Ireland Visa Information

Learn4good provides general information on study, travel, work visa and business visa requirements and the addresses of embassies worldwide. You should contact your local embassy or consulate for the most up-to-date information or visa forms.

Who requires a visa?

Visa Required Countries as of Nov 2009

If you are a citizen of the United States, Canada Mexico, or the European Union you may not require a visa to visit Ireland.

Passport holders from any of the following countries may not require a visa to visit Ireland:
Andorra, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bahamas, Barbados, Belgium, Belize, Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominica, El Salvador, Estonia, Fiji, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guyana, Honduras, Hong Kong (Special Administrative Region), Hungary, Iceland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Kiribati, Latvia, Lesotho, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macau (Special Administrative Region), Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Malta, Mauritius, Mexico, Monaco, Nauru, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Norway, Panama, Paraguay, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Saint Kitts & Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent & The Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Seychelles, Singapore, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Tonga, Trinidad & Tobago, Tuvalu, United Kingdom & Dependent Territories, U.S.A., Uruguay, Vatican City, Venezuela

TRANSIT VISAS ARE REQUIRED BY:

• Afghanistan Nationals
• Albania Nationals
• Cuba Nationals
• Democratic Republic of Congo
• Eritrea Nationals
• Ethiopia Nationals
• Ghana Nationals
• Iran Nationals
• Iraq Nationals
• Lebanon Nationals
• Moldova Nationals
• Montenegro Nationals
• Nigeria Nationals
• Serbia Nationals
• Somalia Nationals
• Sri Lanka Nationals
• Zimbabwe Nationals

What documents will be required?

• Your application form should be fully completed. No question should be left blank.
• You must sign the form yourself, nobody can sign it on your behalf. (Except in the case of a child under 16, whereby the parent(s) may sign on behalf of child).
• Unsigned applications will be refused.
• Where a child under the age of 18 is travelling alone, the consent of both parents/guardians is required. If the child is travelling with one parent, the consent of the other parent is required. Where only one parent has total custody and access rights, official evidence of this must be provided.
• Where a child under the age of 18 is travelling alone, the consent of both parents/guardians is required. If the child is travelling with one parent, the consent of the other parent is required. Where only one parent has total custody and access rights, official evidence of this must be provided.
• All documents submitted must be in English
• Where they are in any other language, the original document should be submitted, along with a notarised translation of same. Failure to provide translated documents will lead to your application being refused.
• At the time of your visa application you must possess a passport which is valid for 6 months after the date you propose to leave Ireland. Applications submitted without such a passport cannot be considered.
• For applications for long-term stays such as employment, study, or joining your spouse, it is advisable that your passport should be valid for at least 12 months. If you are permitted to remain in Ireland for more than 3 months you must register with the Garda National Immigration Bureau. The charge for registration is €150 each time. You will not be registered beyond the date of expiry of your passport. It is therefore in your own interest to have a passport which is valid for at least 12 months.
• If your passport is relatively new, it may assist your application if you provide your previous passport showing any previous visas for any other country, and your previous travel history.
• All visa applicants must be able to show evidence that they can support themselves for the duration of their stay in Ireland without recourse to public funds or resources.
• A detailed bank statement, showing sufficient funds, and covering the immediate 6 month period prior to submitting a visa application should be submitted. Lump sum lodgements made in the run up to an application being made are not taken into consideration when assessing a person’s ability to support themselves.
• For all categories of visa applications it will be necessary to include details of any other family members presently in Ireland, or any other EU State.
• Details of any previous visa applications for Ireland made by you must be given
• If you have been refused a visa for any other country, details of this, preferably the original letter issued to you by the authorities of that country, should be submitted. Concealment of any other visa refusals will result in your Irish visa application being refused.

Time required to issue visa:
Visa applications will be processed in the fastest possible time following their arrival in the Visa Section in Dublin. However, to avoid delays in the issue of your visa, it is strongly advised that all applications are made at least eight weeks prior to expected departure date, and that all supporting documentation is included with your application.

What is the cost of a visa?
Single-Journey: 60 Euros
Multiple-Journey: 100 Euros
Transit : 25 Euros

Note: Depending on nationality, the visa fee may be waived.

How long is the visa valid for?
Varies, contact the nearest Consulate for further information.

Other information:
Student Visa Requirements

The following information outlines the minimum documentation you must submit with your application. Please read carefully.

The Application Form should be submitted along with all supporting documentation. Original documents are required and must be in English or accompanied by a notarised translation of same. All documents must be clearly legible.The Visa Officer will need to easily identify what they are and to whom they refer.

