Short Term 'C' Exam Visa
If you need to come to Ireland to sit an exam necessary for your study or employment, you should apply for the Short Term ‘C’ Exam Visa.
For expert legal advice and assistance with submitting your application, call our lawyers at +1 844 290 6312.
Page Contents:
What is the Short Term Exam Visa?
Foreign citizens from a non-EEA or visa-required country who need to enter Ireland to sit an exam essential for their studies or job will need to obtain an Irish Short Term Exam Visa. To be eligible to receive it, however, your exam in Ireland has to be necessary for your job or studies. So, for example, you can get the Short Term Exam Visa if the exam in Ireland is a requirement of a medical course, is necessary for professional accreditation, or is a final step needed to complete an online course.
However, there might be other types of exams that allow you to receive an Irish Exam Visa. Talk to our immigration lawyers and they can assess your circumstances and help you apply.
This Irish visa allows you to spend up to 90 days in Ireland. That means that you have to sit the exam within this time frame.
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What is an Irish Short Stay Visa?
Foreign nationals who are from either a non-European Economic Area (EEA) country or a visa-required country will need an Irish visa to enter Ireland. For periods of stay that are less than 3 months long, foreign nationals can apply for a Short Stay ‘C’ Visa. This visa allows the visa holder to stay in Ireland for a period of up to 90 days.
Depending on the personal circumstances and reasons for travel, the visa applicant can apply for any one of the various Irish Short Stay visas available. It should be noted that Short Stay visas can be extended, so if you need to stay in Ireland for longer than 90 days, it is recommended that you apply for an Ireland Long Stay ‘D’ Visa.
Who is eligible for the Short Term ‘C’ Exam Visa?
If you are a citizen of an EU/EEA country, or a citizen of Switzerland, you do not have to apply for an Exam Visa to sit an exam in Ireland. If, however, you are a citizen of a non-EEA country, you need to obtain it prior to arriving in Ireland.
Non-EEA citizens who want to apply for the Short Term ‘C’ Exam Visa have to meet the following requirements:
- Be coming to Ireland to sit an exam relevant to their work or study course
- Intend to sit the exam within 90 days from arriving in Ireland
- Have ties in their home country that will make them return there after their visa expires
- Have enough funds to cover their expenses during their stay in Ireland
- Have not previously committed serious crimes or violated the conditions of any visas to Ireland.
If you are not sure whether you are eligible to apply for the Short Term ‘C’ Exam Visa, our lawyers can take a look at your situation and help you determine that.
What is the application process for the Exam Visa?
To apply for the Short Term ‘C’ Exam Visa, you have to submit an online application form through the AVATS system. In this online form, you will need to explain why you want to come to Ireland as well as provide personal details and information about the exam you intend to sit for. Make sure to include the following information:
- The name and date of the exam in Ireland
- The name of the institution that organizes the exam
- Confirmation that you have registered for the exam
- Receipt for any exam fees
- Proof that an exam is necessary for your work or studies.
In your application, you should also explain why you need to sit the exam in Ireland and not in your country of origin or another country that is not Ireland. It is important to secure a valid visa before you visit Ireland, otherwise, you will be denied entry. All Irish visa applications must be made within the visa applicant’s country of residence.
After you submit the form, you have to pay the non-refundable visa application fee of either €60 for a single-entry permit or €100 for a multiple-entry visa. This visa fee is non-refundable regardless of the outcome of the decision.
Then, you have to start gathering supporting documents that confirm your eligibility for the Exam Visa. Our lawyers can help you ensure that you prepare sufficient evidence. Once you have all the documents, you need to send them for processing to the designated visa office (An Irish Embassy or Consulate, the Dublin Visa Office, or an international visa agency).
Generally, you should hear the decision within 8 weeks but, if your case is complex or you forget to include some of the necessary information, the waiting time can take longer.
What documents do I need to submit?
