 90 days. Also, it could count as the remaining validity period of your visa.
• With an eligible Irish visa, you can only stay in the UK for the remaining validity period of your visa. For example, if you have an Irish visa that’s valid for 90 days and stay in Ireland for 30 days before entering the UK, you can only reside in the UK for 60 days.

Required documents for British-Irish Visa Scheme

Eligibility for the British-Irish visa scheme depends on the visa you’re carrying. Hence, the required documents are different for each visa type and country. The required documents for a short stay business visa will be different from that of a family/friend visa. Also, Irish and UK embassies may have different required documents.

Nevertheless, the submission of documents is an important part of the Irish and UK visa process. Documents are reviewed with scrutiny to ensure an applicant is qualified before they get their visa.

Therefore, you must make sure you provide all necessary documents as requested by the embassy or consulate. Generally, you would need to have a visa application summary sheet, international passport, proof of fees payment, and proof that you’ll return home when your visa expires.

How to apply

First, you have to acquire an eligible visa. You must apply for your visa from your home country and with the embassy of the country you intend to travel to first. If you’re an Indian or Chinese national not living in India or China, respectively, you can’t apply for this visa.

If all your documents are intact, it’ll take a few weeks to get a decision on your short-stay visa. Once you have your visa, you can apply for the British-Irish Visa Scheme. There are joint application centers in India and China. You just have to find somewhere closest to you. You can either submit your application after getting your visa or apply while your visa application is processed.

How to re-enter the country

As mentioned earlier, you don’t need a re-entry visa if you enter the UK from Ireland and wish to re-enter Ireland. This is true as long as you travel within the CTA.

If you leave the common travel entry area, you can no longer enter Ireland or the UK if you have a single entry Irish visa. For that, you’ll have to apply for a new visa. If you have a multi-entry Irish visa, you can re-enter Ireland if you leave the CTA and then subsequently enter the UK so long as your visa is still valid.

UK visa holders that leave the CTA, can re-enter the UK and then enter Ireland if your visa is still valid.

We offer immigration advice sessions as face to face appointments at all of our UK offices, or via the phone.

Table of Contents

Frequently Asked Questions

How is the british-irish visa scheme (bivs) different from the irish short stay visa waiver programme.

The British-Irish Visa Scheme is only for Chinese and Indian citizens and residents. Meanwhile, the Irish Short Stay Visa Waiver Programme is for citizens of certain Eastern European, Middle Eastern, and Asian countries. It allows eligible persons with short-stay UK visas to visit Ireland without obtaining a separate Irish visa.

How long is the BIVS visa valid for?

The validity of your BIVS-endorsed visa varies depending on the issuing country and where you visit. For example, a short-stay Irish visa is limited to 90 days, while that of the UK is 180 days.

Even if you hold a six-month UK visa, you can only stay in Ireland for 90 days. Likewise, if you have a 90-day Ireland visa and spend half of it in Ireland before visiting the UK, you can only stay in the UK for the number of days left on your Irish visa.

I do not require a visa to enter Ireland; can I still visit the UK?

Only Chinese and Indian nationals can apply for the British-Irish Visa Scheme. Even if you are a citizen of a country that does not require a visa to enter Ireland, you may still need one to enter the UK. Similarly, those who do not require a visa to enter the UK may require one to enter Ireland.

Which country do I travel home from?

You can travel back to China or India from the UK or Ireland. What’s important is that you must travel before your visa validity expires.

What if I just want to go to the UK or just Ireland?

You should apply for the usual UK or Irish visa. If you don’t want to visit both countries. As a national and resident of China and India, it’s not compulsory that you partake in the British-Irish Visa Scheme.

Note that if you obtain a UK Visa without the BIVS endorsement, you will not be permitted to enter the Republic of Ireland. If you want to visit Ireland, you may need to reapply in your home country or obtain a second Irish Visitor Visa.

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50 people caught trying to enter Ireland from UK without visas over four days

Gardaí detected some 50 people attempting to enter Ireland from the UK illegally last week.

An Garda Siochana said they were refused leave to land and were returned to the UK across four days of action.

The force said officers conducted 11 days of action in quarter four of 2023, and up to May 20, a further 10 days of action had taken place. Across that period, 107 people had been detected without the correct visas or identity papers.

They said four additional days of action took place on the week commencing May 20, when a further 50 people were detected without the correct visas or identity papers.

“During these operations, persons entering Ireland illegally and were refused leave to land (RLTL) and returned to the UK by ferry from Dublin Port to Holyhead or returned to Belfast, as appropriate depending on the individual circumstances,” they said.

In a statement, gardai said officers carry out immigration checks along the border on a regular basis to detect breaches of immigration legislation and detect abuses of the Common Travel Area (CTA).

These include checkpoints on roads and checks on the train line through Co Louth, close to the border with Northern Ireland.

Gardai said they have “significant operational co-operation with the UK Border Force, UK policing services and the Police Service of Northern Ireland, supported organisationally by the Cross Border Joint Action Task Force”.

