If you are coming to Ireland from outside the EU / EEA, or Switzerland and want to stay for more than 90 days, you must apply for a residence permit in Ireland and then register as soon as it is issued.
Each type of permit is illustrated with a stamp number, for example, stamp 1, stamp 2, stamp 3. Information on stamping the document can be found on the website.
The type of permit you receive is printed on the Irish Residence Permit (IRP) sent to you after successful registration. It tells you what you can do and how long you can stay in Ireland. You can use this permit for up to 60 months in Ireland.
What do you need to know about Irish residence permits?
An Irish residence permit is a small card the size of a wallet that shows that you are legally in the country through the type of immigration permit you have, represented by the brand number.
- The IRP card is not a visa, it is a travel document that allows you to travel to the state;
- The IRP card is not an identity card, but it is an important document that proves that you are legally in Ireland;
- The IRP does not give you any new rights.
You should always carry your IRP card with you and show it to the authorities if asked.
What information does the Irish Residence Permit (IRP) reflect?
This document displays basic information about you. These include:
- Your name, signature, photo, date of birth and registration number;
- A brief description of your immigration permit, including the stamp number of the permit;
- A microchip with a copy of your photo, fingerprints, and personal information.
Where to apply for a temporary residence permit in Ireland?
The place where you apply for a residence permit in Ireland depends on your place of residence:
- If you live in Ireland, you must make an appointment online and show up in person to register at the Burgh Quay registration office.
- If you live outside of Ireland, you should contact your nearest Garda registration office to arrange a meeting and appear in person.
Renewal of a temporary residence permit in Ireland
You can extend it for a maximum of seven weeks, if it is eligible for renewal. You cannot make an appointment earlier than two weeks before the permit expires. You must renew your residence permit in Ireland in the same place where you first obtained it.
Who has the right to permanent residence in Ireland?
You have the right to apply for a permanent residence in Ireland if you meet the following criteria:
- You have been a legal resident in Ireland for at least five years (60 months);
- You have lived in Ireland with a certain type of work permit, such as an Employment Permit, and have stamp 1, or stamp 4;
Additionally, you can apply for an exemption from the requirements of the Irish work permit, meaning to have the right to work without applying for an employment permit.
- Your residence permit in Ireland is valid at the time of application;
- You are employed at the time of application and will work after;
- You have a good characterization and reputation.
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Additionally, if you are the wife or a dependent of a person permanently residing in Ireland, you are also entitled to permanent residence provided that you meet the time requirements (you have spent at least 60 months of legal residence in Ireland). Before you can apply, your family member must have been issued a permanent residence under Stamp 4.
As a spouse / dependent, you will receive an immigration stamp 3 and you will not be exempted from obtaining a work permit.
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What documents are required to apply for a permanent residence permit?
When you apply for permanent residence in Ireland, you must include the following documents:
- A copy of work permits;
- A copy of your Irish Residence Permit (IRP) or GNIB card;
- Clear colored copies of the pages of your passport, including all receipts (stamps) you have received, as well as your personal information.
If you received a new passport after arriving to Ireland, attach copies of the previous passport, which contains any extracts / stamps from the Irish authorities.
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How to apply for permanent residence in Ireland?
Apply by mail
You must apply for permanent residence by post to the Long-Term Residence Division of the Irish Migration and Naturalization Service (INIS).
Bring the necessary documents. The migration service will decide if you meet the requirements for permanent residence. If you do not meet the requirements, they will report within a week.
If you meet the requirements for permanent residence in Ireland, they will start processing your application.
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Wait for the application to be processed
Once your application for permanent residence in Ireland is approved, INIS will send you a letter of approval. The letter states that you must pay a fee for a permanent residence permit in Ireland (500 Euros) for 28 days. You can pay the fee with a bank card or a postal order to the Secretary General of the Department of Justice and Equality.
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After you pay the fee, INIS will send you a letter giving you a long-term residence in Ireland with a stamp for 4 to 5 years.
Additionally, you must also visit the National Migration Board of Ireland, which will issue you a migration stamp 4 (or stamp 3 if you have applied as a spouse / dependent). INIS will also send a GNIB letter informing them of the decision and the type of seal they have allowed you to obtain.
What is the deadline for consideration of the application?
Applications for permanent residence in Ireland are processed within six to eight months. Some applications may take longer to process, depending on the circumstances.
After you have lived in Ireland for at least eight years (96 months), you may be eligible for an Irish "without condition as to time" permit.
This type of certificate, as the name implies, is not issued with a specific expiration date. It is stamped in your passport in the form of stamp 5 and is valid for the entire validity of your passport. When your passport expires and you receive a new one, you can apply to renew your stamp 5.
Who is eligible for a "without condition as to time" permit?
You are entitled to a “Without condition as to time” permit if you comply with the following conditions:
- You have been a legal resident in Ireland for at least 8 years (96 months);
- During your stay in Ireland, you had one of the following immigration stamps:
- Stamp 1
- Stamp 3
- Stamp 4
- EuFam stamp
- You are in Ireland at the time of application.
What documents are required?
Documents you must include with your application:
- Completed questionnaire;
- Colored photocopies of your passport pages showing your personal information and any immigration permits you have received;
- Also add previous passports that have Irish immigration stamps;
- A copy of your residence permit in Ireland (IRP) or GNIB card;
- Financial documents proving your permanent residence in Ireland, such as:
- P60s or P45s from the Revenue Department;
- Certificate of state aid, including pensions, from the Department of Social Protection.
How to apply for a “Without Condition As To Time” permit?
