How To Apply For Ireland Permanent Residency in 2024

You might have noticed an increase in Ireland's international student population, now at an astonishing 32,000. Enticed by the country's beauty, culture and benefits, several students settle in Ireland, requiring an Ireland Permanent Residence Permit. Suppose you are interested in settling in Ireland. In that case, this guide will tell you everything you need to know about the benefits, process, and requirements of obtaining Ireland Permanent Residency, also known as Ireland PR. 

Why get an Ireland PR?

Now that you've understood the steps and requirements, let's take a look at the benefits of getting an Ireland PR after you've completed your study:

1. Easy to set up a business 

You might need to conduct exchanges around Europe to build your own business. You would need an Ireland PR for this. This would help you easily trade goods and services across 28 states of Ireland. 

2. Tax Perks

With one of Europe's lowest tax rates, Ireland is an obvious choice for businesses and individuals. 

3. Frequent Visits

Holding an Ireland PR means there are no restrictions on returning to the country, unlike a Stamp 4 permit, which requires you to return within 90 days from your date of departure from Ireland.

4. Great salary

With a national average annual wage of just under €39,000, Ireland is no doubt a dream for those planning on working here. Their average salary is high, and employers even provide their employees health and life insurance. 

5. Cost of living

Post Ireland's late 2000s economic downturn, the country's cost of living significantly decreased compared to other European countries. Ireland's capital city, Dublin, is one of the best student cities with a low cost of living with amazing student accommodation. Read our good to know the best areas to live in Dublin to live a happening student life. The same goes for Belfast, which has impressive student life despite a relatively low living cost. Read our blog, the best things to do in Belfast and sort your weekend plans accordingly.

6. Multicultural

Ireland is home to a large international population, including German, Spanish, and Polish workers who relocated to the country drawn by the large multinational corporations present here.

Types of Student Visas in Ireland

There are two types of student visas that international students wishing to study in Ireland can apply for:

C study visa: The C study visa is for students who wish to study in Ireland for less than three months. With the short-stay visa, you can participate in a training program or a 90 days or less course. 

D study visa: The D study visa is for students who have enrolled for a course longer than three months. International students usually opt for this long-stay visa.

You must have the required score in an approved English language proficiency test like IELTS or TOEFL to get your student visa which is mandatory for university admission. Some universities accept PTE and Duolingo English test scores as well.

To get your student visa, you must have the required score in an approved English language proficiency test such as IELTS or TOEFL. This is also mandatory for university admission. Some universities even accept scores from the PTE or the Duolingo English test.

If you are from a non-EU or non-EEA country, you must get an Ireland residence permit to stay more than three months. You must apply for a residence permit at the nearest Garda National Immigration Bureau (GNIB), a unit of Ireland's national police force. The cost of registration fee of 300 Euros. 

What happens if my application is approved?

You will receive a letter from Immigration Service Delivery upon your application's approval. You must pay €500 within 28 days from the date mentioned in the letter. After receiving the fee, you will be issued a letter permitting you. You must make an appointment with the local immigration office to register the permission and pay the registration fee.

What happens if my application is refused?

If your Ireland PR application is refused, the Irish Immigration Service will send you a letter stating why. There is no appeal process available. You can re-apply for Long Term Residency at any time. You should carefully consider the reasons behind your previous application's refusal.

Who can apply for Ireland PR?

You're probably curious to know if you can even apply for Ireland Permanent Residency, so let's examine the eligibility criteria. You have to:

• Have legally resided in Ireland for at least 60 months, which equals five years. Any time you might have spent outside Ireland during those five years would not count towards your 'reckonable residence.'
• Have lived in the country with a work permit and have either a Stamp 1 or a Stamp 4 on your passport. 
• Have a valid residence permit at the time of application.
• Be employed at the time or plan on doing so in the future. 
• Are a spouse or dependant of a permanent Irish resident and have spent at least 60 months as a legal resident in Ireland. 

Who is not eligible for an Ireland PR?

Even if you have resided in Ireland for 60 months, you might not be eligible for Ireland permanent residency if you:

• Have resided in Ireland under a Student Visa.
• Have resided in Ireland as an Intra-Company Transferee.
• Are employed at a foreign embassy located in Ireland.
• Have Permission to Remain under the Working Holiday Visa scheme.
• Only hold a Green Card, a.k.a. an Employment permit.
• Are living in Ireland under Business Permission.
• Are residing in Ireland under the Turkish Agreement.
• Have permission to remain in Ireland under humanitarian grounds.
• Are residing in Ireland with Refugee Status.
• Have permission to remain in Ireland under the Irish Born Child schemes.

The Student Visa Route

Suppose you wish to gain Ireland permanent residency starting as a student. The stamps might seem a little confusing, but they are quite important when determining the conditions of your stay. Here's how to go about it:

Stage 1

First, you will need to get a Stamp 2 student visa, which requires enrolling in a course for over 90 days, typically lasts for two years, and needs to be renewed if your course duration is longer. You can also opt for Stamp 1G, which allows graduates to look for employment and is valid for a year. 

Stage 2

Once you've got a job, you need a two-year Critical Skills work permit or a General Work Permit. For this, you will be granted Stamp 1 in your passport. You can find an employer willing to sponsor your work permit or pay for it yourself. 

Stage 3

Next, you will apply for a Stamp 4, which will allow you to reside in Ireland and is quite similar to permanent residency, but imposes certain restrictions on the holder, such as they cannot stay out of state for more than 90 days. 

Stage 4

If you've completed your 5-year requirement, you can move on to the next step. Else, you need to apply for a Stamp 4 renewal. 

