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What is a long term study visa?
If you wish to come to Ireland to study for more than 3 months, you need to apply for a long term study visa.
You should first read our Policy on Non-EEA Nationals studying in Ireland. You must make that you meet the policy requirements before you make your visa application.
How do I apply?
You should apply for a long term study visa up to 3 months before your date of travel to Ireland.
- You must apply from your home country or where you are a legal resident.
- If you are visiting another state prior to travelling to Ireland, you must have the relevant visa for that state in your passport before applying for an Irish visa.
To apply, follow these three steps:
1. Create a visa application online
Answer all questions in AVATS fully and honestly
Follow the instructions on the Summary Application Form created by the online system. This summary form will contain information on where you are to submit your supporting documentation
Print, sign and date the summary form and submit it with your supporting documentation.
The visa officer considers each application on its merits and may request additional information or documentation.
2. Pay the visa application fee
Details of the current visa fees are available here.
The fee covers the administrative cost of processing your application. This will not be refunded if you withdraw your application or if we refuse your application.
Some applicants are exempt and do not need to pay visa fees. Click here to check if you are exempt from paying Visa fees.
You will receive an Application Summary Form when you complete your AVATS online application. This will let you know how to submit your application for processing and pay your visa fee.
Payment methods and currency options may differ between offices. Extra charges may apply for some applications, such as consular fees.
3. Send your supporting documents
Prepare your documents carefully. They contain information that we need to make a decision about your visa application. It is your responsibility to provide all information to help us process your application quickly and fairly.
Sending these documents does not guarantee that your application will be successful.
When you are satisfied that you have prepared your application documents, put them in a strong padded envelope and send them to your application office. Be sure to pay the correct postage for large packages.
- You must do this within 30 days of creating an online application via AVATS. We will not process your application until we receive everything.
- If you are making a visa application for yourself and another person, you may send them together. To send together:
- Place each person’s application documents into separate envelopes
- Write the name and Visa Application Transaction Number of each applicant on each envelope
- Place each envelope into a larger envelope and send it to the application office.
- Original documents must be provided. We do not accept photocopies except where stated.
- If you want to submit a document that is not in English or Irish, it must be accompanied by a full certified translation.
- All letters submitted from a business, company or organisation must be original and on official headed paper. This is to make sure that they can be verified. They must show the organisation’s:
-
- Full name
- Full postal address
- Telephone number. This must be a fixed line number. We do not accept mobile or cell phone numbers.
- Website address
- Email address. Yahoo and Hotmail email addresses are not accepted.
- A contact person’s name and title or position
- Written signature of an authorised representative. Electronic signatures are not accepted.
- In some cases, you may need to provide biometric information as part of your application. Contact your application office who will confirm if you need to provide biometric information and how to do so.
The visa officer considers each application on its merits. They may request additional information or documentation.
NOTE: Do not include false or misleading information or documents in your application. If you do, your application may be refused. In some circumstances, you may not be allowed to appeal the visa decision and may be blocked from getting an Irish visa for 5 years.
Required documents
Your signed and dated Summary Application Form and appropriate fee (if applicable) must be accompanied by supporting documentation.
If you do not submit the required documentation, your application may be refused.
- Do not submit documentation on USB sticks, memory cards, CD ROMs as documents on these devices cannot be accessed.
- Do not submit documentation on file-sharing platforms such as Drop Box, Sharefile. Documents in hardcopy format only will be accepted
The documents required are:
Private Medical Insurance
Gaps in your Educational History
Evidence of Academic Ability
Evidence of English (or Irish) Language Ability
Extra Documentation for Unaccompanied Students Under 18 Years of Age
Accommodation and Vetting Certificate
Your letter must include:
- Your full name and postal address
- The reason why you want to come to Ireland
- The reason why the educational course you now wish to study does not naturally follow on or relate to your educational or employment history. You must give valid reasons for this change and support it with documentary evidence, if available.
- Dates you plan to arrive and leave
- Details of any members of your family who are currently in Ireland, or any other EU country
Your letter must also include a commitment from you that you will:
- Obey the conditions of your visa in full
- Not rely on public services, such as public hospitals, or become a financial burden on Ireland
- Leave Ireland before your immigration permission expires
Include two passport-sized colour photographs with your application. These must not be more than 6 months old.
- On the back of each photo:
- Sign your name in your own handwriting and language
- Write your Visa Application Transaction Number from AVATS
Each photograph must meet all the following rules for visa photographs.
- Send us your current passport. This must be valid for at least twelve months after the date you plan to arrive in Ireland.
- Include a photocopy of each page from all previous passports, if available. Your application may be delayed if you do not provide these.
- In some cases, you may need to provide biometric information as part of your application. Contact your application office who will confirm if you need to provide biometric information and how to do so.
You must submit a letter of acceptance from the college running the course.
The letter should:
- Confirm that you have been accepted and enrolled on a course of full-time education, involving a minimum of 15 hours organised daytime tuition each week
- Give details of the course that you will be studying
- State the amount of fees payable for your course
- State the amount of fees that you have paid
- State that the college has taken out medical insurance on your behalf, if applicable
You must provide information on any gaps since your last period of full-time education. This must include the periods of time up to your application to study in Ireland.
You must give full details of your employment history. We need this to see where you have filled any gaps in your education with periods of employment.
