Irish Business Visas
Foreign citizens who would like to visit Ireland to do business may need to apply for an Ireland Business Visa.
To receive assistance with your Irish Business Visa application or for help with another separate Irish visa, call our lawyers today on +1 844 290 6312.
Page Contents:
- Is Ireland a good place to do business?
- What is the Irish Business Visa?
- What are the eligibility requirements for the Ireland Business Visa?
- What is the application process for the Ireland Business Visa?
- What documents do I need to apply for an Ireland Business Visa?
- Is there an alternative way to come to Ireland to do business?
- How can I prove my finances?
- How can IAS help?
- Frequently Asked Questions
Is Ireland a good place to do business?
As Ireland is in the European Union, it is home to many international companies. The fact that those coming to Ireland to do business are able to work with both domestic and international business partners makes it a very attractive destination for those traveling on business. Moreover, Ireland attracts high-quality scientific research and has a very welcoming business environment.
If you are a citizen of a non-EEA country and you want to come to Ireland to do business, you need to obtain an Irish Business Visa. Our lawyers can help you submit your application for it.
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What is the Irish Business Visa?
The Irish Business Visa allows non-EEA citizens to come to Ireland to engage in business activities such as attending a business meeting, negotiating a business deal, or consulting with Irish business partners. It also gives them the right to negotiate or sign contracts or other business agreements, attend business meetings, and work for up to 14 days.
If your application for this Irish visa is successful, you will be able to stay in Ireland for up to 90 days and do business throughout the validity of your visa. Unfortunately, this type of visa to Ireland cannot be extended.
If you are a citizen of an EU/EEA country, or a citizen of Switzerland, you may enter Ireland for business purposes without having to apply for an Irish visa. Individuals from a non-visa-required country may also enter Ireland without the need for an Ireland Business Visa.
Our lawyers can help you determine whether you require a visa to travel to Ireland on business and, if you need one, they can help you submit your application.
What are the eligibility requirements for the Ireland Business Visa?
Before you submit your application for the Ireland Business Visa, you have to make sure that you meet the following eligibility requirements:
- You have a valid passport that will remain valid at least six months past your stay in Ireland
- The purpose of your visit to Ireland is to do business
- You have ties in your home country that will make you leave Ireland once your visa expires
- During your stay in Ireland, you do not intend to work more than 14 days
- You have enough money to support yourself during your stay in Ireland.
Additionally, to be able to obtain the Ireland Business Visa, you have to have received an invitation from a host in Ireland. The host can be, for example, an Irish company you will be doing business with, a business partner you will be negotiating a contract with, or an Irish customer. The invitation letter has to explain why they are inviting you to Ireland and has to prove that your host and you have worked together before. Moreover, in the letter, your host has to commit to helping you cover some of the expenses associated with your visit to Ireland.
Our lawyers can assess your circumstances and help you determine whether you meet the eligibility requirements for the Ireland Business Visa.
What is the application process for the Ireland Business Visa?
To apply for the Ireland Business Visa, you have to complete a visa application online form. In this online form, you will need to state the reason for your travel to Ireland as ‘Business.’
After you submit the form, you will see a web page with a summary of your application. There you will be able to find the following information:
- Your Visa Application Transaction Number (which you will need to check the progress in the processing of your application)
- Your application summary sheet (explaining where you have to send your supporting documents)
The next step is to pay the visa fee. The price for a single-entry visa is €60. For a multiple-entry visa, the cost is €100. These visa fees are non-refundable even if your application is unsuccessful or if you withdraw it.
Then, you have to start gathering documents that prove your eligibility for the Irish Business Visa. Once you have prepared all the documents, you have to send them for processing to the designated visa office whose address will show on your application summary sheet. The designated visa application office will depend on the location in which the application was made. For example, visa applicants may send their application to the Dublin visa office, an international visa office, or an Irish Embassy or Consulate in the applicant’s country of residence.
Once sent to the visa office, an immigration officer acting on behalf of the Department of Justice & Equality will review the application and make a visa decision. If the business visa application is accepted, you will receive a stamp on your passport with the Ireland business visa. If rejected, you will receive a refusal letter stating the reasons why your application was rejected.