Stage 5

Once you've completed five years of residency in Ireland, you can apply for either Stamp 5 (Permanent Residency) or Stamp 6 (Citizenship). 

The first step to getting an Ireland student visa requires you to have enrolled in a college course in Ireland. Read about the best college courses in Ireland now.

How to Apply for Ireland PR?

Now that you've understood who is eligible to apply for Ireland permanent residency and the stages of getting one, here are the three simple steps you need to know when applying for Ireland Permanent Residency.

Step 1: Send a mail to INIS

The first step of applying for Ireland Permanent Residency is submitting an application via mail to the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service's Long Term Residency Division.

Step 2: Submit the required documents

Then, you must bring the required documents, which the immigration officers will inspect before deciding whether you meet the requirements. If you don't, they will let you know within a week. If you fulfil the criteria, your Ireland Permanent Residency application will be processed.

Step 3: Wait for your application to get processed

On approval of your Ireland Permanent Residency, you will receive a letter of approval from INIS. Within 28 days, you must pay the Department of Justice and Equality's Secretary General the Ireland Residency Permit Fee, currently €500, via a postal order or a bank draft. You will then receive Long Term Residency in Ireland on a Stamp 4 for five years. On visiting GNIB, you will be issued the immigration Stamp 4. GNIB will be informed of INIS' decision and the type of stamp you have been cleared to receive via a letter.

Documents Checklist

Before submitting your application for Ireland permanent residency, make sure you include the following: 

1. Copies of your work permits
2. Copy of your Irish Residence Permit (IRP) or GNIB Card
3. Coloured copies of your passport's pages, including all Stamps you have received and your personal information

If you have recently received a new passport, include copies of your previous passport if it holds stamps from Irish authorities. 

Ireland PR Processing time

Your Irish Permanent Residency application might take around six to eight months to get processed, which is the usual Ireland Permanent Residency processing time. However, some applications do take longer, depending on the circumstances. Although undesirable, another outcome you can expect is your application getting rejected. 

Costs and Fees of Permanent Residency

The fee for the permanent residency application is €500. You may incur other costs and fees while applying for residency. These typically include fees for services such as certified translation of required documents for your supporting evidence.

Different Pathways to Apply for Ireland Permanent Residency

Applicants must have lived there for at least five years to apply for permanent residency in Ireland. If you are from a tech background or have a critical skill employment permit, you can get residency only after two years. There are several pathways to get PR in Ireland. Some of them are mentioned below for your reference:

1. Critical Skill Employment Permit

The Critical Skill Employment Permit is available for those with their profession listed under the highly skilled eligible occupation list. The Irish labour market is looking out for people with the skills above, making it easier for professionals to get web design, development, programming or ICT-related jobs in Ireland. Before they start working, they must satisfy the Ireland PR Requirements:

1. Their yearly salary should not be less than €30,000.
2. The applicant must have a job offer from a prospective employer for an eligible occupation, which should be valid for at least two years.

2. Family

Your family can also have a chance to travel with you after you get permanent residency in Ireland. However, whether your family will require a visa depends on whether they are EU, Switzerland, EEA or UK citizens. Your family member will need a visa to enter Ireland if they are not citizens. They won't need a permit if they own a residence card registered under the EU regulations.

3. Worker Status & Former Worker Status

Swiss or EEA applicants can choose to stay in Ireland for up to 6 months if they have just moved into the country or are looking for work. Applicants can transfer their unemployment benefits from their home country, and Ireland will pay them for up to 3 months.

EU workers are people whose work is considered 'genuine and effective' and are paid by someone who directs them. In this case, there is no limit to which they should be paid or a working hour requirement.

If you are self-employed and your work is considered 'genuine and effective', you can also be a legal Ireland resident.

Applicants are granted permanent residency in Ireland when they complete five years of stay, EU workers or self-employed alike.

Former Worker

A person can maintain a worker status even after they have stopped working due to the following reasons:

1. You became unemployed on the choice to start vocational training in your work area.
2. You met with an accident or fell ill.
3. You have become unemployed involuntarily. You can keep your worker status for six months if you have worked for less than a year. If it has been over a year, you can keep your status while looking for a new one.
4. You are on paternity/maternity leave. In this case, your status will remain 'working'.

4. Students

Students gain the right to live in Ireland if they meet the following criteria:

1. They have got admission to an authorized college
2. They have got themselves covered under a health insurance policy
3. They earn enough to support their living without the Social Welfare System of Ireland's financial backup.

It is important to note the student's residency right ends when they complete their education in Ireland. However, your residency right can continue if you can find a job or have other resources.

5. Applicants Having Sufficient Resources

The Irish authorities allow you to stay in Ireland, provided you can support your family and yourself. Make sure that you get yourself insured under the comprehensive health policy. There is no requirement set by the PR body about how much one should earn. This category applies to people whose primary source of income is a pension from another country and who wish to continue residing in Ireland.

We hope we've cleared any confusion you might have had about Ireland Permanent Residency. Remember to keep track of your time in Ireland. Ensure you possess electricity bills or any other evidence of residing in Ireland for the five years you must have spent here. You know your next step once you've made it to Ireland! As you will be applying for a permanent residency you should open a bank account in one of Irelands local banks. Find out about the best banks in Ireland to fulfill your financial and monetary need. Find student accommodation in Ireland's top cities, such as Cork, Galway, and Dublin. Now that you are ready to get your permanent residency in Ireland, you will be able to live in one of the cheapest places in the country. To know more about these places, you can check out our webstory on the ten cheapest places to live in Ireland.