Any unsigned declarations, false information, forged or fraudulent documentation will result in the refusal of your application and no appeal will be permitted. The onus is on you, the applicant, to satisfy the Visa Officer that a visa should be granted.
The granting of a Student Visa does not entitle you to have any person, whether related to you or not, to join or visit you in Ireland.

In applying for a Student Visa you must be able to show that:

• You are enrolled on a privately funded course involving at least 15 hours of organised daytime tuition each week
• You have paid the requisite fees to the college
• You have the academic ability to follow your chosen course.
• You have a level of English language sufficient to do so (except in the case of an application which is solely for an English language course)
• You have immediate access to at least €7,000. This is the estimated cost of living in Ireland for a student for one academic year.
• You must also demonstrate that you or your sponsor has ready access to an amount of at least €7,000 for each subsequent year of your studies, in addition to the course fees for each of those years.
• You have private medical insurance.
• You can account for any gaps in your educational history.
• Your intention is to return to your country of permanent residence following completion of your studies in Ireland.
• Your application form should be fully completed. No question should be left blank.

There now follows an explanation of what will be accepted as evidence for the above requirements. Please ensure you read this carefully and submit all documents with your application. Again, it is important that these are original, clearly legible documents, in English, or accompanied by a notarised translation. They should clearly indicate what they are and to whom they refer.

Evidence of Course

A Letter of Acceptance from the college, confirming you have been accepted and enrolled on a course of full-time education, involving a minimum of 15 hours organised daytime tuition each week
This letter should specify the course you will be studying.
It should also confirm the amount of fees payable for your course, and that this amount has been paid.
If the college has taken out medical insurance on your behalf, details of this must be contained in this letter of acceptance.

NOTE: The educational and other credentials of a college will be taken into consideration by the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform in reaching a decision on a visa application. Recognition by the Department of Education and Science through ACELS meets these criteria in the case of English language schools.

Fees

Where the course fees are less than €6,000, fees must be paid in full to the college, prior to applying for your visa. Evidence of the amount paid should be included in your Letter of Acceptance from the college

Where the course fees are in excess of €6,000, you must pay at least this amount prior to applying for your visa, and evidence of this should be shown in your Letter of Acceptance. This minimum amount is an Immigration requirement. However, the college you wish to attend may require full payment of fees.

Ability to Follow Your Chosen Course

You must provide evidence that you have attained the necessary level of academic achievement required to follow your chosen course.

Such evidence will include – exam results, qualifications obtained and certificates proving this Level of English. You must show that you have the capacity to fully partake in your chosen course through the medium of English and satisfy the Visa Officer in this regard. It is recommended that all applicants, regardless of nationality or educational background, undertake the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) English language test, and provide original certificate with your visa with application. Other acceptable certificates will be those from an internationally recognised test such as TOEFL or Cambridge. Failure to provide such a certificate may result in delays in processing your application, and possible refusal of same. Submission of false or fraudulent certificates with your application will result in it being refused, and no appeal will be permitted. Any certificate must have been issued within 2 years of the expected commencement date of your course. The recommended band scores are:
- IELTS – minimum score of 5
- TOEFL – minimum score of:
+ 173 (Computer-based)
+ 61 (Internet-based)
+ 500 (Paper-based)
- Cambridge – First Certificate in English (FCE) or higher

These recommendations are subject to review pending advice from the Department of Education and Science (Students applying solely for an English Language course are currently exempt from this requirement).

NOTE: This is for immigration purposes only. If the English Language requirement of the college is higher than the scores above, you must meet the college requirements.

Short-term Preparatory English Language Courses

If you have been accepted on a specific course of studies, but you need, or are required, to complete a preparatory course of English prior to commencing your main course, the following requirements apply:

English language course must be short term, and not exceed a maximum duration of 6 months. You must submit a detailed study plan, including the duration and dates of your preliminary English course, and details and dates of your main course of study. Fees for both the English preparatory course and the first year of your main course must be paid in full to the college. Evidence of this must accompany your application. English Language Requirements for Such Courses:
- IELTS – minimum overall band score of 4
- TOEFL – minimum score of:
+ 137 (Computer-based)
+ 47 (Internet-based)
+ 457 (Paper-based)
- Cambridge – PET (Preliminary English Test)
- ETAPP - Minimum grade of B1

Applicants who have not completed formal 2nd Level Education

If you are applying for a course of 2nd level educational studies, the requirements outlined above for the preparatory English also apply. 2nd level courses can only be undertaken in a private, fee-paying school or college

Evidence of Finances

You must show you have sufficient funds to support your stay in Ireland without recourse to public funds, or the reliance on casual employment.

