24th January 2007 Applying for a Visa to Ireland –

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24th January 2007

Applying For a Visa to Ireland Documentation Required

NOTE: These requirements are intended to act as a guideline only and do not

limit the discretion of the visa officer in determining individual applications.

They are subject to change as we continue in our efforts to provide a more

efficient service to our customers. You should therefore regularly check for the

most recent version which will have the date of implementation in the top right-

hand corner.

The onus is on the applicant to satisfy the visa officer that a visa should be

granted. It is up to you to supply the necessary information to help the visaofficer reach that decision.

Please refer to the website of the Department of Foreign Affairs www.dfa.ie for

information on where to obtain an application form, the fees involved, and where

to submit your application.

Your application may have to be referred by your local Irish Embassy or

Consulate to the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform in Dublin,

and it can take some weeks for post to arrive from many countries.

Visa applications will be processed in the fastest possible time following theirarrival 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.

There now follows an outline of the minimum requirements for all visa

applications. When you have read this section, you should then examine the

more detailed requirements for the particular category of visa for which you are

applying.

Original documents should be submitted. Where these are not in English they

should be accompanied by a notarised translation. All documents must be clear

and legible.

ALL documentation listed must be submitted with your application form.

APPLICATIONS SUBMITTED THAT DO NOT INCLUDE ALL

THE REQUIRED DOCUMENTATION, OR ARE ACCOMPANIED

BY POOR QUALITY, ILLEGIBLE OR NON-TRANSLATED

DOCUMENTS, WILL BE REFUSED.

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MINIMUM DOCUMENTATION REQUIRED WITH ALL VISA

APPLICATIONS

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 18, 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.

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 isvalid 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 100 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

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Family Reunification for Refugees

Medical Treatment

Information on Study Visas can be found under our Student Visa Guidelines

Further information you may require regarding decisions, right of appeal, andarrival in the State can be found at the end of this document.

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If your reference is not an Irish/EEA citizen, evidence of their permission

to remain in Ireland a copy of their GNIB card and copy of their

passport showing Immigration stamps

Evidence of how you intend to finance your trip and support yourself for

the duration of your visit, allowing for any unforeseen events such asillness a detailed bank statement covering a 6 month period immediately

prior to your visa application, and showing sufficient funds to cover all

costs is required

NOTE: It is advisable that you have medical/travel insurance to cover you

for the duration of your proposed visit to the State

If your reference in Ireland is supporting you, they must supply a detailed

6 month bank statement for the period immediately prior to your visa

application showing sufficient funds to support you for the duration ofyour stay

Lump sum lodgements made shortly before your visa application will not

be considered

Evidence of your obligations to return to your country of permanent

residence

o If you are employed, a letter from your employer stating how long

you have been employed there, the dates you will be on annualleave from, and the date you will be returning to work in that

employment

o 3 consecutive payslips

o If you are a student, a letter from your college outlining what

course you are pursuing, how many years you have been a student

there, how many years/terms you have left at that college, and that

you will be returning there following your visit to Ireland

NOTE: All letters submitted should be on official company headed paper

and give full contact details for verification purposes. These must include

a full postal address, name of contact, position in company, telephone

number (landline) and email address where relevant. (Email addresses

such as Yahoo or Hotmail are not accepted). Website address should also

be included, if available.

o If you own property, or rent accommodation, evidence of this can

be submitted in support of your obligations to return homefollowing your visit

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Business Permission

If you intend coming to Ireland to establish a business, you must apply to the

Minister for Justice, Equality & Law Reform for permission to do so.

This MUST be done prior to applying for a visa as an application for a Business

Permission Visa cannot be considered prior to the permission of the Minister

being obtained.

This request for Business Permission should be addressed to Business PermissionSection, Immigration Division, Dept of Justice, Equality & Law Reform, 13-14

Burgh Quay, Dublin 2.

Once you have obtained this permission you should then submit your visa

application:

Fully complete and signed application form

Passport valid for at least 12 months

Business Permission letter from the Minister for Justice, Equality and

Law Reform

Back to main categories

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Conference Visa

Note to Conference Organisers

When organising a conference at which you expect to have

delegates/attendees from visa required countries, (see Ireland Visa

Requirements on our website www.justice.ie for information), it is

imperative that arrangements for the issuance of visas are made in

adequate time.

