Moving to Ireland

Thinking of moving to Ireland? This hub covers living in Ireland as a foreigner from day one: your first steps in the right order, tax at a glance for 2026, the emergency numbers and an address book of every agency you will deal with, from Immigration Service Delivery to your city council.

Moving to Ireland means dealing with a public service that works in English but in its own way. Instead of one registration step, you build up your identity document by document: a PPS number (Personal Public Service number) for tax, welfare and health, a Public Services Card (PSC) with a verified MyGovID login for online services, and – if you come from outside the EU, EEA, UK or Switzerland – an Irish Residence Permit (IRP). The biggest change of recent years affects that last group: since 13 January 2025 every first-time immigration registration in the country takes place at one office, Immigration Service Delivery (ISD) at Burgh Quay in Dublin, no longer at a Garda station, and every renewal is done online from 12 weeks before your card expires. Two more dates matter for anyone who plans to move to Ireland in 2026: employment-permit salary floors rose on 1 March 2026 (€40,904 for a Critical Skills permit, €36,605 for a General Employment Permit), and on the same day the Rent Pressure Zones were replaced by a national cap on rent increases.

This hub is written for anyone living in Ireland as a foreigner, or about to: EU and UK citizens who can simply arrive, employment-permit holders, students, researchers, families joining a partner, entrepreneurs and retirees. Use it in two moves. First choose your profile below – each profile has its own route through visas, stamps and registration. Then read the 15 guides in order; they follow the same sequence as the table of first steps, from the border to your first payslip, your GP and an English class. Every figure on this page comes from an Irish official source and was checked on 24 September 2026.

Comparing countries or new to Europe? Moving to Europe lists every country guide and explains the rules that apply across Europe – Schengen, EES, ETIAS, the EU Blue Card and free movement.

Who are you? Choose your guide

Choose what fits you best and get your own step-by-step path, the rules that apply to you and which guides to read.

EU/EEA or Swiss citizen

You need no visa, no registration and no permit: stay 3 months (6 if job-seeking) without conditions and work from day one. Ireland is not in Schengen, so bring a passport or national identity card; the EU Entry/Exit System does not apply to arrivals here. What will touch you most are the national rent rules since 1 March 2026 and the PRSI (Pay Related Social Insurance) rise to 4.35% on 1 October 2026.

Step	What to do
Enter with a passport or national ID card	Show a passport or valid national identity card to the immigration officer; over-18s with a biometric passport can use the eGates at Dublin Airport. No visa or preclearance is needed. – Where: Immigration Service Delivery (ISD)
Get a PPS number once you are here	You cannot apply from abroad. Apply online on MyWelfare with a basic MyGovID account, then attend an in-person appointment with your passport or ID card and proof of address under 3 months old. – Where: Department of Social Protection
Register your first job with Revenue	Give your employer your PPS number, register for myAccount and add the job yourself before your first pay day; otherwise you pay Emergency Tax at 40%. – Where: Revenue
Open a bank account	Bring one photo ID and a separate proof of address under 6 months old; the same document cannot serve as both. A basic bank account is free for everyday banking for at least the first year. – Where: Your bank; Citizens Information
Bring your social insurance record	Bring form U1 from your last country of work. An unemployment payment can be exported with a U2 form for up to 3 months (6 in some cases); job-seekers get no Irish welfare assistance. – Where: Department of Social Protection
Sort out healthcare	Once you live here, or intend to, for at least a year you are ordinarily resident and get public health services; the HSE (Health Service Executive) may ask for a lease, bank statement or utility bill dated within 12 months. – Where: HSE
Keep driving on your EU licence	A valid EU/EEA licence is fine in Ireland. If you want to swap it for an Irish one, do so within 10 years of its expiry date; the fee is €65, free at 70 or over. – Where: National Driver Licence Service (NDLS)
Non-EEA partner? They apply after arrival	Your non-EEA family apply on the ISD Customer Portal (form EUTR1 or EUTR1A) once in Ireland; they get up to 5 years' residence with Stamp 4EUFAM and pay no registration fee. – Where: ISD

Rules that apply to you
Stay up to 3 months without conditions (6 if job-seeking); beyond that you must be working, self-employed, studying, or self-sufficient with sickness insurance.
After 5 years' continuous legal residence you have permanent residence automatically; the certificate (form EUTR2, valid 10 years) is optional.
As an EU worker you are exempt from the habitual residence condition for Child Benefit and other family benefits; job-seekers are not.
Tax 2026: 20% up to €44,000 for a single person, then 40%; USC (Universal Social Charge) from 0.5%; employee PRSI 4.20%, 4.35% from 1 October 2026.
You can vote in European and local elections (form EP1 the first time), not in general or presidential elections or referendums.

Source: Citizens Information, Immigration Service Delivery, Department of Social Protection, Revenue, read 24 September 2026

From the UK

Under the Common Travel Area you can live, work and study in Ireland with no visa, no employment permit and no immigration registration, plus public healthcare and a vote in general elections. Since Brexit two things have changed: you must exchange your UK driving licence once you live here, and non-EEA family need their own preclearance scheme. Ireland is not in Schengen; carry a passport, as carriers may ask for it.