- If you are being sponsored by another person or persons, you must list each person and give clear details of their relationship to you. All evidence provided must be clearly identifiable as to whom it relates.
- Give clear details of the financial support they will be giving you for the duration of your stay in Ireland.
- Their bank account must show a good credit record for a minimum of six months immediately prior to making your application
- As you will be required to have a minimum of €7,000 available to you during the first year of your studies, your sponsor will need to show that this amount is available to support you and that they have enough funds to maintain themselves and other family members
- Any lump sum lodgements made during the immediate three months prior to your application must be fully explained, with supporting evidence provided
- For example - if such a lump sum lodgement has come from the proceeds of a sale of property or encashment of Savings Certificates, Fixed Rate Deposit accounts, or any similar type sources, then clear evidence of this must be provided
- Where no evidence is provided your application will be refused
- You must also demonstrate that you or your sponsor will have ready access to an amount of at least €7,000 for each subsequent year of your studies, in addition to the course fees for each of those years
- Evidence accepted will include a letter from your sponsor’s employer confirming employment details, plus 4 recent payslips. This letter should include contact details for the employer, including name, address, and phone number (landline, not mobile)
- If your sponsor is involved in business, evidence of this must be provided, such as a Certificate of Registration from the authorities in your country
- All financial documentation should clearly indicate what it is and to whom it relates
- All bank statements should include the name and address of the account holder and the account number
- They should also include full contact details of the bank – name, full address of branch where account is held, telephone number (landline, not mobile), e-mail and website addresses (where available)
- Where this information is not normally available on a bank statement, it should be accompanied by a letter from the bank, on official bank stationery, giving these details. Where a bank statement or a letter from the bank is submitted giving only a mobile phone number, post box number as address, or an email address of Yahoo, Hotmail etc, this will not be considered as evidence of finances, and may in fact raise an issue of credibility over the whole application.
- The statement should cover a six-month period immediately prior to your application, and show all transactions that have taken place during this time
- Handwritten entries or details on bank statements will not be accepted
- Any documents not in English must be translated

Medical Insurance

Private medical insurance cover is required

- Your college may arrange this on your behalf. If so, details of this must be included in your Letter of Acceptance from the college
- If it is not arranged by the college, you must organize this yourself and provide evidence with your application

Educational and Employment History

- You must provide full details of your previous education on the application form
- You must submit all exam results obtained, along with your qualification certificates
- You must provide information to account for any gaps between your last period of full time education and your application to study in Ireland
- If any such gap in education has been filled by periods of employment, you must give full details of your employment history
- If your employment history or educational background have no obvious connection to the course you now wish to pursue, you must give a full explanation of why you are now embarking on a change of career

Immigration History

- You must provide full details of all visa applications you have made for any country, including Ireland
- If you have ever been refused a visa for any country, you must submit the original letter of refusal that issued to you by the Authorities of that State
- If you have ever been in Ireland before, whether legally or illegally, you must give details of your time here
- Failure to disclose any of the above details will result in your current application being refused

Passport

- Your passport must be valid for at least 6 months after the expected completion of your studies in Ireland
- If you hold any previous passport, you should also submit this with your application

Decisions

- The processing times for Student Visa Applications vary depending on the volume of applications lodged, and the time it takes for an application to reach the Visa section in Dublin from the Embassy in which it was lodged
- You should allow as much time as possible when applying for a visa but a minimum time of 8 weeks is recommended
- The Visa Section will endeavour to have your application assessed as soon as possible

Right of Appeal

- If you are refused a visa you may appeal this decision within 2 months
- Appeals must be submitted in writing to:

The Visa Appeals Officer,
Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform,
13-14 Burgh Quay,
Dublin 2.

- If you applied to the Visa Office in Abuja, Beijing,Cairo, London, Moscow or New Delhi, you should submit your appeal to the relevant office
- Your appeal should fully address all the reasons for which your application was refused. Any additional supporting documentation should be submitted with your appeal for consideration
- You must quote your Visa Reference Number on your appeal, along with your name and nationality
- There is no fee payable for appealing a visa refusal decision
- There will be no appeal allowed if you are found to have given false or misleading information in any part of your application, or submitted false, forged or fraudulent documentation