It is recommended that you notify the visa office well in advance, by

e-mail at [email protected], giving full details of the conference and

where possible, a list of the delegates that wish to attend.

This list should clearly indicate guest speakers and other delegates

whose attendance at the conference is vital. If conference organisers

can vouch for the bona-fides of any delegates, please give full details.

Where you have simply been contacted by someone who obtained

your details via a website, you should also inform the visa office of

this and we will decide the merits of the application based on all

information submitted.

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Requirements from Prospective Conference Delegates

Fully completed and signed application form

Passport, valid for 6 months after your intended date of departure from

the State

Letter from conference host confirming you will be attending conference,

details of the nature, dates, place & duration of conference, and that

registration fees (where relevant) have been paid.

Letter from your employer or Association confirming your attendance,

and outlining the relevance of the conference to your employment or

involvement in your Association.

Evidence from both your employer and conference host showing who will

be responsible for all costs including travel, accommodation, expenses etc.

If you are paying these costs yourself, a detailed bank statement covering

a 6 month period immediately prior to your application is required

You should also explain why you are attending this conference at your

own expense

Evidence of your obligations to return to your country of permanentresidence following the conference letter from your employer/college

showing the date of expected return etc







ALL OF THE ABOVE DOCUMENTS MUST BE SUBMITTED WITH YOUR

APPLICATION

ALL DOCUMENTATION MUST BE IN ENGLISH OR ACCOMPANIED BY

A NOTARISED TRANSLATION

NOTE: THE PROVISION OF ALL THE DOCUMENTATION LISTED IN NO

WAY GUARANTEES THAT A VISA WILL BE GRANTED.Back to main categories

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Performers

Note to Event Organisers

When organising an event at which you intend to have a visa-

required national perform, (see Ireland Visa Requirements on our

website www.justice.ie for information), it is recommended that you

notify the visa office well in advance, by e-mail at [email protected]

giving full details of the event, schedule and dates of performances.

The reasons for engaging this particular performer/act, how they

came to your attention, if you can vouch for the bona-fides of the

person/group what checks you have carried out to enable you to do

so, should also be given.

Please also state who is responsible for covering travel and

accommodation costs, and living expenses for the duration of the

performers stay in the State.

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Training Visa



the State

A letter from your employer giving the reasons for, and duration of

training, details of where in Ireland training will take place (name of

company etc), full contact details for your company, and the name and

contact details of the contact person in the host company

A letter from the Irish company confirming the nature, dates and

duration of training, including full contact details

Evidence from both companies of who will be responsible for all costs,

including training costs, travel, accommodation, and expenses


residence at the end of the training period letter from your employer

confirming your return to the company







If all costs are not met by either company, evidence of your personal

finances detailed bank statement covering a 6 month period

immediately prior to your visa application

You should also explain why you are undertaking this training at your

own expense


APPLICATION




WAY GUARANTEES THAT A VISA WILL BE GRANTED.Back to main categories

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Exam Visa



the State

Letter of acceptance of registration for exam from the school/college,

confirming the nature and dates of examination

Evidence that the requisite fees have been paid official receipt from

college required

Qualification Certificates

Evidence that you have sufficient funds to maintain yourself for the

duration of your stay, including travel costs, accommodation and

expenses.

Detailed bank statements covering the 6 month period immediately prior

to your application and 4 recent payslips should be submitted


residence letter from your employer confirming your currentemployment status how long you have been employed, and the date of

expected return to work







ALL OF THE ABOVE DOCUMENTS MUST BE SUBMITTED WITH YOURAPPLICATION




WAY GUARANTEES THAT A VISA WILL BE GRANTED.


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Research Visa


Passport, valid for at least 12 months

Work Permit

Letter from your host college/organisation in Ireland outlining the nature

and duration of research programme/project, and annual salary details

NOTE: If you are applying to partake in a short-term programme, for

which no salary is paid you should provide

o a letter from college or organisation outlining the nature and

duration of research programme

o evidence of how you will support yourself for duration of stay,

including travel, accommodation & living expenses

o evidence of your obligations to return to your country of

permanent residence letter from your employer/college giving

details of your employment/studies, confirming the researchproject you are carrying out in Ireland, and that you will be

returning to work/study on completion of this research

programme




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Employment Visa

Please also see the link on our Web Page to FamilyReunification for Workers.

