Application Requirements for Irish Business Visa
Persons wishing to travel to Ireland to conduct business should apply for a business visa.
You are not entitled to work in Ireland, but you may conduct business, and you must intend to leave after a maximum of 90 days stay.
It is not possible to change your status while in Ireland.
If you are a visa-required national and going to Ireland for a business meeting you should present the following with your visa application:
Personal documents and fee
- Passport, valid for 6 months after your intended date of departure from the State. Please include 2 photocopies of the passport bio page. If you have held a previous passport, you must submit your previous passport with your application.
- Signed summary of your on-line application form. Please refer to our how to apply page for details.
- 2 passport sized colour photos taken in the past six months that meet our specifications.
- A signed letter of application outlining the nature and duration of your visit to Ireland and including contact details.
- Photocopy and official English translation of applicant's hukou
Please follow these links for information on Visa Fees & VFS service charge and payment methods.
Please follow the link to find the application centre most convenient to you – information on Visa Application Centers.
Other documents
- An original letter and a copy of invitation from a company in Ireland which states the applicant's name, date of birth and passport number. This letter should detail the nature and duration of the proposed business visit and state who will bear responsibility for the applicant's accommodation and maintenance costs while in Ireland. The letter should also include a contact name and his/her contact information and details for the company in Ireland.
- An original letter from the applicant's employer or company in China, which states the applicant's name, date of birth and passport number and also his or her position in the company. This letter should detail the nature and duration of the business trip and also state who will bear responsibility of costs during the applicant's time in Ireland. Please note that information on previous business relations between the two companies or information on how they came in contact should also be included in this letter.
- Photocopy and official translation of the business licence of the applicant's company.
- If you are personally responsible for the costs of this trip, submit evidence of your personal finances – a detailed statement of your bank account covering a six-month period immediately prior to your visa application is required. You must also explain why you are undertaking this trip at your own expense.
- Evidence of insurance cover will help us decide your application. If we grant you a visa you should show proof of medical/travel insurance when you arrive at the port of entry.
All letters submitted should be on official company headed paper and give full contact details for verification purposes. These must include a full postal address, name of contact, position in company, telephone number (landline) and email address where relevant. (Email addresses such as Yahoo or Hotmail are not accepted). Website address should also be included, if applicable.
Please note the above list is not exhaustive. Applications must include all relevant information.
If you are visiting another country prior to travelling to Ireland, the relevant visa for that country must be obtained before applying for an Irish visa.
Please note that any document submitted in Chinese, must be accompanied by an official English translation.
You are required to provide a copy of all original documents.
We will make a decision on your application as soon as possible however, please allow 5 working days for your application to be processed.
It is strongly recommended not to purchase travel tickets prior to a decision being made on your visa application. Doing so may lead to unnecessary additional costs in circumstances where a visa is not granted.
Before you complete your visa application please thoroughly read the information contained in General Information for all applications.
Setting up a business in Ireland:
Applicants intending to set up a business in Ireland must present a letter of permission to do so from the Department of Justice and Equality. A visa application will not be considered until such permission is obtained. Please see www.inis.gov.ie for details.
Establishing business links with Ireland
Enterprise Ireland is the Irish government agency responsible for the development of Irish industry and is the gateway to Ireland for international companies looking for world-class suppliers. Enterprise Ireland is the trade and technology board of the Irish government with an overseas network of 33 international offices.
