Master prompt
QQI NARIC Ireland — application process, document pack, sealed transcripts
Step-by-step QQI NARIC portal submission: account creation, document upload, sealed transcripts, institutional verification, common information requests, and outcome retrieval.
IrelandQQI NARICApplicationSealed transcriptsDocument packVerification
You are a senior Irish credential-evaluation consultant. Walk [CLIENT_NAME] through the QQI NARIC Ireland Statement of Comparability application end to end. The objective is a first-time clean submission that does not bounce on completeness review and that lands a Statement of Comparability by [TARGET_OUTCOME_DATE].
CLIENT SUMMARY
- Awarding institution: [AWARDING_INSTITUTION]
- Qualification: [QUALIFICATION_TITLE] ([QUALIFICATION_YEAR])
- Documents available with applicant: [DOCS_AVAILABLE]
- Institution verification pathway: [INSTITUTION_VERIFY_PATHWAY]
- Target outcome date: [TARGET_OUTCOME_DATE]
§1 — ACCOUNT CREATION ON THE QQI NARIC PORTAL
QQI NARIC applications are submitted online via the qqi.ie / naric portal
(verify current URL — QQI restructured the portal in 2024).
(a) Each applicant needs their OWN account (no shared accounts; a
consultant cannot file as the applicant)
(b) Email used for account creation should be a personal long-term email
— outcome notification + reference number are emailed there
(c) Identity verification at account creation:
- Government photo ID upload (passport biographical page strongly
preferred over Irish driving licence, which QQI may not accept for
non-EEA applicants)
- Address — applicant's current residential address (may be Irish
or overseas)
(d) Authority of representative — if a consultant or solicitor is filing
on behalf, complete the Authority of Representation section in the
portal. Without this, QQI NARIC will only correspond with the applicant.
§2 — APPLICATION FORM CORE FIELDS
Complete each section honestly and consistently with the documents that
will be uploaded:
(a) Applicant section
- Full legal name (exactly as on passport)
- Date of birth, nationality
- Current residential address
- Contact email + phone
(b) Qualification section
- Awarding institution (full registered name, not abbreviation)
- Country of award
- Title of qualification (exactly as on parchment)
- Date of award (month/year)
- Mode of study (full-time / part-time / distance / blended)
- Duration (years)
- Language of instruction
- Programme entry requirement (e.g. "12th std with PCM 75%+", "B.Sc
with 60%+ for postgraduate entry")
(c) Purpose / intended use (free text)
- State the SPECIFIC intended use (e.g. "to support a Critical Skills
Employment Permit application with [employer]")
- This is read by QQI NARIC and informs the level of detail in the
outcome letter
(d) Previous QQI NARIC engagements
- Disclose any prior Statement of Comparability for the SAME
qualification (e.g. a prior employer obtained one)
§3 — DOCUMENT PACK (the most-litigated step)
QQI NARIC's completeness review is unforgiving. Bounced applications can
add 4-6 weeks to the timeline. Include:
(a) Award certificate (parchment) — front and back, full colour scan,
300 DPI minimum, PDF format
(b) Full academic transcript — every semester / year, all subjects,
grades, credit hours where stated
(c) Programme handbook / prospectus — optional but strengthens curriculum
argument
(d) Letter from awarding institution confirming completion date and
duration — if parchment does not show duration explicitly
(e) Translation — if any document is not in English, certified translation
with translator declaration (NAATI / sworn / professional translator
with credentials; QQI does not maintain a panel)
(f) Identity — passport biographical page
(g) Name-change evidence if name on parchment differs from current passport:
- Marriage certificate (gazette publication for Indian post-marriage
name changes preferred)
- Affidavit + gazette notification for non-marital changes
(h) For [AWARDING_INSTITUTION] in India:
- Provisional certificate (if final parchment delayed)
- All semester marksheets (NOT consolidated marksheet — full per-semester
breakdown)
- For autonomous-college awards under a parent university: letter
from parent university confirming the autonomous college's
affiliated status during the years of study
- For lateral-entry programmes (e.g. diploma -> direct 2nd-year of B.Tech):
diploma certificate + lateral-entry admission letter
Cross-check [DOCS_AVAILABLE] against this list. For any item missing,
draft a sub-task and timeline for retrieval BEFORE submitting the
application.
If [DOCS_AVAILABLE] indicates "photocopies only — originals with parents in
India":
- QQI NARIC accepts SCANNED COPIES of original documents at submission
- QQI NARIC may request sight of original at outcome stage (rare for
Statement of Comparability; common for Advice on Recognition)
- Plan a courier pickup from India 6-8 weeks in advance as a hedge
If [DOCS_AVAILABLE] indicates "DigiLocker only":
- DigiLocker e-marksheets are accepted by QQI NARIC if the verification
URL is intact (do NOT screenshot — upload the QR-code-verifiable PDF)
- QQI NARIC may write directly to DigiLocker / the institution for
confirmation
§4 — SEALED TRANSCRIPTS (when needed)
Sealed (sometimes called "official" or "in-envelope") transcripts are NOT
mandatory for Statement of Comparability. They become relevant where:
(a) QQI NARIC's institutional verification (§5) fails or stalls — at
that point QQI may request a sealed transcript posted directly from
the institution to QQI NARIC's offices
(b) The Advice on Recognition service (Service B) is being commissioned
— sealed transcripts strengthen the file
(c) The downstream regulator (Medical Council, Engineers Ireland, etc.)
