Immigration to Ireland

The Immigration Act in Ireland               

The Irish legislation allowing foreign citizens to immigrate to the country is the Aliens Act of 1935 amended by the Aliens Order of 1946. In 1999, the Government issued the Irish Immigration Act which is based on the EU Rights of Residence Directives.

Foreign citizens wanting to move to Ireland must register with the Naturalization and Immigration Service in Ireland (INIS) which was established in 2005. The Irish Naturalization and Immigration Service incorporates all the departments related to immigration and obtaining citizenship and visas. INIS also provides a series of facilities related to immigration to Ireland. Our specialists in Ireland will inform you about the facilities offered by the Government to those wanting to move to the country.

Immigration stamps in Ireland

All foreign citizens immigrating to Ireland are required obtain an immigration stamp which determines the rights and the amount of time they are allowed to stay in the country. The Irish immigration authorities will issue a Certificate of Registration which will bear the received immigration stamp. The Irish immigration stamp categories are:

• - stamp 0 which grants limited stay but does not grant the holder to work or open a business in Ireland,
• - stamp 1 which grants a foreign citizen to stay in the country without engaging in any business activity or work in Ireland ,
• - stamp 1A is foreign citizens coming to trainings in Ireland,
• - stamp 2 for foreign students,
• - stamp 3 is granted for family members considered dependents of the immigrant,
• - stamp 4 is for non-EEA (European Economic Area) citizens.

In order to receive a stamp 0 a foreign citizen will also require having a sponsor, usually an Irish citizen.

Types of immigration visas in Ireland

Depending on the purpose and the time spent in the country, foreign citizens immigrating to Ireland may apply for one of the following entrance visas:

• - short-stay visas for non-EU citizens,
• - long-stay visas which allows foreign citizens to live and work in Ireland for up to five years.

In some cases, foreign citizens are also required to apply for an Irish work permit. For complete information about immigration requirements for foreign investors you can contact our representatives in company formation in Ireland.