Step	What to do
Travel with a passport	There are no routine passport controls between the UK and Ireland, but airlines and ferries require ID (some accept only a passport) and an immigration officer may ask you to prove UK citizenship. – Where: Citizens Information
Get a PPS number after you arrive	Apply online on MyWelfare with a basic MyGovID, then attend an in-person appointment. Prove identity with a current passport, or birth certificate plus full driving licence; proof of address under 3 months old. – Where: Department of Social Protection
Register your job with Revenue	Give your employer the PPS number and register the job in Revenue myAccount before your first pay day to avoid Emergency Tax. In 2026 a single person pays 20% up to €44,000, then 40%. – Where: Revenue
Exchange your UK driving licence	Living in Ireland you can no longer drive on a UK licence. Exchange it (€65, free at 70 or over) online with a Public Services Card (PSC) and verified MyGovID, or at an NDLS centre, within 1 year of expiry. – Where: National Driver Licence Service (NDLS)
Check your professional qualification	Since 1 January 2021 UK professional qualifications are no longer automatically recognised; for a regulated profession such as teaching, nursing or accountancy apply to the Irish competent authority first. – Where: Department of Education and Youth
Sort out pensions and welfare	UK National Insurance counts towards Irish pensions and a UK State Pension can be paid in Ireland. For means-tested Irish payments you must satisfy the habitual residence condition; CTA residence counts. – Where: Department of Social Protection
Non-EEA partner? Use the UK-family scheme	Family joining you after 31 December 2020 apply for preclearance or a visa from abroad (€60); you need income above the Working Family Payment limits in each of the last 3 years, at least €20,000 a year for a childless couple. – Where: Immigration Service Delivery (ISD)

Rules that apply to you
CTA rights are personal to Irish and UK citizens; they do not extend to your family, who may need a visa.
You can vote in general (Dáil) and local elections, not in presidential or European elections or referendums; you are marked 'D' on the Register of Electors.
A UK pensioner not subject to Irish social security can get a medical card with an S1 form; otherwise the HSE (Health Service Executive) treats you like any ordinarily resident person.
Citizenship: with 5 years' UK nationality you skip the residence calculator but must prove residence with bills, bank statements and tax records; fees €175 to apply plus €950 for the certificate.
Your family member's preclearance letter is valid 6 months; after arrival they register for Stamp 4D (€300) with an initial 12-month permission; dependent parents must be 66 or over.

Source: Citizens Information, Immigration Service Delivery, Department of Social Protection, read 24 September 2026

Worker from outside the EEA

The salary floors rose on 1 March 2026: €40,904 for a Critical Skills Employment Permit (CSEP) and €36,605 for a General Employment Permit (GEP), with further rises phased in to 2030. Since 2 September 2024 you can change employer within your occupation after 9 months without a new permit. Ireland is not in Schengen and the EU Entry/Exit System does not apply to arrivals here, but a permit is not a residence permission: register within 90 days.

Step	What to do
Let the employer apply while you are abroad	First permits are applied for while you are outside Ireland, on Employment Permits Online at least 12 weeks before the start date. Fee €1,000 (GEP €500 for 6 months or less), 90% refunded if refused; the employer may not recover it from you. – Where: Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment
Check the threshold for your permit	CSEP: €40,904 on the Critical Skills list (€36,848 if qualified in the last 12 months; €68,911 for other eligible jobs) and a job offer of at least 2 years. GEP: €36,605, or €32,691 for care, meat and horticulture roles. – Where: Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment
Visa-required? Apply for a D visa	Once the permit issues, apply online via AVATS for a long-stay D visa: €60 single entry, €100 multi-entry, non-refundable. – Where: Immigration Service Delivery (ISD)
Register within 90 days at Burgh Quay	Book a free appointment on the ISD Customer Service Portal after arrival; all first-time registrations are at 13-14 Burgh Quay, Dublin 2. Bring permit, employer letter and proof of address; fee €300 by card. – Where: ISD, Burgh Quay Registration Office, Dublin
PPS number, then Revenue myAccount	Apply for a PPS number (Personal Public Service number) on MyWelfare after arrival with your passport; give it to your employer and register the job in myAccount, or you pay Emergency Tax at 40%. – Where: Department of Social Protection; Revenue
Renew online, up to 12 weeks before expiry	Renewals are online only (€300) and lodged while you are in Ireland. If your IRP (Irish Residence Permit) expires with a complete renewal pending, you may keep working on the old conditions for up to 12 weeks. – Where: ISD
Move to Stamp 4 when you qualify	After 21 months' employment on a CSEP (57 months on a GEP) renew online under Stamp 4: work without a permit, run a business. Prove your start date with the Revenue Employment Detail Summary; no support letter is needed. – Where: ISD

Rules that apply to you
Stay 9 months with your first employer, then move within the same occupation without a new permit. If made redundant, notify the Department within 4 weeks; you have up to 6 months to find another job.
An employer needs at least 50% EEA staff (waived for a sole-employee firm or an Enterprise Ireland/IDA start-up); GEP quotas fill fast: the 1,000 meat-processing permits were oversubscribed by 26 August 2026.
Family: a CSEP holder's spouse or partner joins immediately with Stamp 1G (work without a permit); a GEP holder's family after 1 year of work, income over €30,000 and, since 12 June 2026, proof of suitable accommodation.
Your IRP is not an identity card and gives no right to live or travel freely in other EU countries; it does not exempt you from the Entry/Exit System in the Schengen area. Keep absences under 90 days a year.
Long Term Residency after 60 months on permits (fee €500); citizenship after 5 years' reckonable residence in the last 9 (€175 plus €950); Stamp 1 time counts, a gap in permission does not.

