Going to Ireland for business

 Citizens of EU/EEA member states or Switzerland do not require a visa to travel to Ireland on
business. (The members of the EEA are the 28 countries of the European Union (EU), together with
Iceland, Norway and Liechtenstein).
 National of the European Economic Area (EEA) or of Switzerland may be
prevented from entering Ireland only in very restricted circumstances
- You are suffering from a specified disease or disability or
- Your conduct has been such that it would be contrary to public policy or would endanger public
security
 Non-EEA nationals need permission to enter Ireland by reporting to an
Immigration Officer at the port of entry . The rules about permission to enter apply to
non-EEA nationals whether or not you are required to have a visa to enter
Ireland.

This website can help you out to know if you need a permission or a visa to
enter Ireland: http://www.inis.gov.ie/en/INIS/Pages/check-irish-visa

Permission to enter

You must be able to give the immigration officer any documents necessary to explain your visit. It is your
responsibility to ensure you have everything with you.
At a minimum this includes your passport, visa (if necessary) and landing card (if appropriate). It may
also include a travel itinerary, invitations or letters that help explain your visit.

http://www.inis.gov.ie/en/INIS/Pages/WP07000022

Visa

Countries that need a visa for Ireland: http://www.inis.gov.ie/en/INIS/Pages/visa-required-countries

You must apply for a visa online.

 Standard non-refundable visa application processing fees are:

- Single-journey visa: €60
- Multiple-journey visa: €100

Apply for a Business Visa

You must apply for a short stay Business Visa. All short stay visas are also called 'C' visas.
You will not be allowed to come to Ireland without a visa.
http://www.inis.gov.ie/en/INIS/Pages/Business%20Visa
6. Documents required
You must send the documents listed below to your application office within 30 days of creating
an application via AVATS. Your application will not be processed until everything is received.
Prepare your documents carefully. They contain information we need to make a decision about
you. It is your responsibility to satisfy us that a visa should be granted.
Click here to read important rules for documents

