How do I renew my student visa?

Students must be resident in Ireland to renew their registration with immigration.

The visa renewal service is available online for students living in Dublin and whose IRP card recently expired or is due to expire within 12 weeks. The service is only available to students that need to renew their registration and is not available for students registering for the first time. Please note that due to COVID-19 there are backlogs in visa renewals and this can take a few weeks for immigration to process.

Students living outside of Dublin will need to renew their visa at their local Garda station.

Some scenarios where students need to renew their visa,

• Undergraduate Students that are progressing to the next academic year,
• New students who are resident in Ireland with a valid student permission (stamp 2 visa) which they need to renew
• Students who do not complete their studies within the original timeline as they are repeating some modules or are returning following an approved deferral.
• Masters Students for School of Business from the January intake. New international students must first register in person with immigration, and they will receive their visa for 12-15 months. These students must then renew their visa again until they graduate, and it is this renewal that they must complete online.
• Students who were suspended and are now returning to complete their programme.

Checklist for visa renewal

1. Register - You must be registered with NCI for the academic year and have paid your tuition fees.
2. Buy Medical Insurance - Students who are renewing their student visa must purchase medical insurance from an Irish provider. For more information on insurance see NCI website.
3. Request a visa renewal letter from international support - Request an NCI visa renewal letter by completing the letter request form and submitting it to International Support on the NCI Support Hub. Letters are issued to students within two working days however, if any details are missing from the letter request form, it will delay the process. 
4. Additional documents - Immigration may request additional documents to illustrate why you didn't complete as planned. These documents might include a copy of your results, fees receipts or medical certificates.  A copy of your transcripts is available on your Mydetails account or can be requested via the exams office.   Fees receipts can be requested from fees@ncirl.ie

Online Renewal Process

• Go to the Irish Immigration website for visa renewal.
• Submit your renewal application online uploading all supporting documents and paying the fee.
• Scan and upload the page in your passport that contains your personal details.
• Once your application is processed you will receive your new IRP card in the post a few weeks later.

The decision to renew the student visa is up to the immigration officer dealing with a student’s individual case.

Students may not get their visa renewed following their application but may be asked to send their request to Unit 1 Extension of Student Permission in Burgh Quay. Students should email Unit 1 at
unit1residencedivision@justice.ie explaining why they did not complete as planned (e.g. sick and provide evidence) and give details when they will complete their studies.

NCI cannot lobby immigration or intervene on behalf of students regarding their student visa

If you have any queries for immigration, you must email immigrationsupport@justice.ie.

Recently Graduated? Please see How do I apply for the 1G visa?