NOTE: If you come to Ireland for employment under the Work

Permit Scheme, you cannot apply for family members to join you

until you have been here for a minimum of one year, and your work

permit has been extended for a further 12 months, unless you come

within the Skills Categories listed underSchedule A in the above

document.

Only a spouse and children under the age of 18 years are eligible to

apply to join you.

Adult children (over 18) are not eligible to join you unless they hold a

work permit and apply for an Employment Visa, or they wish to

study in Ireland and meet our Student Visa Requirements.

You must be able to show that your earnings are sufficient to

maintain your family without recourse to public funds.

Details of requirements for family members wishing to join you can be found onthe next page.

For your own visa you require:


Passport, valid for at least 12 months

Valid Work Permit

Employment Contract (if any)

Letter from employer in Ireland confirming details of the job you will

take up and the salary you will be paid. If accommodation is being

provided by your employer details of this should also be given.

Evidence of qualifications and previous work experience in this area may

be requested by the visa officer


APPLICATION

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APPLICATION






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Family Member of Irish Citizen

If both you and your Irish spouse are legally resident in a country other than

Ireland, and you both wish to move to Ireland, the following documents must be

submitted:

o Fully completed and signed application form

o Passport, valid for at least 12 months

o Clear copy of spouses passport, showing evidence of residency in

country you are moving from

o Marriage Certificate

If you have children (under 18 years) who do not hold Irish passports, and

therefore require a visa, a separate application must be submitted, along with a

birth certificate, for each child.

If you wish a child (under 18 years) from a previous marriage or relationship to

travel with you, evidence that you have been given full custody and access rights

to this child must be shown (Court Order)

Where the other parent of this child has some custody or access rights, a sworn

affidavit by this parent consenting to the child being removed from their home

country is required

Visits

If you wish to accompany your Irish spouse on a visit to Ireland, and you are

both returning to your country of residence following your visit, the

documentation listed above is required, plus

o Evidence that you will be accompanying your Irish spouse e.g.

return airline/ferry tickets in both names

NOTE: If your Irish spouse is residing in Ireland, and you have not resided

together since your marriage, whether your visa application is to visit or join

your spouse, in addition to the documentation listed above you MUST also

submit the following:

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o A full account of relationship history when and where you met,

evidence of this such as visas, entry/exit stamps on the passport of

your Irish spouse.

o Please note that for Immigration purposes it is not sufficient for a

relationship to have developed solely over the internet or bytelephone/sms. A relationship must include a number face to face

meetings (excluding webcam) between the parties. You must

satisfy the visa officer that the relationship is bona-fide.

o If, while your spouse was residing in Ireland, you married by

proxy, it will be necessary for you to obtain a declaration from the

Irish Courts under Section 29 of the Family Law Act 1995, to

confirm that the marriage is recognised in this State.

o Evidence of how you will support your spouse financially P60,

payslips, bank statement for 6 months prior to application.




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Family Member of EU Citizen

(Lawfully Resident in an EU State)

Spouse/Child

If you are the spouse of an EU citizen, or the child (under 21 years) of an EU

citizen or the child of their spouse, and wish to move, with the EU citizen to

Ireland, or to join the EU citizen in Ireland, from the EU State in which you

currently reside, the following documents are required:

o Application form

o Passport

o Valid Residence Card for EU State

o Marriage Certificate

o Birth Certificate for children under 21 years

Partner

If you are the partner of an EU Citizen, in a long-term relationship that hasexisted for at least 2 years, and you are lawfully resident in an EU State, the

following documents are required:

o Application Form

o Passport

o Valid Residence Card

o Documentary evidence that will support the existence and

durability of the relationship e.g. Registration Certificate

of partnership (if applicable) or evidence of common

ownership of property, joint tenancy of property, on-going

correspondence addressed to both partners at the same

address, financial dependence/interdependence, or any

other relevant documentation.

o NOTE: The onus is on the applicant to satisfy the Visa

Officer of the bona-fides of the partnership.


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Other Family Members of EU Citizen

Any family member of an EU citizen who is:

o A dependent of the EU citizen

o A member of the household of the EU citizen

o Requiring the personal care of the EU citizen on the basis of

serious health grounds

may have their application for a visa considered on submission of the followingdocumentation:

o Application form

o Passport

o Valid Residence Card for EU State

o Evidence of their relationship to the EU Citizen

o Evidence of their dependency on the EU Citizen, where

applicable

o Evidence that they are a member of the household of the

EU Citizen, where applicable

o Evidence that they require the personal care of the EU

Citizen on serious health grounds, where applicable.