Each visa applicant applying for the Short Term Exam Visa will need to include the following documents in their visa application:
- A valid passport for at least 6 months past the planned trip to Ireland
- Copies of your previous passports
- An application letter detailing the purpose of the visit to Ireland along with the dates of stay and estimated cost of the trip
- Signed and dated application summary sheet displayed after submitting the online application form
- Two passport size photographs with your name and Visa Application Transaction number written on the back
- Details of accommodation in Ireland
- Proof of having enough funds to support themselves during their visit to Ireland
- Proof of having ties abroad that will make them leave Ireland once their visa expires
- Statement in which you promise not to become a burden on the State
- Statement in which you promise not to breach the conditions of your Irish visa.
Make sure to submit original documents as photocopies will be rejected. If any of the documents are in a language that is not English, you have to have them translated by a certified translator.
The failure to provide some of the required evidence can lead to delays in the processing of your application. Including false or misleading information in your Irish visa application will result in your application being denied. You can eliminate this risk by hiring an immigration lawyer who will review your portfolio of evidence before you submit your application.
What are the limitations of the Exam Visa?
If you come to Ireland on the Short Term ‘C’ Exam Visa, you will have the right to sit an exam and remain in the country for up to 90 days. That means that if you want to visit the country after completing your exam, you are allowed to do that.
However, the Exam Visa does not allow you to do the following:
- Sit an exam that is not essential for your employment or study course
- Engage in employment
- Act as an observer in an Irish hospital
- Do unpaid work
- Use public services
- Stay in Ireland for more than 90 days.
If you do any of these activities, you will breach the conditions of your Irish visa and you might face deportation. Our lawyers can tell you in detail what you can and cannot do when you come to Ireland on a Short Term Exam Visa.
How can IAS help?
Our lawyers have a thorough knowledge of Irish immigration law and they have helped many clients successfully apply for various visas to Ireland, including the Short Term Exam Visa.
They can help you complete the online application form and prepare extensive evidence that proves your eligibility for the visa. Thanks to their professional assistance you can maximize the chances of your application being approved.
Your lawyer will be around to answer any questions and clear any doubts you might have so the whole process will be straightforward and stress-free.
Call us today at +1 844 290 6312 to find out more about how IAS can help.
Last modified on August 8th, 2023 at 10:28 am
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Frequently Asked Questions
When applying for the Exam Visa, or any other type of Irish Short Term Visas, you need to provide the following information:
- The type of visa you are applying for – make sure to choose ‘Short Term ‘C’’
- Reason for travel to Ireland – choose ‘exam’ and enter the name of your exam
- Type of permit you want to obtain – choose whether ‘single’ or ‘multiple’ entry.
Keep in mind that multiple entry visas are granted to applicants only in exceptional circumstances.
In the online form, you also have to provide personal details. Our lawyers can help you complete the application to make sure you included all the necessary information.
To be able to receive the Short Term Exam Visa, you need to prove to the immigration officer processing your visa that you have social or economic ties in your home country and will return there after your visa expires. To prove your obligation to return home you can show the following:
- Letter from an employer confirming that you have a job in your home country
- Description of your business if you are self-employed
- Proof showing that you are a student at an academic institution in a country that is not Ireland
- Documents showing that you are married or have children in your home country (marriage certificate, birth certificate, etc)
- Proof that you are renting a property in your home country (rental or tenancy agreements, etc)
Depending on your individual circumstances, there might be other ways for you to prove your obligation to return home. Hire one of our lawyers and they will tell you in detail what information you need to prepare.
Generally speaking, if you were previously refused a visa to Ireland, you can still apply for another Irish visa. Nevertheless, you need to provide an explanation of the situation and the letter you received from immigration officials where they explain the reason for the visa refusal.
There is no specific amount of money you need to have to obtain the Exam Visa to Ireland. Nevertheless, you have to demonstrate that you have enough money to support yourself and cover all the expenses during your visit to Ireland. An immigration official will assess your circumstances and determine whether the amount you have is enough.