Ireland student visa interview

At a glance

The position for this country

There is no routine in-person consular interview for an Irish study visa, but two things are effectively compulsory for Indian applicants. (1) Biometrics: ISD states that if you are "resident living in China, Hong Kong, India, Nigeria or Pakistan you are required to provide your fingerprints each time you apply for a visa to Ireland." Capture happens in person at an Irish visa application centre (VAC) operated by VFS Global, at the time you submit your documents; four fingers and thumb of each hand are electronically scanned. Refusing to give biometrics means the application "will be deemed incomplete and will be refused." Applicants are told to wait until cut/injured fingers have healed and until henna has fully faded, or the application will not be accepted. (2) Possible telephone interview: the New Delhi Visa Office states that where an application cannot be approved on initial assessment, "you, or your sponsor, may be contacted by telephone to assess the credibility of your application and address any inconsistencies", and advises applicants to save the Embassy number (011 49403200) and answer calls. Fingerprints and a photograph are also taken again in Ireland at the ISD registration appointment.

What is actually being assessed

Every student visa interview, whatever it is called, is testing one thing: whether you are a genuine student who intends to study, can afford it, and whose plan makes sense. The questions vary; that question does not.

• Why this course? An answer that could apply to any course is the most common weakness.
• Why this university, and why this country? Specific reasons, not rankings.
• Who is funding you, and how? Your answer must match your documents exactly.
• What will you do afterwards? Coherent with the course and with your background.

Preparing properly

1. Know your own application. Inconsistency with what you submitted is the fastest way to a refusal.
2. Be able to say what the course contains — modules, not just its title.
3. Know who is paying, how much, and where it came from.
4. Answer briefly and directly. Over-explaining reads as rehearsed.
5. Do not memorise answers. Credibility assessments are designed to detect exactly that.

Our mock visa interview tool at /mock-visa-interview runs these questions with feedback, which is a better use of preparation time than reading lists of questions.