Source: Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment, Immigration Service Delivery, Citizens Information, read 24 September 2026

Researcher or PhD student

A hosting agreement with an accredited research organisation is your work permit: it lasts from 3 months to 5 years and you need no separate employment permit. After 21 months' employment you can renew online under Stamp 4, and under the family reunification policy revised on 12 June 2026 your spouse or partner can join you immediately with Stamp 1G, the right to work without a permit. A PhD student on Stamp 2 keeps student conditions but can also sponsor family.

Step	What to do
Get the hosting agreement	Only accredited research organisations may issue one: all the universities, RCSI, Teagasc, ESRI, the Marine Institute and Met Éireann are on the list. EURAXESS Ireland runs the scheme for the Department. – Where: Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science; EURAXESS Ireland
Visa-required? Apply for the researcher visa	Apply online via AVATS for an Employment (Scientific Researcher) visa up to 3 months before travel (€60 single, €100 multi-entry); decision generally within 8 weeks. Include the hosting agreement and 6 months of bank statements. – Where: Immigration Service Delivery (ISD)
Register within 90 days at Burgh Quay	Book on the ISD Customer Service Portal; bring your passport, the hosting agreement and private medical or travel insurance valid 12 months. Stamp 1, usually 12 months, fee €300; your IRP (Irish Residence Permit) card is posted to you. – Where: ISD, Burgh Quay Registration Office, Dublin
PPS number and tax	Apply for a PPS number (Personal Public Service number) on MyWelfare after arrival with your passport and register your job in Revenue myAccount. You pay PAYE, USC (Universal Social Charge) and PRSI (Pay Related Social Insurance). – Where: Department of Social Protection; Revenue
Bring your family	As a Category B sponsor your spouse, civil partner or de facto partner and minor children can join you immediately, no earnings needed; a de facto partner applies for preclearance from abroad (€60) with 2 years' cohabitation. – Where: ISD
Renew online and move to Stamp 4	Renew up to 12 weeks before your IRP expires (€300). After 21 months' employment renew under Stamp 4, usually valid 24 months and renewable every 2 years; prove the start date with the Revenue Employment Detail Summary. – Where: ISD
PhD on Stamp 2? Know the limits	Stamp 2 allows 20 hours' work a week in term and 40 in the holidays, needs private medical insurance and €300 to register, and does not count towards citizenship. Graduates can move to Stamp 1G for 12 months, renewable once at level 9 and above. – Where: ISD

Rules that apply to you
On the researcher visa you may not take other paid or unpaid work beyond the approved research and may not access public funds.
Short stays: a visiting academic paid from outside the State can work for up to 12 months on Stamp 0, obtained from the Department of Justice before travel (D visa if visa-required).
Your partner's Stamp 1G allows work and study but no business or self-employment; it is renewed annually, leads to Stamp 4 after 5 years and counts for citizenship.
Hosting-agreement time on Stamp 1 and later Stamp 4 count towards Long Term Residency (60 months, fee €500) and naturalisation (5 of the last 9 years, €175 plus €950).
Bring genuine medical cover to registration: cash-back policies are not accepted.

Source: Immigration Service Delivery, Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, Citizens Information, read 24 September 2026

Student

You need a place on a full-time course on the Interim List of Eligible Programmes (ILEP) or the TrustEd Ireland list, paid fees and proof of at least €10,000 a year. On Stamp 2 you may work 20 hours a week in term and 40 in the holidays. Graduates can stay on Stamp 1G, and since 1 March 2026 the employment permit salary thresholds are lower for recent Irish graduates.

Step	What to do
Choose an eligible course and pay the fees	Part-time and distance courses do not qualify. Fees under €6,000 must be paid in full before you register; if higher, at least €6,000 must be paid and shown in your letter of enrolment. Colleges may not demand cash. – Where: Immigration Service Delivery (ISD)
Prove your funds	Visa-required: immediate access to €10,000 for the first year plus €10,000 for each further year on top of fees (courses under 8 months: €833 a month or €6,665); no credit cards. Non-visa nationals prove it at registration. – Where: ISD
Visa-required? Apply for the study visa	Apply up to 3 months before travel; a decision generally takes about 8 weeks and your passport must be valid 12 months after arrival. A refusal can be appealed free within 2 months. – Where: ISD
Register within 90 days at Burgh Quay	All non-EEA students, including non-visa nationals, book a first-time appointment on the ISD Customer Service Portal; fee €300 (16 to 18-year-olds exempt); private medical insurance is mandatory. – Where: ISD, Burgh Quay Registration Office, Dublin
Work within the Stamp 2 limits	Up to 20 hours a week in term and 40 in June to September and 15 December to 15 January, without a permit; no other business or trade, no public funds. Get a PPS number (Personal Public Service number) on MyWelfare first. – Where: ISD; Department of Social Protection
Keep attendance and progression up	Attend at least 85% of classes. English-language students get at most 3 courses of 8 months each (2 years in total) and must then progress to higher education; student permissions are capped at 7 years overall. – Where: ISD
After graduating: Stamp 1G	With an Irish level 8 or 9 award apply within 6 months of the result: level 8 gets 12 months, level 9 gets 12 months renewable once. Work 40 hours without a permit, no self-employment; €300 to register; renew online. – Where: ISD

Rules that apply to you
Time on Stamp 2 or 2A does not count towards citizenship; time on Stamp 1G does.
Students may not bring family; only PhD and ISD-approved scholarship students can sponsor a spouse and children (Stamp 2A, no work).
Changing course is allowed only in very exceptional circumstances in the first year; no move from degree to language course or from Masters to degree.
Your college must offer learner protection and a refund policy: refunds within 2 months at most, and within 20 working days if your visa is refused.
Graduate thresholds since 1 March 2026: General Employment Permit €34,009 with a relevant Irish degree from the last 12 months; Critical Skills Employment Permit €36,848 with a qualification from the last 12 months.