You must provide a copy of an Electronic Transfer of Funds (ETF) to the Irish bank account of the college. This must show:
- the beneficiary college’s name, address and bank details
- your name, address and bank details
Or you can provide:
- A valid receipt showing that the course fees have been lodged to an approved student fees payment service. An example of this is the electronic fee payment service offered by Pay to Study. This was formerly known as International Student Payments Service (ISPS).
Note: Where the course fees are less than €6,000, you must pay fees in full to the college before to applying for your visa.
Where the course fees are more than €6,000, you must pay at least this amount before applying for your visa. Evidence of this should be visible in your Letter of Acceptance. This minimum amount is an immigration requirement. However the college you wish to attend may ask for full payment of fees
You must provide evidence that you have the ability to follow your chosen course. Examples of this are previous exam results or qualifications.
You must show that you have the ability to do your chosen course through the English (or Irish) language.
If you apply for an English language course, you must have a basic level of English before coming to Ireland. The minimum standard of English for visa purposes is set out in the English language requirements for study visas document.
Please submit a certificate from the test provider with your visa application. This must show the results of your English language test.
If you are doing a course taught in the Irish language, you must show that you have the ability to do so. You must include a written statement from the school or college. This must set out the manner in which they have assessed your ability to speak and write in Irish.
You must show that you have enough funds to support your stay in Ireland. This should be achieved without the need to access public funds or rely on casual employment.
Read more on the financial requirements that you must meet. This includes the evidence that you must submit with your visa application.
All applicants for long stay Irish study visas must complete this form.
Private Medical Insurance cover is required. Your college may arrange this on your behalf. If so, your Letter of Acceptance from the college must include details of this. If it is not arranged by the college, you must organise this yourself. You must provide evidence of this with your application.
If you have been refused a visa in the past for any country, you must provide the details in your current application. You must also provide the original letter issued to you by the authorities of that country. Not disclosing any previous visa refusals will result in your application being refused.
You must submit the address of where the student will stay while in Ireland.
If one parent is joining the student for the duration of their time in Ireland (while the student is under 18 years of age), the parent must include details of their own visa application, if applicable.
If the parent does not need a visa to travel to Ireland, the parent must include a statement that they will be staying with the student for the duration of the student’s stay in Ireland.
If one parent is not joining the student for the duration of their time in Ireland (while the student is under 18 years of age), the parent must include clearance from the Garda Síochána (the Irish police force) in respect of where the student is living.
This clearance will be sought from the Garda Síochána by the school. You must submit evidence of having received clearance as part of the visa application.
What happens next?
We process applications in the order we receive them.
We ask you not to buy travel tickets before you know the outcome of your visa application.
When we receive your application, we will check that you have included:
- Signed and dated Application Summary Sheets
- Proof of payment of the visa application fee (if applicable)
- All other requested documents.
We may contact you to ask for more information or documents.
We may also:
- Send your passport/travel document for official authentication
- Contact An Garda Síochána (Irish police) for information about you
- Contact government departments or other agencies for information about you, such as INTERPOL.
We process visa applications in the order we receive them.
Processing times can vary between countries and different application types. They can also vary during high volume periods during the year.
However, applicants can expect a decision within approximately 8 weeks from the date their application was received at the visa office, embassy or consulate.
Please note: Your application may take longer if documents are missing, we need to verify them or because of personal circumstances. For example, if you have a criminal conviction.
Dublin Visa Office
If you sent your application to the Dublin Visa Office, new visa decisions and waiting times are published every Tuesday.
All other offices
If you sent your application to an international visa office, Irish embassy or consulate, contact that office for an update on your application.
- We will place an Irish visa into a blank page of your passport or travel document.
- We will return your passport or travel document and certain original documents by post, such as Marriage, Birth or Death Certificates and other documents listed by you.
Note on visas for young people (aged under 18):
An Irish visa issued to a young person aged under 18 will show if they are travelling alone (unaccompanied) or with an adult (accompanied).
- We will send you a Letter of Refusal that explains why your application was not approved.
- We will return your passport or travel document and certain original documents by post, such as Marriage, Birth or Death Certificates and other documents listed by you.
- Applications sent to Ireland can only be returned to a UK or Ireland address. You can arrange a courier service to collect your documents.
You can appeal a negative visa decision. You must submit an appeal within 2 months of the date on your Letter of Refusal. You do not have to pay to make an appeal.
At border control
An Irish visa allows you to travel to Ireland. It does not give you permission to enter the country.
You can be refused entry even if you have a visa.
When you arrive at border control, you must prove to the immigration officer that you have a valid reason for entering Ireland. To do so you will need your passport, visa and other documents. For example, you should bring copies of documents from your application with you when you travel.
If you cannot satisfy the immigration officer, you will not be able to enter Ireland.
Leaving Ireland and returning home
The period of time you are able to stay in Ireland is visible on the landing stamp in your passport. You must leave the country before your permission expires. Ireland does not issue exit stamps when leaving the country. It is against the law to remain here without permission.
Extending your stay
In rare and exceptional circumstances, you may apply to extend your permission to stay in Ireland.
To apply for an extension, the circumstances of your visit must change in an unforeseen way after you arrive in the country. We will not grant an extension for any non-emergency or foreseeable reason, such as additional tourism. You must be in Ireland to apply and submit an application before your existing permission expires.
