Student visaIreland student visa
Ireland sits outside the Schengen area, so a visa for any neighbouring country won't carry you in — Indian students need a full sticker visa of Ireland's own, and there is no e-visa or visa-on-arrival to fall back on. If your course is full-time and runs longer than three months, the one you want is the long stay 'D' study visa: a single-journey entry visa. The application begins online, on Ireland's AVATS portal. You then attend a VFS Global visa application centre in India in person to submit your passport and documents and give biometrics — a facial photo and a scan of all ten fingerprints.
'Full-time' has a precise meaning here: at least 15 hours of organised daytime tuition a week, on a course listed on the Interim List of Eligible Programmes (ILEP). Two more things you'll be asked to prove — access to €10,000 for your first year, and private medical insurance valid in Ireland. Study applications from India are decided by the Embassy of Ireland in New Delhi, which publishes a first-instance decision time of 40 working days. Once you arrive, you register your permission and receive an Irish Residence Permit (IRP) — usually Stamp 2 — within 90 days.
Who this visa is for
- ✓Indian students accepted onto a full-time course of more than three months that is on the Interim List of Eligible Programmes (ILEP) — a degree, or an approved English-language / further-education programme
- ✓Courses providing at least 15 hours of organised daytime tuition per week
- ✓Applicants who can show access to at least €10,000 to cover the first year's living costs, from their own or a sponsor's funds
- ✓Applicants who have paid their course fees before applying — a minimum of €6,000, or the full course fee where it is lower
- ✓Applicants who can demonstrate English-language ability and intend to leave Ireland when their permission ends
Visa options for Ireland
Long Stay 'D' study visa
For full-time courses lasting more than three months — for example a degree at a recognised higher-education institution. A single-journey long-stay entry visa; after arrival you register with immigration for an Irish Residence Permit (IRP), normally Stamp 2.
Short Stay 'C' study visa
For courses of three months (90 days) or less, such as a short English-language or exchange programme. No in-country immigration registration is required for the stay.
Documents typically required
- ✓Current passport valid for at least 12 months after your planned arrival date, plus photocopies of any previous passports
- ✓Signed AVATS application summary and a letter of application stating your course, dates and reason for study
- ✓Two recent passport-size colour photographs (less than six months old)
- ✓Letter of acceptance from an ILEP-listed college confirming a full-time course of at least 15 hours' daytime tuition per week
- ✓Evidence that course fees are paid — a minimum of €6,000, or the full fee where it is lower
- ✓Evidence of access to at least €10,000 for your first year (bank statements or sponsor funds)
- ✓Private medical insurance valid in Ireland
- ✓Evidence of English-language ability (test certificate where required)
- ✓Academic qualifications and transcripts
- ✓Details of any previous visa refusal for any country, with the original refusal letter
Your exact checklist depends on your profile — we confirm it during your case analysis. Every visa decision rests with the embassy or consulate.
Indian residents apply online through AVATS, then lodge the printed, signed summary and supporting documents in person at one of VFS Global's Ireland visa application centres in India, where you also give biometrics — a facial photo and a scan of all ten fingerprints. You can apply up to three months before travel. The government visa fee is €60 (single entry) or €100 (multiple entry) and is non-refundable, in addition to the VFS service charge; the IRP registration after arrival costs €300.
Frequently asked questions
Do you guarantee the visa?
No — and be wary of anyone who says they can. The decision rests solely with the Embassy of Ireland and the Irish immigration authorities. What we do is give you a frank assessment of your profile and build the strongest, best-documented application possible around it. Over the last two to three years our applications have had a 97% success rate.
Do Indian students need a visa to study in Ireland, or is there an e-visa?
Yes — a full sticker visa, with no e-visa or visa-on-arrival for study. You apply online through the AVATS portal, then lodge your passport and documents at a VFS Global centre in India. Because Ireland sits outside the Schengen area, this is a separate national visa in its own right.
How much money do I need to show?
For a one-year course, access to at least €10,000 to support yourself — on top of your course fees, which must already be paid: a minimum of €6,000, or the full fee where it is lower. The funds can be your own or a sponsor's, evidenced by bank statements.
How long does the study visa take from India?
The Embassy of Ireland in New Delhi publishes a first-instance decision time of 40 working days for study visas — and the clock starts when your application reaches the Embassy, not the day you lodge at VFS. Allow extra time for a VFS appointment and courier transit, and apply up to three months before your course begins.
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