IrelandVisits and short stays

Ireland conference, event and performance visa

Short stay 'C' conference/event and performance/tournament visas

In short

Visa-required travellers going to a conference, trade event, performance, exam, interview or sports tournament in Ireland apply for a short stay 'C' visa in the matching AVATS category. The key document is an original letter from the organiser confirming your attendance, the dates and that registration fees are paid. The fee is €60 single entry and the stay is limited to 90 days.

Apply on AVATS – Automated Visa Application and Tracking System checked 23 October 2026

Key facts

Maximum stay
Up to 90 days; the immigration officer at the border writes the permitted date on the landing stamp and may give less.
Validity
Single or multiple entry. Multiple-entry visas are issued only in limited cases, usually to applicants with a good record of earlier travel to Ireland.
Fee
€60Single entry €60, multiple entry €100 (ISD fee table, page updated 25 February 2025). Not refunded on refusal or withdrawal. A visa application centre, where used, charges its own service fee on top, even for fee-exempt applicants.
Funds required
€0 for the stayNo minimum; show 6 months of statements or a sponsor’s letter with proof of means for minors and people without income.
Processing time
Decisions are made in date order; the general guide is about 8 weeks from the date the visa office receives the file, longer if documents are missing or need checking.
Work
No work in Ireland. Paid performers or athletes need the performance/tournament route or the relevant work permission.
Family
Every traveller, including each child, needs an individual application; Ireland issues no family or group visas.
Path to permanent residence
No. A visit visa cannot be extended into residence; long stays need a separate long-stay D application from abroad.
Where to apply
Online on AVATS from the country where you legally live, then documents to the Irish embassy, consulate or visa office named on your AVATS summary, or the visa application centre it uses.

Which category to choose

ISD runs a conference/event visa for delegates and visitors to organised events, and a performance/tournament visa for artists and sports people taking part. Exams and interviews are short visits too. All are short stay C visas with the same fees and 90-day limit.

Organiser letter and supporting papers

The organiser’s letter on headed paper must confirm that you will attend, describe the nature, place, dates and length of the event, state that the registration fee is paid and give a phone number, business address and email. A separate letter is needed for each event. If the conference is part of your studies, add your enrolment proof and a letter from your university supporting your attendance.

Minors and people without their own income add a sponsorship letter from a parent or other person, with proof of that person’s professional status and means.

Required documents

Identity

  • Passport valid for at least 6 months after the intended arrival date, with at least two blank pages, plus copies of every stamped or visa page and of all previous passports
  • Two colour photos, 35x45 mm, not older than 6 months, with your name and AVATS transaction number on the back

Travel

  • Confirmed hotel reservation for the whole stay, matching your flights

Money

  • Bank statements for the last 6 months; savings accounts only with a bank letter confirming you can withdraw; large recent deposits explained

Work

  • Proof of occupation: employer letter on letterhead, last 3 payslips and official social insurance or employment records; company registration and tax documents for business owners; pension proof for retirees; enrolment letter for students

Family

  • Civil status documents showing your family situation, such as birth and marriage certificates or a family register extract where your country issues one

Insurance

  • Travel health insurance covering emergency care, hospital treatment and repatriation for the whole stay

Other

  • AVATS application summary sheet, printed, signed and dated
  • Signed application letter in English: purpose, dates, where you stay, who pays, family members in Ireland, the UK or the EU, and your undertaking to respect the visa conditions and leave on time
  • Statement of your migration history and the original letter of any previous visa refusal by any country, with translation
  • Original letter from the organiser on headed paper confirming attendance, event details, dates and paid registration

Supporting documents (where they apply)

Money

  • Sponsorship letter and the sponsor’s proof of status and means, for minors or applicants without income

Study

  • For study-related conferences: enrolment proof and a supporting letter from your university

Applying

Create the AVATS application with the conference/event or performance/tournament reason, print the summary, and submit everything to the Irish embassy, consulate or visa office named on your AVATS summary, or the visa application centre it uses, with its checklist on top. Apply early: ISD advises applying about 3 months ahead, and events do not speed up processing.

  1. Create the application on AVATS and choose the 'C' short-stay type with reason for travel 'Conference/Event'; note the Visa Application Transaction Number.
  2. Print, sign and date the summary sheets; the summary names the Irish embassy, consulate or visa office that handles your file.
  3. Collect originals in the order of the checklist of the office handling your file and have every document not in English translated, with the translator’s name, signature, date and contact details.
  4. Submit the file and pay the visa fee as the summary instructs, directly to the office or through the visa application centre it uses, which may add its own service fee.
  5. Do not buy non-refundable tickets; check the published visa decisions with your transaction number.
  6. Collect your passport as instructed and carry copies of your supporting documents to the border, where an immigration officer decides on entry and stamps the permitted stay.

