Irish Study Visa Guide for Bangladeshi Applicants

Irish Study Visa from Bangladesh

Complete guide to applying for an Irish study visa from Bangladesh

For latest please see https://www.ireland.ie/en/india/newdelhi/services/visas/visa-documentation/

Complete check list is at this link click here

Student information leaflet is at this link click here

Irish Study Visa Checklist (from Bangladesh)

This checklist outlines the required documents and specific application procedures for residents of Bangladesh, based on information from the New Delhi Visa Office (NDVO).

Phase 1: Pre-Application & Timing

Online Application (AVATS): First, complete your application online via the AVATS system. Print and sign the completed application form.
When to Apply: You can submit your visa application up to five months before your course start date. It is highly recommended to apply as soon as you have your unconditional offer and all supporting documents.

Phase 2: Required Document Checklist

Document Category	Requirements
Core Application Forms
AVATS Application Form	The printed, signed, and dated summary form from the online application. AVATS Application Form
Completed Checklist	A printed copy of this completed checklist. Complete check list is at this link
Application Letter (Statement of Purpose)	A letter outlining your reasons for travelling to Ireland, choosing your course, and your provider. You must also state whether you have any family or friends in Ireland or the UK and, if so, list their details.
Identity and Travel Documents
Visa Application Letter	Required for visa application
Passport Photos	Two photos that meet the specified requirements.
Current Passport	Must be valid for at least 12 months after your intended arrival date in Ireland.
Previous Passports	Photocopies of the biographic pages and all pages with visas or stamps from any previous passports. Blank pages do not need to be copied.
Education and Course
Letter of Acceptance	A valid, unconditional offer letter from your educational institution for a course listed on the Interim List of Eligible Programmes (ILEP).
Proof of Fee Payment	Evidence that you have paid the required fees. If course fees are €6,000 or less, you must pay them in full before applying. If course fees are more than €6,000, you must pay at least €6,000 before applying.
Fee Transfer Evidence	Copies of the Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) to the institution's Irish bank or a valid receipt from an approved payment service.
Educational Qualifications	All qualification awards and individual semester mark sheets to prove you can undertake the chosen course.
English Language Certificate	A certificate from an accepted test provider. This is compulsory, and failure to submit it will result in refusal.
Employment History	(If applicable) Evidence of your employment history since leaving full-time education, such as letters from employers and recent payslips.
Financial Evidence
Financial Summary Form (FSF)	You must submit the completed FSF .
Bank Statements	Personal: You must submit six months of your personal bank statements. Sponsor: You must submit six months of bank statements for any declared sponsor (ideally salary accounts).
Sponsor Documents	Signed letters of sponsorship and copies of your sponsors' national identity documents.
Tax Returns	Verifiable Income Tax Return (ITR) acknowledgments should be submitted for all appropriate parties (i.e., yourself and your sponsors).
Multi-Year Courses	You must show immediate access to funds for Year 1 (fees + cost of living) and "ready access" (e.g., loans, savings, sponsor income) for all subsequent years.
Student Loans	If using a loan, the sanction letter alone is not sufficient. You must submit original loan documentation. If property is used as collateral, the property deeds must be submitted.
Inadmissible Funds	Volatile funds like cryptocurrencies, stocks, or market-linked funds are not accepted. Gold valuations are also not accepted unless the gold has been liquidated into a bank account or converted to a gold loan.
Other Documents
CV	A comprehensive CV detailing full academic background and professional experience.
Private Medical Insurance	Evidence of private medical insurance cover is required.
Police Clearance Certificate (PCC)	You must provide a PCC for any country where you held residence permission in the five years prior to your application.
Previous Visa Refusals	You must provide a letter detailing any previous visa refusals from any country, along with the original refusal letters. Failure to disclose refusals will result in a ban.

Required Documents Summary

Core Application Forms

AVATS Application Form (printed, signed, and dated)
Completed visa checklist
Application Letter/Statement of Purpose

Identity and Travel Documents

Two recent passport photos
Current passport (valid for 12+ months)
Previous passports (photocopies of relevant pages)

Education and Course Documents

Unconditional offer letter (ILEP-listed course)
Proof of fee payment
Fee transfer evidence (EFT or receipt)
Educational qualifications and mark sheets
English language certificate
Employment history (if applicable)

Financial Evidence

Financial Summary Form (FSF)
Six months of personal bank statements
Six months of sponsor bank statements
Sponsor letters and ID copies
Income Tax Return (ITR) acknowledgments
Student loan documentation (if applicable)

Phase 3: Payment & Lodgement (Bangladesh Specific)

How to Pay:

Payment must be made by an INR Demand Draft made out to the "Embassy of Ireland."
Note: You will need to approach banks in Bangladesh to arrange this. Banks to check with include Sonali Bank, BRAC Bank, and Pubali Bank. They may require your offer letter, AVATS form, and passport copy to issue the draft.

Where to Lodge Application:

Option 1 (Direct Post): Post your complete application (documents and INR Demand Draft) directly to the Irish Embassy in New Delhi.
Option 2 (Agent): Use a third-party agent in Kolkata who can lodge the application at the VFS centre in Kolkata.

Passport Submission:

Your passport must be posted to the Irish Embassy in New Delhi.
Note: You should check with courier services like DHL to confirm they can send passports to this address.

Phase 4: Processing & Passport Return

Processing Time:

Current estimate: Study visa applications are taking 4-8 weeks.
Appeals: Appeals are taking approximately 6 months.
(Source: ireland.ie/en/india/newdelhi/services/visas/processing-times-and-decisions/)

Visa Decisions:

The NDVO publishes a list of visa outcomes daily (around 11:00 AM IST).
You can check for your application number here: https://www.ireland.ie/en/india/newdelhi/services/visas/processing-times-and-decisions/#Decisions

Passport Return:

This is a critical step. You must arrange your own collection from VFS in Delhi or Kolkata.
Note: If your visa is approved, you will likely need to arrange this via a contact or a third-party service.

Ireland Visa Application Process

1 Fees & Payment Methods

Visa Fee

INR 9,000

This fee must be paid by Demand Draft only.

VFS Service Charge

INR 3,518

This charge can be paid at the VFS Kolkata center using Cash, Card, or Online payment methods.

2 Application Submission Requirements

In-Person Submission Required

Third-party submission is not permitted for the Ireland visa application. The applicant must attend the VFS Kolkata center in person to submit their application.

Exception/Inability to Travel

If an applicant is unable to travel to the VFS Kolkata center, they must get in touch with the embassy directly by email at ndvi@dfa.ie to discuss their situation.