Source: Immigration Service Delivery, Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment, Citizens Information, read 24 September 2026

Joining a partner or family

The revised Policy Document on Non-EEA Family Reunification took effect on 12 June 2026. An Irish sponsor now needs gross income of €75,000 over the 3 years before applying (about €25,000 a year), up from €40,000; a General Employment Permit holder needs over €30,000 in the previous year and must now show suitable accommodation. Family of EU citizens use EU Treaty Rights instead, and family of UK citizens a separate scheme.

Step	What to do
Find your sponsor's category	A: Irish citizens. B: Critical Skills permit holders, researchers, STEP entrepreneurs, PhD and scholarship students; family join immediately. C: General Employment Permit and independent Stamp 4 holders; after 12 months' legal work. – Where: Immigration Service Delivery (ISD)
Check the income test	Irish sponsor: €75,000 gross over 3 years, State benefits excluded. Category C: over €30,000 last year for a childless couple, net €39,780 with 1 child (€45,032 with 2). Only one sponsor's income counts. – Where: ISD
Gather the evidence	Marriage or civil partnership certificate valid in Irish law, proof of face-to-face meetings, 6 months of bank statements for both, the sponsor's Revenue employment detail summary and 3 payslips; non-EEA documents apostilled and translated. – Where: ISD
Show accommodation (Category C)	Since 12 June 2026 a General Employment Permit sponsor shows an RTB (Residential Tenancies Board) registered tenancy with form ACCOM1, or proof of ownership; rent-a-room arrangements are not enough where children are involved. – Where: ISD; RTB
Apply for the Join Family visa, or travel	Visa-required family apply online via AVATS for a long-stay D Join Family visa (€60 single, €100 multi-entry; spouses and under-18 children of Irish citizens exempt); a decision can take up to 12 months. Others tell the officer on arrival. – Where: ISD
Register within 90 days at Burgh Quay	A spouse or civil partner of an Irish citizen registers together with the Irish spouse (certificate, passports, joint address, means) and gets Stamp 4, usually 3 years, no fee; a de facto partner pays €300. Under-16s do not register. – Where: ISD, Burgh Quay Registration Office, Dublin
Know your stamp	Family of Irish citizens, investors and entrepreneurs get Stamp 4 (work and business). Partners of permit holders and researchers get Stamp 1G: work without a permit, no business. Family of PhD students get Stamp 2A; Stamp 3 means no work. – Where: ISD
Family of an EU or UK citizen: other routes	Family of EU/EEA/Swiss citizens apply in Ireland on the ISD portal (EUTR1 or EUTR1A) for a Stamp 4EUFAM card of up to 5 years, fee waived. Family of UK citizens apply from abroad (€60; sponsor income at least €20,000 a year). – Where: ISD

Rules that apply to you
Sponsors must keep meeting the income conditions at every renewal; your permission depends on the sponsor keeping theirs. Report a change of address within 2 days and any relationship breakdown to ISD.
After 5 years as a dependant, or when the sponsor naturalises, you can ask for Stamp 4 at the next online renewal.
A de facto partner needs 2 years living together; partners of Critical Skills and researcher sponsors apply for preclearance from abroad (€60), and the sponsor must not have sponsored anyone in the previous 5 years.
Family of refugees and subsidiary-protection holders apply from 12 June 2026 under section 205 of the International Protection Act 2026, after a 2-year wait from the grant of protection that cannot be waived.
An older ISD page on spouses of Irish nationals may still show €40,000; the policy of 12 June 2026 applies.

Source: Immigration Service Delivery, Citizens Information, read 24 September 2026

International or temporary protection

The International Protection Act 2026 commenced on 12 June 2026: new applications go through screening at Citywest (up to 7 days), then a border, accelerated or ordinary procedure with decisions due within 3 or 6 months and appeals to the new Tribunal for Asylum and Returns Appeals. Since 8 December 2025 people granted protection need 5 years' residence, not 3, before applying for citizenship. Temporary protection for people from Ukraine runs to 4 March 2027.