Your application may be refused if you do not submit all documents. Even if you submit
everything required, there is no guarantee that a visa will be granted.
i. Application summary sheets
Print, sign and date the Application summary sheets (from AVATS) and include them with your
application documents.
ii. Application letter
Type or write a letter explaining why you want to come to Ireland. Sign and date the letter and
submit it with your documents.
Your letter must include your full name and postal address, and the:
 Reason you want to come to Ireland
 Dates you plan to arrive and leave
 Names and addresses of any members of your family who currently live in Ireland or any
other EU/EEA country or Switzerland
Your letter must include a commitment from you that you will:
 Obey the conditions of your visa in full
 Not rely on public services (eg public hospitals) or become a burden on the State
 Leave Ireland before your immigration permission expires
iii. Invitation letter
You must have a written invitation from a host in Ireland to apply for a short stay business visa.
Your host may be a customer, a supplier or a company/organisation.
Ask your host to send you an invitation letter with the information listed below. Include this
letter with your application.
The host's invitation letter must include:
 The reason they are inviting you to Ireland
 The dates they plan you to work or meet with them
 Proof of an existing relationship between the host and you, for example:
o Ask your host to include copies of their communications with you about your visit
(printed emails or letters)
 A statement by your host about what they will contribute to the cost of your visit (if any):
o The statement must indicate if your host will pay for 'all', 'some' or 'none' of the
costs of your visit
o If 'all' or 'some', the letter must include an estimate of everything your host will
pay for, eg airline tickets, accommodation, etc (see viii. Finance plan for more)
If you have been invited by and intend to work/meet with more than one host in Ireland, you
must obtain a separate letter of invitation from each.
iv. Accommodation plan
In your application letter, type or write a description of everywhere you will stay in Ireland (eg
hotel, hostel, B&B, etc), including the dates you will stay at each place.
Include printed reservation confirmations (emails or letters) of your accommodation, from:
 Hotels, guesthouses, hostels, B&Bs, AirBnBs, campsites, etc.
 Shared or free accommodation, eg couchsurfing
 Any other type of accommodation
Reservation confirmations must show the dates you intend to stay at each place.
If you are staying with a host in their home
For each host you stay with, ask them to send you a letter with the information listed below.
Include this letter with your application.
The letter must contain:
 The host's full name
 The host's home address in Ireland
 Confirmation by the host that you have been invited to stay
 The dates you will stay with the host
 A statement by your host about what they will contribute to the cost of your visit (if any):
o The statement must indicate if they will pay for 'all', 'some' or 'none' of the costs
of your visit
o If 'all' or 'some', the letter must include an estimate of everything they will pay
for, eg airline tickets, accommodation, living expenses, etc (see viii. Finance
plan for more)
You must also ask your host to include proof that they live at their address. To do so, ask them
to send you an original utility bill (on headed paper) from within the last 6 months and include it
with your application, for example:
 Electricity or gas
 Fixed line telephone, TV or broadband
 A print out of a bill from the internet can only be accepted where it is high quality colour;
clearly shows the address of the person and the contact details of the utility
Travel & medical insurance
If your application for a visa is approved, you must get travel/medical insurance before you
travel. You will not be allowed to enter Ireland without it.
In some cases, you may be asked to submit proof that you have travel/medical insurance before
a visa is granted.
v. Proof of fee payment (where relevant)
In some circumstances, you may have to include proof that you have paid the visa application
fee. Contact your application office to find out if you need to provide proof and what to include.
If you are exempt from the visa fee, you may also have to include documents that prove you are
exempt. Contact your application office about proof of exemption.
Proof of payment/exemption may differ between offices. Extra charges may also apply for some
applications, eg consular fees.
vi. Passport
You must submit:
 Your current passport
 A photocopy of each page from all previous passports you have (where available)
Your current passport must be valid for at least 6 months after the date you plan to leave
Ireland.
Your application will be delayed if you do not provide copies of all previous passports you have.
Travel to-or-from Ireland via a different country
Type or write a letter that describes your travel plan to-or-from Ireland if you intend to:
 Travel to Ireland directly from a different country (ie not your home country or a
country where you are a legal resident), or
 Travel from Ireland directly to a different country
The letter must also state if you need visas for those countries (or not). Include the letter with
your application.
If relevant, apply for those countries' visas before you apply for an Irish visa. Your application for
an Irish visa may be refused if your passport does not contain the expected visas.
If you do not get the expected visas before you apply for an Irish visa, explain why in your
letter. The visa officer will include those reasons when reviewing your application.
If you are not a citizen of the country you are applying from
You must submit proof you have permission to be in the country you are applying from, if you
are not a citizen, eg a photocopy of your residence card.
You must also show you have at least 3 months' permission to remain in that country after the
date you plan to leave Ireland.
vii. Photographs
Include 2 passport-sized colour photographs of the visa applicant.
On the back of each photo:
 Sign your name (in your native script and language)
 Write your Visa Application Transaction Number from AVATS
Each photograph must meet all the following rules for visa photographs.
viii. Finance plan
You must show that you have enough finance (money) to support yourself fully in Ireland.
Note: There is no minimum amount of finance for approving or refusing a visa application. The
visa officer will decide if you have enough based on your own circumstances.
If you are paying for your own business trip
Include an up-to-date bank statement with your documents. The bank statement must:
 Be original and on headed bank paper
o Note: You may use a printed internet statement but it must be officially certified
by your bank. We will not accept uncertified internet statements
 Show your name and address
 Show the bank account number and account type, eg checking/current account,
savings/deposit account
 Show money paid in and out of the account over the last 6 months
If you submit a bank statement from a savings/deposit account, you must include an original
letter from your bank (on headed paper) that confirms you can withdraw money from it. Do not
submit your employer’s bank statements unless requested to do so.
You must also include a written explanation of any large movements of money in or out of your
account, if appropriate.
If your business host or accommodation host is helping to pay for your business trip
Include the letter from your host that lists everything they will pay for, eg cost of airline tickets
in Euro (as above).
If someone else (a third party) is helping to pay for your business trip
Type or write a description that explains how and why your business trip is being paid for by a
third party. You must also include the third party's:
 Full name and address
 Telephone number
 Email address (if available)
 Website (if appropriate)
You must also include:
 Proof of the relationship between you and the third party, eg copies of letters, emails,
photographs together, etc.
 Your own personal bank statement, following the same rules as described above
ix. Proof you will return home
You must include proof that you will leave Ireland when your business trip ends.
To do so, you must show that you have a strong obligation to return home (ie to your country of
residence) for economic, social or family reasons.
Work
If you are employed in a job at home, you must show that you have an obligation to return to
it. To do so, you should provide:
 Your 3 most recent original payslips
 A letter from your employer that states:
 o How long you have been employed there
o The dates you are on a business trip
o The date you will be returning to work at home
If you are self-employed at home, you must show that you have an obligation to continue it. To
do so, you must provide a letter that includes:
 A description of your business and the products or services you provide
 Proof that your business is trading, for example:
o Your most recent financial accounts
o Recent tax return (original)
o Confirmations of payments from customers from within last 6 months (printed
emails or letters)
 Proof of a business reason to come to Ireland, for example:
o Communication by you with companies or organisations in Ireland (printed emails
or letters)
 The date you will return to your business at home
Family
If you have a family at home, you must prove that you will return to them. To do so, type or
write a description of your family including:
 Your family status, eg married, co-habiting, separated, divorced, bereaved, etc
 Any children or dependents, eg elderly parents
If you are married and your spouse is not coming to Ireland with you, you should include your
original Marriage Certificate with your application.
If you have children aged under 18 and they are not coming to Ireland with you, you should
include their original Birth Certificates with your application.
Property
If you own or rent property in your country of residence, type or write a description of it and
include it with your application.
You should also include other documents as proof, eg your original tenancy/rental agreement or
a photocopy of your property title deed.
x. Visa refusals
If you were ever refused a visa by any country, type or write a description about it.
You must also include the original letter sent to you by the authorities that refused your
application.
Note: Your application for an Irish visa will be refused if you do not include information about
past visa refusals.
xi. Applications for young people (aged under 18)
A business visa application for a young person (aged under 18) should be made by their parent
or legal guardian.
The process follows the same steps described above with some extra conditions (as below) to
protect the young person's safety.
Click here for extra conditions for young people aged under 18
Submit your documents
When you are satisfied that you have prepared your application documents, put them into a
strong padded envelope and send them to your application office.
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 send it to the application office
Be sure to pay the correct postage for large packages.