You must apply by post to the Irish Naturalization and Migration Service (INIS) in Dublin. You can only apply for the last 6 months from the date of issue of the permit.
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The application process is as follows:
- Download the application form "Application for permission to stay in the country without any conditions (stamp 5)" on the INIS website;
- Fill in the application, sign the statutory declaration, sign and date the application form;
- Add the necessary documents to your application and send them by mail to INIS.
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If your application is approved, INIS will contact you and you must submit your original passport by registered mail, where they will put your stamp 5, which states: "The owner of this passport is allowed to stay in Ireland without time limits."
You must also include enough postage stamps to cover the cost of returning your passport.
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Once you receive your passport, you need to make an appointment with the local migration service so that they can register your permit.
You will also have to pay a registration fee at your local migration service.
If you do not have a family relationship with Irish citizens, but want to become an Irish citizen, you can do so by naturalization.
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Becoming an Irish citizen through naturalization takes a significant amount of time. You must enter the country on an Irish long-stay visa (if you have an Irish visa) and obtain a residence permit in Ireland (IRP).
Who has the right to Irish citizenship through naturalization?
You have the right to become an Irish citizen by naturalization if:
- At the time of application you are 18 years old;
- You intend to live in Ireland even after obtaining citizenship;
- You have an reckonable residence place in Ireland;
- You have lived in Ireland continuously for 1 year;
- You are a spouse or civil partner of an Irish citizen and:
- You have been married for 3 years;
- You are a legal resident of Ireland;
- You have lived in Ireland for at least 3 years out of the last 5 years.
What is a reckonable residence place?
Reckonable residence place is the number of days you have lived in Ireland before you apply for Irish citizenship by naturalization.
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To obtain Irish citizenship, you must reside in Ireland:
- For at least 1825 days (five years) in total for the last nine years;
- If you are the wife / partner of an Irish citizen: at least 1095 days (three years) in total for the last five years;
- If you are not an EU / EEA / Swiss citizen, you can prove that you meet the residency requirements by adding the validity of the permit stamps. However, you can only use the following stamps when calculating your estimated residence:
- Stamp 1
- Stamp 3
- Stamp 4
- Stamp 5
This means that if you spend time in Ireland as a tourist or international student, it will not be counted towards your decent accommodation.
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How to apply for Irish citizenship by naturalization?
You must apply for Irish citizenship with the Irish Naturalization and Migration Service (INIS).
There are various application forms that you can download from their website that relate to your situation, for example:
- Form 8: Application for an adult
- Form 9: Application for an underage individual
- Form 10: Application for an underage individual of Irish descent
- Form 11: Application for an underage individual born in the state who did not have the right to citizenship at birth
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Once you have downloaded and completed the application, you must sign it. However, you can only sign your application in the presence of a person who can act as a witness (oath ombudsman, peace ombudsman, notary or legal practitioner). More information about who can be your witness can be found in your special form.
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After you sign the application form, you must return it to INIS together with all the necessary documents specified in the application form.
INIS may request additional documents during the processing of your application, so you must provide them as soon as possible so that your application is processed sooner.
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You must pay a processing fee of 175 Euros via a bank card to the Secretary-General of the Department of Justice and Equality.
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When will you get the result?
Within one week after submitting the application, you will receive a notification whether it has passed the initial stage of processing. After that, the processing time for applications for Irish citizenship is about six months. If more documents are required or you have submitted incorrect documentation, processing time will be delayed.
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If your application for Irish citizenship is approved, you will receive a notification with a confirmation letter. You must also attend the citizenship ceremony and pay the fee for the certificate:
- For ordinary applications: 950 Euros;
- For an application on behalf of an underage individual: 200 Euros;
- For a widow / widower of an Irish citizen: 200 Euros;
- Refugees and stateless individuals are free of charge.
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What documents are required to apply for Irish citizenship?
When you apply for Irish citizenship by naturalization, you must attach several documents:
- Application form, signed and dated;
- Fee for applying for Irish citizenship;
- Your current passport and any other passport you use during your stay in Ireland (originals);
- Colored photos of biometric pages of all your passports;
- Certified copy of your original birth certificate;
- Two colored photos with a caption on the back of your witness, confirming that these are your photos;
- A copy of your current immigrant registration card;
- Three different documents proving that you have lived in Ireland during each year. The documents must include your name, address and date of issue;
- Mortgage documents, lease agreements, documents confirming the lease, work letter, etc .;
- A letter from the employer stating the date of the beginning of work;
- Copies of the last 3 payment receipts;
- Copies of your P60 or income tax return for each year of your residence in Ireland;
- Copies of bank statements for three months in all your banks in Ireland, dated during the last six months;
- Evidence of marriage / civil partnership with an Irish citizen, if any;
- A copy of your online accommodation check;
- Certificate of registration with the Department of Social Protection to obtain a public service card (PSC);
Keep in mind that this is not a full list and that the documents may vary depending on your specific case. In addition, INIS may then request additional documentation if it deems it necessary.
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All required copies of documents must be in English or Irish. If they do not exist, they need to be translated. Both the original and the translation must be provided.
If you need to submit a certified copy of the document, it must be certified by a notary, oath officer or world commissioner.
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Ceremony of obtaining Irish citizenship
Once your application for Irish citizenship has been accepted and you have paid the relevant fees, you must also attend the Irish citizenship ceremony.
The citizenship ceremony is held twice a year, and you will receive an invitation 4-5 weeks before.
At the ceremony, you must sign a declaration of loyalty to Ireland, after which you will receive a passport that officially makes you a citizen of Ireland.