At the border and during the stay

A visa only allows you to travel; the immigration officer decides on entry and stamps the date by which you must leave. Ireland does not stamp passports on exit, so keep boarding passes as proof. Travel or medical insurance does not have to be filed with every application, but you must show it on arrival if asked.

Visitor permission can be extended only after an unforeseen change of circumstances, such as being medically unfit to travel; a request beyond 90 days goes to Immigration Service Delivery and, if approved, a €300 registration fee applies.

Refusals and reapplying

From 1 June 2026 a refused short-stay visa can no longer be appealed; the only appeals still possible in the short-stay category are those of family members of EU, EEA or Swiss citizens under the Free Movement Directive. The refusal letter lists the reasons, and a new AVATS application with a new fee is the way forward.

Hiding an earlier refusal from any country leads to refusal, and false or misleading documents can result in a ban on applying for an Irish visa for up to 5 years.

Frequently asked questions

I am going to a job interview in Ireland. Which visa?

A short stay C visa; bring a letter from the inviting company or university.

Do I need separate letters for two conferences?

Yes. ISD asks for a separate letter from each conference organiser.

Can a band or sports team apply together?

No. Each member applies individually on AVATS, although the files can be lodged at the same time.

What if the event is in less than 8 weeks?

Applications are processed in date order and are expedited only in emergencies such as serious illness or bereavement, so an event date alone is not a reason to speed up.

Official sources

Summarised from the official sources above. Rules, fees and processing times change: confirm with the embassy or the official portal before you apply.

Other visa types for Ireland

Visits and short stays

  • Tourist visa Maximum stay: Up to 90 days; the immigration officer at the border writes the permitted date on the landing stamp and may give less.
  • Family and friends visit visa Maximum stay: Up to 90 days; the immigration officer at the border writes the permitted date on the landing stamp and may give less.
  • Transit visa Maximum stay: No stay: a transit visa only allows passage through an Irish airport or seaport to another country.
  • Medical treatment visa Maximum stay: Up to 90 days; the immigration officer at the border writes the permitted date on the landing stamp and may give less.

Business and self-employment

  • Business visa Maximum stay: Up to 90 days; the immigration officer at the border writes the permitted date on the landing stamp and may give less.
  • Entrepreneur and start-up visa Maximum stay: 2 years at first, renewed for 3 years, then in 5-year instalments.

Study and training

  • Student visa Maximum stay: Permission follows the course; the total time on student permission is capped at 7 years (8 years including the graduate stage for level 9 graduates).
  • Language course visa Maximum stay: Up to 8 months of permission per course; at most three courses, two years in total, after which only a higher education programme can be continued.
  • Researcher visa Maximum stay: As long as the hosting agreement and the registered permission run.
  • Internship and trainee visa Maximum stay: Unpaid: up to 90 days, with no extension. Paid via Internship Employment Permit: up to 12 months. Paid via AWS: up to 12 months.

Work

  • Work visa Maximum stay: Initial permit up to 2 years, renewable for up to 3 more years; after 5 years a permit is generally no longer needed.
  • Skilled worker visa Maximum stay: Issued for 2 years; it is not renewed but replaced by Stamp 4 permission from the Department of Justice.
  • Intra-company transfer visa Maximum stay: Up to 24 months initially, extendable to a maximum stay of 5 years; trainees up to 12 months.
  • Job seeker visa Maximum stay: 12 months for level 8; up to 24 months (12 + 12) for level 9 and above, within the 7-year (level 8) or 8-year (level 9+) limit on student permission.

Family

Residence

  • Retirement visa Maximum stay: Temporary permission renewed on a TPER renewal form while you remain financially independent.
  • Residence permit Maximum stay: The IRP card is valid for the period of the permission granted (for example one academic year on Stamp 2, two years on Stamp 4).
  • Permanent residence Maximum stay: Stamp 4 usually 2 years at a time; Long Term Residency 5 years; Stamp 5 valid until your passport expires.

Protection

  • Asylum and international protection Maximum stay: While the application and any appeal are pending you may stay as an applicant; recognised refugees and subsidiary protection holders receive a residence permission.

Ireland visa guide