What can I do if my student visa is refused?

What to do after Irish student visa refusal

It can be disappointing and frustrating if you face an Irish student visa rejection or refusal. However, you have some options available if your student is refused. These include:

• Appeal the decision
• Resubmit your application
• Apply for a different visa

If your Irish student visa is refused, you will receive a letter outlining the reasons for the refusal. If you wish to appeal, you should follow the below steps:

1. Wait to receive a decision on your visa by official letter or email
2. Identify whether you are able to appeal
3. Decide if you want to appeal the decision
4. Submit your appeal within two months of the date of the refusal letter
5. Ensure that you have addressed the reasons for the initial refusal in your appeal
6. Wait for a visa decision to be issued on your appeal

It may be a good idea to appeal especially if you believe you meet all the student visa requirements.

According to the Irish government, it is not always possible to submit a visa appeal. In some cases, you may also be blocked from reapplying for other student visas for up to five years.

This may be the case if it is found that you have provided false or misleading information on your application.

Continue reading below to find out how to appeal an Irish student visa refusal.

How to submit a visa appeal

If you wish to appeal your Irish student visa refusal, and you are eligible to appeal, you should follow the below steps:

1. Write a letter of appeal stating your intention to appeal the decision
2. Explain why your visa application should be granted
3. Refer to the reasons why your student visa applications was refused
4. Include additional relevant information
5. Sign and date the letter
6. Include any other relevant supporting documents
7. Include your passport (only if requested)
8. Include a letter of authorisation (if submitting on behalf of a third party)
9. Place all documents in a strong padded envelope
10. Send it to the Visa Appeals Officer (the address is on your letter of refusal)
11. You must submit your appeal by post
12. Wait for a decision to be issued on your appeal

You must be aged over 18 years old to submit your appeal. If you are aged under 18, your appeal must be submitted by a parent or guardian.

Ensure that your letter of appeal contains the following information:

• Full name
• Home address
• Email address
• Visa Application Transaction Number

What documents do you need for a student visa appeal?

Similar to your visa application, you are required to submit only the necessary supporting documents. These include:

• Letters from a business on company-headed paper
• Letter from a university, school or college on official headed paper
• Letters must show the name of the contact person/ representative, address, phone number, website, official email address, and written signature

All documents in a language other than English or Irish must be accompanied by an official translation.

You are not permitted to submit a photocopy of any document and they must be originals.

Government-issued documents from a country outside the EEA or Switzerland must be attested or apostilled by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of your country.

You must also specify the documents you want returned. To do this, follow these steps:

• Write a list of documents you want returned
• Include each original document you have submitted
• Include a photocopy of each original document

How much does an Irish student visa appeal cost?

If you are eligible to appeal an Irish student visa refusal, you do not need to pay a fee.

You may submit your appeal at no additional cost, however, you must ensure you submit it within the specified date.

If you do not submit on time, you may be required to pay for a new visa application.

How long is an Irish visa appeal?

In most cases, an Irish visa appeal will be decided within four to six weeks from the date of your submission.

However, this may be impacted by COVID-19. You will be given an official decision via letter from the Appeals Officer when the decision has been made.

Sample appeal letter for visa refusal in Ireland

Many people want to know what a sample appeal letter for an Irish student visa refusal looks like.

There is no set template for a letter, but below is a sample letter that can be adapted based on your circumstances.

Date: 00/00/000

Dear [Name of person who signed your refusal letter],

I am submitting an appeal against the decision not to issue my student visa. I believe I meet all the requirements of this visa and will outline them in this letter. Below are my personal details.

• Applicant name: Jane Ellen Doe
• Applicant address: Flat, Street, Town, Country
• Applicant email address: [email protected]
• Visa Applicant Transaction Number: 000000
• Application passport number: 1234567
• Applicant date of birth: 00/00/0000
• Applicant place of birth: City, Country
• Applicant phone number: 00 (00) 123456
• Type of visa refused: Student Visa
• Date of visa application: 00/00/0000
• Date of visa refusal letter: 00/00/0000

My visa refusal letter stated that my application was refused for the following reasons:

• Sample reason #1
• Sample reason #2
• Sample reason #3

I would like to address each point below.

Sample reason #1

[Explain clearly and concisely why you are eligible for the visa based on this point]

Sample reason #2

[Explain clearly and concisely why you are eligible for the visa based on this point]

Sample reason #3

[Explain clearly and concisely why you are eligible for the visa based on this point]

The documents I have included with this appeal letter include:

• Document #1 [reason why you have included this document]
• Document #2 [reason why you have included this document]
• Document #3 [reason why you have included this document]

Please note that all documents meet the rules outlined in the visa appeal documents guidelines.

[Add any additional relevant information here].

To conclude, I believe that based on the above points, I am eligible to be approved for the Student Visa. I have included the following documents as evidence for my eligibility for this visa.

Please contact me at the above contact details if you have any questions about this appeal.

Yours Sincerely,

[Written signature]

Applicant full name

Applicant email address

Applicant phone number