If You Are Granted A Student Visa
Arrival in the State

- If your application for a visa has been approved, the Embassy to which you applied will affix a visa to your passport
- The dates entered on your visa indicate the dates between which you may seek to enter the State
- It is important to note that a visa is a form of pre-entry clearance to the State only, and does not guarantee that you will be permitted to enter or remain in the State
- Immigration Officers at the point of entry are entitled to question any person on arrival. If they are not satisfied with the bona-fides of any person, or their reasons for wishing to enter the State, they have the right to deny entry to any such person, despite the fact they hold a valid visa
- It is recommended that you have supporting documentation related to your course of study with you to present to the Immigration Officer on disembarkation from your flight

Attendance at Course

- You have been granted a Study Visa on the basis that you will attend school/college to partake in a course which involves at least 15 hours of organised daytime tuition each week.
- It will be necessary for you to show evidence of your attendance record to the Garda National Immigration Bureau when seeking to have your permission to remain in the State extended.
- If you do not show a satisfactory attendance rate at your course you will not be entitled to remain in the State. It is expected that students will be able to demonstrate an attendance rate of 80% or higher at their chosen course of study to which the visa relates.

Registration and Permission to Remain

- If you intend staying in Ireland for more than 90 days, it is a requirement that you register with the Garda National Immigration Bureau (GNIB) either at 13-14 Burgh Quay, Dublin 2, or the Immigration Officer in area in which you are residing. There is a charge of €150 each time you register
- Extensions of your permission to remain in the State to pursue your studies will only be granted if the Immigration Officer is satisfied with matters such as your level of attendance at your course, evidence of your accommodation, finances and medical insurance
- Permission to remain in the State is not usually granted for a period of more than a total of 18 months unless the student is attending a full time course of at least one year’s duration leading to qualifications recognised by the Minister for Education and Science

Re-entry Visas

- The initial visa issued to you will be valid for a single entry to the State
- If you have a valid reason for leaving the State for a short period of time you must apply, in advance of making any arrangements, for a Re-entry visa.
- You must be able to prove you will be continuing with your studies on your return to the State
- Before a re-entry visa can be issued, you must be registered with the Garda National Immigration Bureau
- For information on how and where you can apply for a Re-entry visa please see Re-entry Visas
- It is your responsibility to ensure you have the correct visa (where relevant) for the country you intend travelling to

NOTE: A visa must be obtained from the UK authorities prior to travelling to Northern Ireland (Northern Ireland consists of Counties Antrim, Armagh, Derry, Down, Fermanagh and Tyrone)

Students Under 18 Years of Age

- Any person who wishes to pursue a course of study in Ireland must be enrolled at a private fee-paying school or college
- The requirements outlined above will apply for all students
- Parental consent from both parents(where applicable) is required
- The granting of a visa to a person under the age of 18 years for the purpose of study does not give any entitlement to any other family member to accompany or join the student in the State
- Details of the person in whose care the minor shall be must be provided with the application
- The provisions of Part IVB of the Children Act 2001 will apply when examining such applications.

These guidelines have been issued by the Irish Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform.

Can I work in Ireland?

Entitlement to take up Casual Employment

Only students attending a full time course of education of at least one year’s duration leading to qualifications recognised by the Minister for Education and Science will be permitted to take up casual employment

- Access to employment is denied to all other students
- Casual employment is defined as up to a maximum of 20 hours part time work per week, or full time work during normal college vacation periods. Such work should not interfere with your course attendance, as failure to provide evidence of a satisfactory attendance record will result in refusal of any extension to your permission to remain
- The entitlement to casual employment will cease on completion of your college course
- The stamp placed in your passport by GNIB will indicate whether or not you are permitted to take up casual employment
- If you are in doubt about this you should check with GNIB before you accept any job offer.
- Any breach of your visa conditions will lead to a review of your case and possible removal from the State

Embassy contact information:
Please contact the nearest Irish embassy or consulate for information on what documentation you may require to enter Ireland.

Visa Section
Irish Naturalisation & Immigration Service
Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform
13/14 Burgh Quay
Dublin 2, IRELAND.

Disclaimer: The contents of these pages are provided as an information guide only, in good faith. The use of this website is at the viewer/user's sole risk. While every effort is made in presenting up-to-date and accurate information, no responsibility or liability is accepted by the owners to this website for any errors, omissions, outdated or misleading information on these pages or any site to which these pages connect or are linked.

Source & Copyright: The source of the above visa and immigration information and copyright owner/s is the:
- The Department of Foreign Affairs of Ireland - URL: www.foreignaffairs.gov.ie
- The Department of Justice, Equality & Law Reform of Ireland - URL: www.inis.gov.ie

The viewer/user of this web page should use the above information as a guideline only, and should always contact the above sources or the user's own government representatives for the most up-to-date information at that moment in time, before making a final decision to travel to that country or destination.