“Our Immigration officers work in close collaboration with personnel operating buses and trains in the area,” they added.

“A human rights-based approach is adopted in relation to every individual stopped. Immigration officers will clearly identify themselves to all passengers on buses or trains.

“All Garda members have completed training in the Garda Code of Ethics and the Garda Decision Making Model. All checks carried out are lawful, objective and respectful.”

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• Mina's Mother

• (as Michelle Hlongwane)

• Younger Boy
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• Little Girl
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Election latest: Voters think Rishi Sunak beat Keir Starmer in first TV debate, snap poll finds

The latest reaction and fallout after Rishi Sunak and Sir Keir Starmer squared off in the first TV debate ahead of the general election on 4 July.

Wednesday 5 June 2024 00:00, UK

• General Election 2024

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Sunak vs Starmer TV debate

• Sunak beats Starmer in snap public poll of first debate
• Shout of 'shame' at PM's 'foreign court' ultimatum
• 'I dealt with terror plots': Starmer insists he's strong on defence
• Audience groans as Sunak partly blames strikes for state of NHS
• Jon Craig: Feisty Sunak finds success | Starmer needs to up game
• View from the spin room: Labour taken aback by snap poll
• Be in the audience for our election leaders event
• Live reporting by Ben Bloch , Katie Williams and Bhvishya Patel

Expert analysis

• Ed Conway: Why caps on migrant numbers don't really work
• Matthew Thompson: The story behind Lib Dem battle bus icons

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• Trackers: Who's leading polls? | Is PM keeping promises?
• Campaign Heritage: Memorable moments from elections gone by
• Follow Sky's politics podcasts: Electoral Dysfunction | Politics At Jack And Sam's
• Read more: Who is standing down? | Key seats to watch | How to register to vote | What counts as voter ID? | Check if your constituency is changing | Your essential guide to election lingo | Sky's election night plans

Thank you for joining us for live coverage of the general election campaign today - and updates and analysis throughout the first TV debate between the two men vying for the keys to No 10.

Scroll down to read our full coverage, and we'll be back from 6am tomorrow with the latest.

If you want to relive tonight's prime ministerial debate, watch the highlights below...

We were just speaking with the shadow health secretary, Wes Streeting, when the veterans minister, Johnny Mercer, wandered over to join the conversation.

He asked if he could pose a question, but our chief political correspondent Jon Craig  (somewhat jokingly) replied: "No, I ask the questions."

Mr Mercer ploughed on, questioning how Mr Streeting is claiming that the Tories have made £71bn of unfunded pledges.

Mr Streeting replied that "it comes from adding up all the things you guys said you would do".

He listed scrapping national insurance and inheritance tax and the "teenage dad's army" national service plan.

Mr Mercer responded that the plan to scrap inheritance tax is "an ambition", to which Mr Streeting replied: "I've got an ambition to be an Olympic swimmer - doesn't mean it's going to happen."

The minister repeats that it is an ambition, and accuses Labour of "perpetrating a bit of a fraud on people" by claiming it is an immediate plan.

He also defended the national service proposal the debate audience laughed at, saying: "The idea of young people contributing, and volunteering, and being part of something greater than themselves... I think that's fantastic."

Watch their exchange below...

Amidst all the interrupting, criticising, and attack lines, the two prime ministerial hopefuls did manage to discuss some of the issues at stake as well.

YouGov viewers were asked how they think each man performed in the various sections of the debate.

Rishi Sunak came out on top in the sections about tax and immigration (just).

But Sir Keir Starmer was victorious in the discussions about the cost of living, the NHS, education, and climate change.

See the detailed results below...

Viewers polled by YouGov after the TV debate gave a rather mixed reaction.

1,657 people were asked to pick three words describing how they felt about the debate.

See the results for yourself...

By Jennifer Scott, political reporter

It's still buzzing and busy here in the spin room, with a few surprised faces from both camps over the leaders' performances.  

But Labour's national co-ordinator Pat McFadden takes time to talk to me in his characteristic calms tones (when it comes to media performances anyway...).

Asked how he thought his boss performed, he said: "I thought tonight went well on a range of issues - from the economy to the cost of living, to housing, to the health service, [Sir Keir Starmer] showed that he understood the kind of problems people are facing."

Turning to Rishi Sunak, he said: "The problem for the prime minister is that endlessly chanting 'the plan is working'... the more he does it, the more out of touch he seems with ordinary people's lives."

While the Labour leader appeared to cut through on some issues, others fell flat with the audience - including Sir Keir's plans for the environment and Great British Energy. Surely that was a blow for the man in charge of the campaign? 

I didn't really get an answer, just a justification of why it is a campaign focus...

"This is a really important nettle to grasp because if we don't grasp it, it will be more expensive for the country in the long run and more expensive for consumers," said Mr McFadden. 

And what about that poll that I surprised him and Mr Ashworth with an hour ago, now he has had time to digest it. Didn't they think Sir Keir would smash it out the park tonight? 