What documents do I need to apply for an Ireland Business Visa?
The exact evidence you have to submit can vary depending on your individual circumstances but documents that all applicants need to provide include:
- Signed and dated application summary sheet
- Application letter stating the reasons for travel to Ireland and the commitment of the visa applicant to adhere to the conditions of the business visa
- Details of accommodation in Ireland
- Receipt confirming that you paid the visa application fee
- Your current passport and a photocopy of each page from any previous passports
- Two passport-sized photographs
- Proof that you have enough money to support yourself during your visit to Ireland
- Invitation letter from a customer, a business partner, or a company in Ireland detailing your intended business activities in Ireland
- Proof of ties in your home country that will make you return there after your business trip.
All documents submitted must be provided in their original form. If these documents are not in English or Irish, they will need to be accompanied by certified translations.
Is there an alternative way to come to Ireland to do business?
Another route to come to Ireland for business purposes is to apply for the Immigrant Investor Programme, intended for non-EEA citizens who want to invest large sums of money in Ireland.
Depending on the type of investment foreign citizens want to make, there are four routes that fall under the Immigrant Investor Programme:
- Enterprise Investment for those who want to invest €1 million or more in a new Irish start-up or an existing business in Ireland
- Investment Fund for those who want to invest €1 million or more in an Irish small or medium-sized business
- Real Estate Investment Fund for those who want to invest €2 million or more in any Irish Real Estate Investment Fund
- Endowments for those who want to make a donation of €500,000 or more to an organization that benefits a certain Irish community.
Investments made under the Immigrant Investor Programme have to be retained for at least three years. As for the Endowments donation, the investor must not expect to get any financial returns from it.
If you are accepted into the Immigrant Investor Programme, you will receive Stamp 4 in your passport. That means that you will be able to reside in Ireland long-term, work there without having to obtain a work permit, and access state funds and services.
How can I prove my finances?
To be able to obtain the Ireland Business Visa, you have to prove that you have enough finances to support yourself during your stay in Ireland. There is no specific minimum amount of money you need to have but an immigration official will assess your individual circumstances and decide whether your funds are enough.
To prove your finances you should submit a recent bank statement that shows the following information:
- Your name
- Your address
- Bank account number and type
- Money paid in and out over the last 6 months.
Keep in mind that it has to be officially certified by your bank. If you submit an uncertified internet statement, your application might be rejected.
How can IAS help?
At IAS our highly-qualified immigration lawyers have a thorough knowledge of Irish immigration law. They have helped many clients successfully apply for visas to Ireland, including the Ireland Business Visa.
By hiring one of our lawyers you can make sure that your business visa application has been completed to the highest standard and that you included all the required documents.
Your lawyer will answer all your questions and guide you through each step of the application process. Thanks to their help, applying for your Irish visa will be straightforward and stress-free.
To find out more about how our lawyers can help, call us today on +1 844 290 6312.
Last modified on September 8th, 2023 at 6:15 am
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Frequently Asked Questions
The Ireland Business Visa is an Irish Short Stay ‘C’ visa that allows the foreign citizen to stay in Ireland for no more than 90 days, after which the visa expires. This visa can not be extended.
An application letter is one of the supporting documents you have to submit as part of your application for the Ireland Business Visa. Your application letter has to include the following information:
- Your full name
- Your address
- Reason for your visit to Ireland
- Dates of your visit to Ireland
- Details of any family members living in Ireland or another EU/EEA country
- Statement in which you promise to obey the conditions of your visa
- Statement in which you promise not to become a burden on the state
- The commitment that you will leave Ireland after your business trip before your visa expires.
Make sure to sign and date your application letter.
The price of the Irish Business Visa depends on whether you are applying for a single-entry permit or a multiple-entry one. The former costs €60 and the latter €100. There might also be additional charges you need to pay, for example, fees for obtaining certain supporting documents or translations.
Irish Business visa applications usually take about 8 weeks to be processed once they are received by the Department of Justice & Equality. However, if your application is missing information or documents or if there is a significant backlog at the visa office where the application was sent, the processing time may take longer.