Step	What to do
Apply at the border or at Citywest	Ask for protection at the port of entry or at the International Protection Office, Citywest Reception Centre, Dublin 24; your details go on Eurodac, unaccompanied minors are referred to Tusla, and you get a digital IPA card. – Where: International Protection Office (IPO)
Cooperate and stay reachable	Cooperate fully or the application is deemed withdrawn; keep your address updated, stay in designated accommodation and do not leave Ireland without the Minister's consent. Refusing to hand over travel documents or phone access is an offence. – Where: IPO
Get legal help	The Legal Aid Board provides independent legal counselling and representation for the application and appeals; the IPO arranges interpreters. The Irish Refugee Council can also be consulted. – Where: Legal Aid Board
Apply for permission to work after 5 months	If you have waited 6 months for a first decision you may work: apply online for Labour Market Access Permission after 5 months. It covers employment and self-employment, lasts 12 months and is renewable; renew 6 weeks before expiry. – Where: Immigration Service Delivery (ISD)
Use the reception conditions	Direct provision gives accommodation, meals, a weekly Daily Expenses Allowance and a medical card while you wait; arrange your own accommodation and you get no State assistance. Complaints: centre manager, then IPAS, then the Ombudsman within 12 months. – Where: International Protection Accommodation Services (IPAS); HSE (Health Service Executive)
Once granted, register for Stamp 4	With refugee status, subsidiary protection or permission to remain, register with ISD; the Stamp 4 IRP (Irish Residence Permit) is free and lets you work without a permit and run a business. – Where: ISD
Temporary protection: the 2026 rules	Permissions run to 4 March 2027; renew the IRP card online. From 5 August 2026 protection goes only to people authorised under Ukrainian law to leave Ukraine, and not to anyone already granted it in another EU country. Register at Citywest, or at an Intreo Centre if already here. – Where: ISD; Department of Social Protection

Rules that apply to you
Timelines under the 2026 Act: 2 months for inadmissibility, 3 for the border and accelerated procedures, 6 for the ordinary procedure and never more than 21; the border procedure applies to countries with a recognition rate of 20% or lower.
Citizenship: 5 years' reckonable residence from the grant of protection (applications received before 8 December 2025 keep the 3-year rule); time in direct provision does not count; the certificate is free for refugees, the application fee is €175.
Family reunification for refugees: a 2-year wait from your declaration, proof of sufficient resources and a questionnaire returned within 28 days; unaccompanied minors can seek a waiver.
Temporary protection gives immediate access to work, self-employment, welfare and a PPS number (Personal Public Service number); since 10 November 2025 new registrants get at most 30 days in State accommodation. Do not apply for the PPS number online.
You cannot hold temporary protection and an asylum application at the same time. You may drive on a Ukrainian licence but can no longer exchange it; asylum applicants may vote in local elections.

Source: Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration, Immigration Service Delivery, Citizens Information, read 24 September 2026

Returning Irish emigrant

You need no immigration permission, but since 12 June 2026 sponsoring a non-EEA spouse or partner requires gross income of €75,000 or more over the 3 years before you apply (roughly €25,000 a year), up from €40,000. Check whether you already have a PPS number (Personal Public Service number); a new one, or one for a child born abroad, can only be applied for once you are back. A returning emigrant can be treated as habitually resident on arrival.

Step	What to do
Find your old PPS number	You probably have one if born in Ireland from 1971, worked here after April 1979 or got a welfare payment: look on a Public Services Card (PSC), medical card, EHIC or old payslips, or ask Client Identity Services. New numbers only once you are back. – Where: Department of Social Protection
Register children born abroad	A child of an Irish-born parent is automatically Irish and can get a passport; if the Irish parent was born abroad, enter the child in the Foreign Births Register first. Prepare form REG1M for the child's PPS number; one parent needs a PPS number first. – Where: Department of Foreign Affairs, Passport Service; Department of Social Protection
Bring your non-EEA spouse or partner	If visa-required they apply online for a Join Family (D) visa and send documents within 30 days; at the border they show the marriage certificate. Book Burgh Quay on the ISD portal and attend together within 90 days: Stamp 4, usually 3 years, no fee for a spouse. – Where: Immigration Service Delivery (ISD)
Claim welfare with form HRC1	For Child Benefit, Jobseeker's Allowance and other means-tested payments complete HRC1 with proof you have resumed residence: ended lease or sold home abroad, shipped belongings, imported car, new job or tenancy here. Appeal refusals within 60 days, free. – Where: Department of Social Protection
Bring your car with VRT relief	You qualify if you lived abroad 185 days a year and owned and used the car for 6 months; apply within 7 days of its arrival (EU moves via Revenue MyEnquiries, non-EU at customs) and register with the NCTS within 30 days. No relief if you had it in the last 5 years. – Where: Revenue; National Car Testing Service (NCTS)
Driving licence and health	EU/EEA licences stay valid (swap within 10 years of expiry); UK and other recognised-state licences must be exchanged (€65) within 1 year of expiry; others need the full process with 6 EDT lessons. The HSE (Health Service Executive) treats you as ordinarily resident once you intend to stay a year. – Where: National Driver Licence Service (NDLS); HSE
Register your first job and vote	Give your employer the PPS number and register the job in Revenue myAccount. 2026: 20% up to €44,000 single or €53,000 married one income, then 40%; USC (Universal Social Charge) from 0.5%; PRSI (Pay Related Social Insurance) 4.20%, 4.35% from 1 October 2026. – Where: Revenue; your local authority

Rules that apply to you
A non-EEA spouse married to you for 3 years and resident on the island of Ireland for 3 of the last 5 years, living together, can apply for naturalisation; fees €175 plus €950.
Returning from the UK: your UK State Pension and many DWP benefits can be paid in Ireland; voluntary NI contributions after 5 April 2025 cover only the previous 6 years; a UK private pension can move to an Irish QROPS scheme.
If you exercised free-movement rights in another EU state and lived there with your non-EEA family member, they may be able to use EU Treaty Rights on your return instead of the national policy.
Health insurance: if you left Ireland on or after 1 November 2018 for more than 6 months and insure within nine months of returning, that time abroad is credited against the age loading.
'Back for Business' is a free development programme for returning emigrants starting a business; a non-Irish partner coming to set up a business with you may first need immigration permission.