Visits

If family members wish to accompany an EU Citizen on a visit to Ireland, or visit

their EU family member who is residing in Ireland, all the documentation listed

previously should be submitted, plus:

o Evidence that you are accompanying the EU Citizen to

Ireland e.g. return airline/ferry tickets in both names

Or

o Evidence that the EU Citizen is already residing in Ireland

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Family Member of EU Citizen

(Not Resident in an EU State)

Or

Family Member of an EEA or Swiss Citizen

If you are the family member of an EU citizen, and you are not lawfully residentin an EU State, oryou are the family member of an EEA or Swiss citizen,

wishing to move to Ireland, with or to join the EU citizen, the following

documentation is required:

o Application Form

o Passport

o Clear copy of passport of EU Citizen (to confirm the basis

of right of residency in third country)

o Marriage Certificate (where applicable)

o Birth Certificate in the case of children under 21 years

o Where applicant (other than spouse or child) is dependent

on the EU/EEA/Swiss Citizen, evidence of such dependency

Visits

If family members (who are not lawfully resident in another EU State) wish to

accompany an EU/EEA/Swiss citizen on a visit to Ireland, or visit their

EU/EEA/Swiss family member who is residing in Ireland, all the documentation

listed above should be submitted, plus:

o Evidence that you are accompanying the EU/EEA/Swiss

citizen to Ireland e.g. return airline/ferry tickets in both

names

Or

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o Evidence that the EU/EEA/Swiss citizen is already residing

in Ireland


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Family Reunification For Recognised Refugees

NOTE: In this category, Family Reunification ONLY applies in cases where the

family member in Ireland has been granted Refugee Status AND has not since

been granted Irish Citizenship.

IMPORTANT NOTE: These applications can take several months to process

and are dealt with by the Family Reunification Section of this Department

If you do not come under this category you must apply for a Join Spouse/Parent,

or Family Member of Irish Citizen visa, whichever is appropriate to your

circumstances.

If your family member currently has Refugee Status in Ireland you should

submit the following:


Application form should clearly state the relationship of the applicant to

the Refugee in Ireland

Evidence of this relationship marriage/birth certificates

Letter from the Department of Justice, Equality & Law Reform

confirming family member in Ireland has been granted Refugee Status

Copy of this persons passport and GNIB card

Copy of your passport

There is no provision under the Refugee Act 1996 (as amended) for an

appeal in such cases


A NOTARISED TRANSLATIONBack to main categories

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Further Information You Must Consider

Decisions

The processing times for all 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

Visa decisions are published weekly on our website www.justice.ie.

You can check a decision by entering the Visa Reference Number that

issues to you

Right of Appeal

If you are refused a visa you may appeal this decision within 2 months

Appeals must be submitted in writing and posted to: The Visa Appeals

Officer, Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform, 13-14

Burgh Quay, Dublin 2. If you have submitted your application to one

of our Visa Offices in Beijing, 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

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If You Are Granted A 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 tothe 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 tothe purpose of your journey to Ireland your with you to present to the

Immigration Officer on disembarkation from your flight

Registration and Permission to Remain

If you have been issued with a short term visa (C Visa) you must

leave the State on or before the date stamped on your passport by an

Immigration Officer.

NOTE: UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES CAN A CATEGORY C

VISA BE EXTENDED BEYOND 90 DAYS

If you have applied for and have been issued with a visa for a period

exceeding 90 days (D Visa), 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

Extensions of your permission to remain in the State on a D Visa will

only be granted if the Immigration Officer is satisfied that you meet

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the requirements of the visa - e.g. that you or your spouse still hold a

valid work permit

Re-entry Visas

The initial visa issued to you will be valid for a single entry to the State

If you have wish to leave the State for a short period of time you must

apply, in advance of making any arrangements, for a re-entry visa.

Please see the link on our Web Page toRe-Entry Visas

Before a re-entry visa can be issued, you must be registered with the

Garda National Immigration Bureau

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)

Documents

24th January 2007 Applying for a Visa to Ireland –