Short Stay 'C' Exam Visa

What are ‘C’ Visas to Ireland?

Short Stay ‘C’ Visas to Ireland allow its holders to come to Ireland and stay there for up to 90 days. There are many visas that fall under this category and the Exam Visa is one of them. The eligibility requirements for ‘C’ Visas vary depending on the purpose of your visit to Ireland. Nevertheless, all of them allow you to stay in Ireland only temporarily. If you want to stay in Ireland longer than three months, you should apply for one of Long Stay ‘D’ Visas instead.

Short Stay visas to Ireland cannot be extended. That means that after the 90 days, you are obliged to leave Ireland and you need to apply for a new permit if you want to come back.

If you have citizenship of a country that belongs to the EU/EEA, or you are a citizen of Switzerland, you do not need a visa to come to Ireland for a short stay of up to 90 days.

What are the eligibility requirements for the Exam Visa?

The most important eligibility requirement for the Exam Visa to Ireland is being able to prove that the exam is relevant to your employment or study course. In addition to that, you have to meet the following eligibility requirements:

• You intend to sit the exam within 90 days of arriving in Ireland.
• You intend to leave the country after your Irish visa expires
• You have enough funds to cover your expenses during your stay in Ireland.
• You have booked an onwards journey from Ireland.
• You have not previously violated Irish immigration law
• You do not have a track record of serious crimes.

If you are not sure whether you meet the requirements for the Exam Visa, get in touch with our immigration lawyers. They will assess your eligibility for it and will tell you what your next steps should be.

How to apply for the Exam Visa

You need to apply for the Exam Visa before you visit Ireland. You must apply for the Exam Visa from your home country or a country where you live as a legal resident. If you seek entry into Ireland without a valid visa, you will not be allowed in.

To obtain the Exam Visa, you have to submit your visa application online. In the form, you have to state what the reason for your travel to Ireland is and you need to provide details of the exam you intend to take.

After submitting the online application form, you have to pay the visa application fee of either €60 or €100, depending on whether you are seeking a single or multiple entry visa. This visa fee is non-refundable so you will not get your money back even if your application is not approved.

Once you have paid the visa application fee, you have to send your passport and other supporting documents for processing.

What documents to include in the application?

To prove your eligibility for the Exam Visa to Ireland, you have to include a number of documents in your application. These include:

• Your valid passport
• An application letter explaining the reason for your travel to Ireland, the dates you plan to arrive in and leave the country, an estimated cost of your trip, as well as your full name and date
• Application summary sheet that you received after submitting the online application
• A declaration that you will obey the conditions of your visa and that you will not try to get work experience in an Irish hospital, which includes observing
• A statement where you promise not to become a burden on the State during your visit
• Two passport-size photographs in colour
• Information on where you will be staying during your stay in Ireland
• Proof of having enough finances to support yourself during your stay in Ireland
• Proof that you have ties in your home country that will make you return there after your visa expires.

If you forget to include some of the required documents, the processing of your application might take longer. None of the documents should include false or misleading information or you will risk your application being rejected, Our immigration lawyers can help you put together a complete portfolio of evidence, allowing you to avoid delays.

What information about the exam do I need to provide?

When applying for the Exam Visa to Ireland, you have to provide a detailed description of the exam you want to sit in Ireland.

The information you need to submit includes the name of the exam, the confirmation of you having registered and paid for it, the date on which it is supposed to take place (if it is already known), and the body that holds the exam.

Make sure to provide as much information about the exam as possible.

In addition to that, you have to explain why it is necessary that you sit the exam in Ireland and not in your home country and you have to prove that the exam is relevant for your work or studies.

Usually, foreign citizens apply for the Exam Visa to come to Ireland to sit an exam that will allow them to complete a medical course, receive professional accreditation, or finalise a distance learning course.

Other types of exams might also be eligible for the Exam Visa but, if you want to take a different exam, you should consult with an immigration lawyer before you submit your application. They will determine whether the Exam Visa is the right permit for you.

How can IAS help?

At IAS, we have expert knowledge of Irish immigration law and we have helped many clients successfully apply for Short Stay ‘C’ Visas, including the Exam Visa.

If you hire one of our lawyers, they will analyse your circumstances and will help you determine whether the Exam Visa is adequate for the purpose of your trip to Ireland. If the Exam Visa turns out not to be the right choice, your lawyer will tell you what other permits you could apply for. Then, they will guide you through each step of the application process, making it stress-free and easy.

Thanks to the help of our lawyers, you can be sure that your application is completed to the highest standard and that you included all the necessary documents with our immigration service.

Call us today on 0333 305 9375 to find out more about how we can help you.