Source: Citizens Information, Immigration Service Delivery, Department of Social Protection, Revenue, read 24 September 2026

Starting a business or self-employed

EEA, Swiss and UK citizens need no permission to set up a business; other nationals must get permission first. The Start-up Entrepreneur Programme (STEP) asks for €50,000 in funding and an innovative, export-oriented proposal, considered quarterly for a non-refundable €350 fee, and gives you and your family Stamp 4 for 2 years, renewable for 3 more. Self-employed PRSI (Pay Related Social Insurance) rises to 4.35% on 1 October 2026.

Step	What to do
Check whether your stamp allows self-employment	Stamp 4 holders can set up and run a business; Stamp 1 only if the ISD letter says so; Stamp 1G, 2 and 3 holders may not. Temporary-protection beneficiaries and Labour Market Access Permission holders may be self-employed. – Where: Immigration Service Delivery (ISD)
Non-EEA founder: apply to STEP	You need good character, no criminal convictions, €50,000 funding and an innovative proposal; applications by email are considered quarterly by a committee. A refusal is final with no appeal; visa-required nationals then apply for a D visa. – Where: ISD, Investment and Entrepreneur Unit
Fit the High Potential Start-Up profile	A new product or service for international markets, capable of 10 jobs and €1 million in sales within 3 to 4 years, headquartered in Ireland and under 5 years old; retail, catering and personal services are excluded. – Where: Citizens Information; Enterprise Ireland
Register with the CRO and Revenue	Choose sole trader, partnership or limited company. Register a business name with the Companies Registration Office within one month (€20 online, €40 on paper); register for income tax on ROS with your PPS number (Personal Public Service number). – Where: Companies Registration Office (CRO); Revenue
Register as an employer before paying staff	Register via MyEnquiries on ROS first. Employer PRSI is 9.00% on weekly pay up to €552 and 11.25% above, rising to 9.15% and 11.40% from 1 October 2026; charge VAT where it applies; companies pay Corporation Tax. – Where: Revenue
Pay preliminary tax by 31 October	Income tax, PRSI and USC (Universal Social Charge) are self-assessed: preliminary tax is due by 31 October each year; the Earned Income Tax Credit is €2,000. Class S PRSI: 4.2% or €650 minimum, exempt below €5,000 of income. – Where: Revenue
Use the free supports	Local Enterprise Offices advise and fund businesses with 10 or fewer employees ('Start Your Own Business'), Enterprise Ireland backs High Potential Start-Ups and the National Enterprise Hub helpline points you to State supports. – Where: Local Enterprise Office; Enterprise Ireland; National Enterprise Hub

Rules that apply to you
STEP conditions: build the business as proposed, work on it full time, take no other job and place no financial burden on the State. You, your spouse or partner and children under 18 get Stamp 4; after 5 years you can seek long-term residence.
Hiring yourself on an employment permit is restricted: the employer must be registered with Revenue and the CRO and normally have 50% EEA staff, waived for a sole-employee firm or an Enterprise Ireland/IDA-backed start-up within 2 years of registering as an employer.
Long Term Residency does not accept self-employed applicants; STEP holders are Category B sponsors, so family can join immediately.
Class S PRSI covers Maternity, Paternity and Parent's Benefit, the State Pension (Contributory) and Jobseeker's Benefit (Self-Employed), but not Illness Benefit.
The Immigrant Investor Programme closed to new applicants on 15 February 2023; it required at least €1 million, or a €500,000 endowment.

Source: Immigration Service Delivery, Citizens Information, Revenue, Department of Social Protection, read 24 September 2026

Retiring or living on your own means

Non-EEA retirees must be granted Stamp 0 before arriving: an individual income of €50,000 a year plus a lump sum equal to, for example, the price of a home in Ireland, certified by an Irish accountancy firm, and private medical insurance with full cover in private hospitals. EU/EEA, Swiss, Irish and UK citizens need no application. Entering as a visitor does not mean a later application will succeed.

Step	What to do
Non-EEA: apply for Stamp 0 before you travel	Send the TPER form to the Stamp 0 Independent Means Section of ISD in Dublin with a full passport copy, birth and marriage certificates, Irish associations, 6 months of bank statements, an accountant-verified income statement, insurance, police clearance and a health declaration. – Where: Immigration Service Delivery (ISD)
Visa-required? Then a D-Reside visa	After approval, visa-required nationals need a D-Reside visa; without it you cannot complete registration. Your landing stamp allows up to 90 days, within which you book Burgh Quay on the ISD portal; fee €300. Average processing 4 months. – Where: ISD, Burgh Quay Registration Office, Dublin
EU/EEA/Swiss: show you can support yourself	Beyond 3 months you need sufficient resources and comprehensive sickness insurance; no fixed amount, and a pension from another country typically suffices. No registration; permanent residence after 5 years. Irish and UK citizens retire here without conditions. – Where: Citizens Information
Get a PPS number if you need one	Stamp 0 holders need a PPS number (Personal Public Service number) only to deal with specified bodies, such as Revenue or a driving licence exchange; apply on MyWelfare after arrival with your passport. – Where: Department of Social Protection
Arrange healthcare	Stamp 0 means no public services, including public hospitals: keep private insurance. EU/EEA and UK pensioners not subject to Irish social security get a medical card under EU rules with an S1 form; over-70s who are ordinarily resident get a free GP visit card. – Where: HSE (Health Service Executive)
Pensions, transport and tax	Foreign contributory pensions can be paid into Ireland; EEA or bilateral-agreement periods combine with Irish PRSI (Pay Related Social Insurance). Over-66s living here permanently get free public transport; no PRSI over 70. Tax 2026: 20% up to €44,000 single. – Where: Department of Social Protection; Revenue
Driving and housing	Exchange a recognised-state licence once you are normally resident (185 days a year); it is free at 70 or over, otherwise €65. There are no restrictions on foreigners buying or renting residential property. – Where: National Driver Licence Service (NDLS); Citizens Information