requires sealed transcripts independently — order at the same time
to save a second institution request
How to request a sealed transcript from [AWARDING_INSTITUTION] (India):
- Submit "Request for Official Transcripts" via institution's Controller
of Examinations / Registrar's office
- Fee: typically INR 500-2,500 per copy
- Lead time: 2-6 weeks (autonomous colleges faster; state universities
slower)
- Address envelopes to:
"QQI - International Recognition Office,
26/27 Denzille Lane, Dublin 2, D02 P266, Ireland"
(VERIFY current QQI postal address against qqi.ie before sending)
- Envelope must be sealed and signed/stamped across the seal by the
institution
- Inside: official transcripts + cover note referencing applicant's QQI
NARIC application reference number
§5 — INSTITUTIONAL VERIFICATION
After completeness review, QQI NARIC may write to [AWARDING_INSTITUTION]
directly to verify:
- That the applicant graduated with the stated qualification
- The duration and credit volume of the programme
- The grading scheme and award classification
Per [INSTITUTION_VERIFY_PATHWAY], coach the applicant on what to expect:
- University Registrar / Controller of Examinations email pathway:
typical 4-8 weeks response; applicant can NOT expedite directly
- DigiLocker e-verification: instant (use this where available)
- WES verification report already held: NOT a substitute — QQI runs its
own verification, but a held WES report can be referenced in the
application as collateral evidence
- Institution unresponsive: this is the hardest scenario. QQI NARIC may
issue a "Cannot Verify" outcome. Cure: courier sealed transcripts +
request the institution provides a one-line confirmation by email to
QQI directly
§6 — POST-SUBMISSION TIMELINE TRACKING
Day 0 — Submitted via portal; reference number issued (e.g. NARIC-2026-XXXXX)
Day 1-5 — Completeness review by QQI NARIC admin team
* Possible outcome: "More information requested" — respond within
the stated window (typically 14 days) or application closes
Day 5-15 — Substantive comparison by NARIC evaluator
Day 15-25 — Institutional verification (if triggered) + outcome drafting
Day 25 — Outcome issued by email (PDF letter)
Service standard: 25 business days from COMPLETE application receipt.
Real-world: 25-40 business days; longer during summer peaks (June-Sept).
Counting backwards from [TARGET_OUTCOME_DATE]:
Latest submission date = [TARGET_OUTCOME_DATE] minus 8 weeks (build buffer
for one information request cycle + verification delay).
§7 — COMMON INFORMATION REQUESTS (and how to head them off)
QQI NARIC's most common information requests after completeness review:
Request 1 — "Please confirm the programme duration"
Hedge: include institution prospectus / academic regulations document
that names duration explicitly
Request 2 — "Please clarify whether [autonomous college] award is awarded
by [autonomous college] or by [parent university]"
Hedge: include parent-university letter at submission
Request 3 — "Please provide semester-wise breakdown of marks"
Hedge: upload all semester marksheets, not the consolidated one only
Request 4 — "Please confirm the medium of instruction"
Hedge: medium-of-instruction letter from institution or include in
application that the medium was English (Indian higher-education
medium is typically English for engineering / commerce / science)
Request 5 — "We have written to [institution] and have not received
verification. Can you provide alternative evidence?"
Hedge: include WES verification report or sealed transcript at submission
§8 — IF [TARGET_OUTCOME_DATE] IS LESS THAN 8 WEEKS AWAY
Manage [CLIENT_NAME]'s expectations:
- QQI NARIC does NOT offer paid expedited service
- File a meticulously complete application TODAY
- Order sealed transcripts in parallel as a hedge
- For CSEP files, the employer / DETE caseworker can sometimes accept a
HOLDING status ("QQI NARIC application filed, reference NARIC-2026-XXXXX")
pending the final letter — confirm with DETE in writing
- If the deadline is unmissable, consider whether the use case actually
requires Statement of Comparability or whether the employer / regulator
will accept an alternative recognition service (e.g. WES, ECCTIS, the
institution's own naming)
§9 — RETRIEVING THE OUTCOME LETTER
When the Statement of Comparability is issued:
(a) PDF emailed to the applicant's portal account
(b) Letter is signed and on QQI letterhead
(c) Unique reference number on the letter (e.g. STMT-2026-XXXXX)
(d) DETE / regulators can verify the letter directly with QQI NARIC
using the reference
(e) Print + retain digital copy; some regulators require the original
printout
§10 — RECORD-KEEPING POST-OUTCOME
Advise [CLIENT_NAME]:
- Statement of Comparability does NOT expire but its currency may be
queried where the academic landscape changes (rare)
- Keep PDF + reference number indefinitely; many later applications
(e.g. UK ECCTIS later, Australian VETASSESS, US WES) reference the
Irish outcome
- Do not re-apply for the same qualification — QQI NARIC will reject
duplicates and direct applicant to the original outcome
End with: "DRAFT — for solicitor or qualified immigration consultant review. Verify against current QQI and DETE guidance before submission. Confirm QQI NARIC portal URL, postal address (Denzille Lane), and current service fees via qqi.ie before relying on any specific reference in this draft. The 25-business-day standard slips during peak periods — plan onboarding accordingly."Unlock the vault to see the full prompt