Visa and immigration

Not all international students require an entry visa for Ireland.

The list of nationalities that require a visa to enter Ireland and full information on applying for a visa are available on the Irish Immigration website.

Students who require an Irish visa to study in Ireland are advised to apply for a multi-entry Long Stay ‘D’ visa if available. Otherwise, a single-entry visa will suffice. Details on how to apply for a Long Stay 'D' visa are available here.

How to register for an Irish Residence Permit

Students applying for an Irish Residence Permit (IRP) for the first time, must use the online customer portal to book an appointment to register at the Immigration Service Delivery (ISD) Registration Office, Burgh Quay, Dublin. This is a self-service portal where students can book and amend first-time registration appointments.

The self-service portal will also allow students to check the status of their applications, and to raise queries.

Students must make an appointment with the ISD within 90 days of arrival in Ireland to obtain an IRP.

Your IRP appointment

You must have commenced your course and be fully registered with the University before you can obtain a registration letter (TWIC) from the Student Academic and Regulatory Affairs (SARA) office. Therefore, please do not book your IRP appointment before you commence your studies as you will not be in a position to fulfil the criteria.

Once you have secured an appointment, you will receive a confirmation email. Please bring a copy of this email with you when you arrive at the ISD office. The confirmation email contains a link to a list of documents you will also need to bring with you on the day of your IRP appointment.

Students registering for an IRP for the first time are fingerprinted (similar to border control at the airport) and are required to bring the following documents with them to the INIS office:

  • A copy of your appointment email confirmation.
  • Valid passport (and entry visa, if required).
  • Your RCSI student card (issued to you when you begin your course).
  • Evidence of financial support (students from countries that require visas do not have to provide evidence of financial support as this will have been addressed as part of the visa application process):
    – A current bank statement showing your name and balance of at least €10,000; or
    – A letter of guarantee from a parent or guardian indicating availability of sufficient funds to support you during your stay in Ireland; or
    – A letter from your sponsoring body confirming financial status.
  • A registration letter (TWIC) from the University’s SARA office (please request this letter after registration from the SARA office via your Moodle account).
  • A receipt of fees paid from the Student Fees office.
  • Evidence of private medical insurance, or travel insurance that meets the minimum requirements as outlined in the Private Medical Insurance section on the INIS website.
  • Credit/debit card (fee is €300).

Remember:

  • You cannot register with the ISD until AFTER you have commenced your academic programme in RCSI.
  • Always cancel an appointment if you cannot attend for any reason; ISD will then offer the slot to another applicant.
  • Should you have any difficulty obtaining an appointment, please submit a query via the online customer portal.