Rules that apply to you
On Stamp 0 you may not work or run a business unless your ISD letter allows it, and you may not use State benefits or publicly funded services.
Citizens Information gives a joint income of €100,000 a year for a couple; the current ISD page mentions only an individual income of €50,000, so check the ISD page before applying.
Elderly dependent parents joining a resident child use family reunification on Stamp 0: the child must earn at least €96,929 gross (1 parent) or €130,985 (2 parents) in Ireland in each of the last 3 years.
Ireland is not in Schengen and does not take part in the EU Entry/Exit System; an IRP (Irish Residence Permit) does not exempt you from it when you travel to the Schengen area.
Buy Irish health insurance within nine months of moving here and you pay no age loading; after that a loading of 2% per year over 34 applies for up to 10 years.

Source: Immigration Service Delivery, Citizens Information, HSE, Department of Social Protection, read 24 September 2026

The 15 guides

Move

1. Part 1The first 30 days in Ireland
2. Part 2Irish visas and employment permits in 2026
3. Part 3PPS number, Public Services Card and Irish Residence Permit
4. Part 6Working in Ireland
5. Part 7Revenue myAccount, USC and PRSI

Live

1. Part 4Opening a bank account in Ireland
2. Part 5Rent Pressure Zones are gone
3. Part 8Medical card, GP visit card and the HSE
4. Part 10National Childcare Scheme, school and college in Ireland
5. Part 11English and Irish in Ireland
6. Part 12Driving licence exchange, NCT, tolls and the Leap card
7. Part 13Setting up home in Ireland

Settle

1. Part 9Child Benefit, Parent's Benefit and the State Pension
2. Part 14Public holidays in Ireland 2026
3. Part 15Staying in Ireland for good

Ireland in numbers

Official statistics, fetched from the source. Each figure shows where it comes from and which period it covers.

Figure	Latest	Source and period
Population	5.44 million	Eurostat · 1 January 2025
Economy (GDP)	€602 billion	Eurostat · 2025
GDP per person	$131,592	World Bank · 2025
GDP growth	-0.4%	Eurostat, compared with a year earlier · Q2 2026
GDP growth, full year	12.3%	World Bank · 2025
Unemployment	5.0%	Eurostat, seasonally adjusted · August 2026
Employment rate	79.8%	Eurostat, age 20–64 · Q2 2026
Inflation	3.4%	Eurostat, EU-harmonised (HICP) · August 2026
Central bank rate	2.50%	European Central Bank deposit facility rate · 23 September 2026
Median income	€35,138 a year	Disposable, per adult equivalent · Eurostat · 2025
Price level	141	EU = 100 · Eurostat · 2024
Born abroad	23.3%	Eurostat · 1 January 2025

Source: Eurostat, World Bank and European Central Bank, read 24 September 2026, 23:35 Stockholm time.

Pros
Low unemployment: 5.0% in August 2026, against 6.1% in the EU (Eurostat).
A high employment rate: 79.8% of 20–64-year-olds are in work, against 76.4% in the EU (Eurostat, Q2 2026).
Incomes well above the EU average: median disposable income €35,138, against €22,939 in the EU (Eurostat, 2025).
An international country: 23.3% of residents were born abroad (Eurostat, 1 January 2025), and English is the working language.
Few people burdened by housing costs in the statistics: 5.3% spend more than 40% of their income on housing, against 7.7% in the EU (Eurostat, 2025).

Cons
Expensive: consumer prices 41% above the EU average, and housing and energy 87% above (Eurostat, 2024).
Inflation above the EU average: 3.4% in August 2026, against 3.2% (HICP, Eurostat).
GDP overstates the economy you will live in: GDP per person is $131,592 (World Bank, 2025) because multinationals book profits in Ireland, which is why the Central Statistics Office also publishes modified gross national income (GNI*). Quarterly GDP swings with them too: -0.4% in Q2 2026 (Eurostat).
Eating out costs 29% more than the EU average (Eurostat, 2024).

Your first steps in Ireland, in order

The order matters because each document unlocks the next: you need an address before a PPS number, a PPS number before Revenue stops taxing you at the emergency rate, and a Public Services Card before you can use most online services. Non-EEA nationals – everyone from outside the EU, EEA, UK and Switzerland – have one extra step right at the start.