"No, we don't take anything for granted," he said. 

"That is a pretty even split for polling for the debate. We work very hard, we make no assumptions about this election and we keep doing that from now until polling day."

But surely it makes him nervous after riding high on poll leads of 27 points this week?

"Well, I was ignoring that anyway because the only poll that matters is the one on 4 July," said Mr McFadden.

"Everybody should remember Labour is the challenger, the Conservatives are the incumbent. 

"They have been in office for 14 years. And I do believe there is a mood for change out there in the country - but change will only come if people vote for it."

We have some more detail from the snap YouGov poll of the debate performance of the two prime ministerial candidates.

While Rishi Sunak just edged the win by 2%, digging into the detail reveals a more interesting picture.

Asked about the performance of the two men overall:

60% of viewers thought Sir Keir Starmer performed "fairly well" or "very well", whereas 55% of viewers gave Rishi Sunak the same ratings.

Sir Keir Starmer also won plaudits from 2019 Conservative voters, with 36% saying he performed "fairly well" or "very well".

Viewers were also asked about how each man came across.

Sir Keir Starmer was rated more "trustworthy" (49%), more "likeable" (50%) and more "in touch with ordinary voters" (66%).

But crucially, Rishi Sunak was rated more "prime ministerial" (43%).

It is frantic in the spin room as journalists climb over each other, stand on chairs and clamber round the campaign teams, trying to get their questions answered.

But I managed to get a bit of time with Health Secretary Victoria Atkins to ask her what she thought of Rishi Sunak's performance.

"I think it went really well," she said. 

"And I say that because he had the chance to show the absolute commitment and the energy that he brings to governing our great country."

Meanwhile, she thought Sir Keir Starmer "looked like a deer in the headlights at points as he is not used to answering questions". 

She refuted claims the PM came across as tetchy, saying: "We are talking about governing our country. I want someone who is determined I want someone who will speak up. 

"I want somebody who will not take nonsense, whether it is from Keir Starmer or Vladimir Putin."

And when I put to her Mr Sunak's performance had lacked somewhat on how to help young people - with his national service plan getting one of the biggest laughs of the night - she went on a bit of a tangent about the NHS app.

But I was the first to reveal to her the YouGov poll showing Mr Sunak won the day - just - and while she denied she looked surprised (she did), she said: "That means Rishi won! 

"I fully accept that we have got an enormous amount to do, as we should do in our democracy... so we will be taking that win and building on it in the weeks to come. 

"I am so pleased to hear that because I was proud of the prime minister tonight. 

"I think the policies he set out were really, really interesting and I hope the public saw some of the passion and the care that I see when I see him across the cabinet table."

Labour are "leaving Manchester stronger tonight", the shadow paymaster general Jonathan Ashworth has told our deputy political editor  Sam Coates .

"That is because Keir Starmer made clear his commitment to fixing the NHS with 40,000 more appointments each week," he says.

"He talked about his commitment to bring down bills as we transition to clean energy and to transform education."

Mr Ashworth says he believes the British public "will decide it is time for change" after watching Sir Keir at the debate in Salford.

Pressed on whether Sir Keir really got to the heart of the questions he was asked, Mr Ashworth says "let me be clear about one topic - this issue Rishi Sunak raised about tax is a lie.

"Rishi Sunak out of desperation had to collapse into lying in that debate.

"We do not have a plan to tax households in the way in which Rishi Sunak described, and we are not putting up income tax, or national insurance and VAT.

"The only party that has made uncosted commitments in this campaign is Rishi Sunak's party."

The outgoing levelling up secretary, Michael Gove, is giving Sky News his reaction to tonight's TV debate.

It is put to him that Rishi Sunak did not do anything to transform the race, but Mr Gove disagrees, saying "it exploded Keir Starmer's claim to be a credible candidate for prime minister".

He "was found wanting" on everything from migration to taxes, he says.

Mr Gove claims the Labour leader showed he was not across the detail on his party's economic policy, as well as on energy.

During the debate, Mr Gove says the Labour leader said Great British Energy would produce energy, when in fact it's mainly an investment vehicle.

"Ed Miliband [Labour's shadow energy secretary] will have been watching this with his head in his hands as his own leader can't even recall what their climate policy is," he says.

The veteran cabinet minister adds: "You can tell from the downcast faces of Labour shadow cabinet figures - they recognise that their leader flopped tonight, their leader was exposed as a dud."

Liz Kendall, Labour's shadow work and pensions secretary, tells our deputy political editor  Sam Coates  that Sir Keir "set out a positive message of change for the country" during the debate.

She says one of the main things the Labour leader did was "connect with people about their real worries".

Asked if the public learnt a great deal about the Labour leader, Ms Kendall says Sir Keir was "really clear" about his plans to tackle the cost of living, cut NHS waiting times and to help young people.

"It's right to say if you want to judge who is the best person to run the country for the next five years, look at their record over the last 14 years," she says

"Rishi Sunak doesn't want to stand on his record because it is a record of failure."

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