Step	What	Where	Typical time
1. Before you travel	Arrange a first place to stay – friends, a hotel or a hostel – so you can view flats in person once you are here. Bring a passport (a national ID card is enough for EU/EEA citizens), your U1 form if you worked in another EU/EEA country, and private medical insurance if you are a non-EEA student or researcher.	Citizens Information (Accommodation in Ireland); the social insurance office in your last country for the U1	Before departure
2. At the border	Show your passport or ID card to an immigration officer even when you arrive from the EEA – Ireland is not in Schengen. Non-EEA nationals get a landing stamp of up to 90 days and must register with ISD within those 90 days; the appointment can only be booked after you land.	Immigration officer at the port of entry; eGates at Dublin Airport for EU/EEA/Swiss citizens over 18 with a biometric passport	Registration appointments are normally available within 2–3 weeks (Citizens Information)
3. Register your immigration permission (non-EEA nationals only)	Book a free appointment in the ISD Customer Service Portal and attend in person at Burgh Quay, Dublin – the only first-time registration office in the country since 13 January 2025. Bring your passport, the landing stamp, proof of address and the documents for your stamp (employment permit, hosting agreement or enrolment letter). The fee is €300 by card; children under 18, spouses of Irish citizens and family members of EU citizens pay nothing. Renewals are online only, from 12 weeks before expiry – no reminder is sent.	ISD Registration Office, 13-14 Burgh Quay, Dublin 2, D02 XK70 (appointment only)	The visit takes up to 60 minutes; the IRP card is posted within about 10 working days (ISD information page – its FAQ says about 15 business days)
4. Get a proof of address	Almost every next step needs a document showing your name and address: a tenancy agreement, utility bill, bank statement or official letter. If you are staying with friends, an original household bill plus a note from the bill holder is accepted for the PPS number. Watch the age limits: 3 months for the PPS number and for ISD, 6 months for the Public Services Card and banks, 12 months for the HSE (Health Service Executive).	Your landlord – every tenancy must be registered by the landlord with the RTB (Residential Tenancies Board) – or your host	As soon as you have somewhere to live
5. Apply for your PPS number	The PPS number (7 digits and one or two letters) is your key to tax, welfare, healthcare, school enrolment and the driving licence. You can only apply once you are in Ireland and need a reason – a job is the usual one; employers may ask for it only when you actually start. Apply online on MyWelfare with a basic MyGovID account, upload your passport (or EU ID card), proof of address and the reason, then attend an in-person appointment. Children born in Ireland get one automatically when the birth is registered.	Department of Social Protection PPS Number Allocation Centres – Dublin (Cork Street, D'Olier Street, Upper Gardiner Street, King's Inns Street), Cork (Hanover Street), Limerick (Dominick Street), Galway (Fairgreen Road); phone 0818 405060	Not issued at the appointment – the number comes by post. See the agency's website
6. Register your job with Revenue	Give your employer your PPS number and, if this is your first job in Ireland, register for Revenue's myAccount and add the job yourself (you need the employer's tax registration number and your arrival date). Otherwise you pay Emergency Tax: 40% on everything if Revenue has no PPS number for you, and 40% from the fifth week even if it has. Later jobs are registered by the employer.	Revenue (Office of the Revenue Commissioners) – myAccount; PAYE helpline 01 738 3636	Before your first pay day
7. Open a bank account	Bring one photo ID (passport, driving licence or IRP) and a separate proof of address under 6 months old. Anyone legally resident in the EU without another current account in Ireland can open a basic bank account, free for everyday banking for at least the first year (no overdraft, no cheque book). Banks, credit unions and An Post all offer current accounts, and the bank must give you a fee information document first. Your Irish credit report starts empty – foreign loans are not on the Central Credit Register.	Any bank, credit union or An Post; the Central Credit Register (Central Bank of Ireland) for your credit report	Varies by bank – the Central Bank prescribes no list of documents
8. Get a Public Services Card and a verified MyGovID	The PSC proves who you are for public services and carries your PPS number on the back. Book an identity registration appointment (about 15 minutes: photo, signature, security questions) and bring photo ID, proof of address under 6 months old and your mobile phone so the number can be verified. With the card and the verified number you upgrade MyGovID to a verified account – needed for the National Childcare Scheme and for driving-licence services online.	The same PPS/PSC centres and Intreo Centres (Department of Social Protection); PSC Helpdesk 0818 837 000	Card posted within 7–10 working days, to an Irish address only
9. Sort out healthcare	Once you live here, or intend to, for at least a year you are 'ordinarily resident' and entitled to public healthcare whatever your nationality. Find a GP (a private visit typically costs about €45 to €65), then apply online for a medical card or GP visit card if your net income is low; children under 8 and everyone over 70 get free GP visits without a means test. Non-EEA students and Stamp 0 holders must hold private insurance. Buying health insurance within nine months of arrival avoids the age loading.	HSE – Find a GP, online medical card and GP visit card applications; HSE Live 1800 700 700	The HSE aims to process card applications within 15 working days
10. Your driving licence	An EU/EEA licence stays valid. Licences from the UK, Northern Ireland, Australia, Canada (seven listed provinces only), Japan, South Korea, New Zealand, South Africa, Switzerland and a few other recognised states are exchanged for €65 (free at 70 or over) – UK licence holders living in Ireland must exchange. All other licences (for example USA, India, Brazil, China) cannot be exchanged: you may drive for up to 12 months with an international driving permit, then take the theory test, a learner permit, 6 Essential Driver Training lessons instead of 12, and the driving test.	National Driver Licence Service (NDLS) – online with a PSC and verified MyGovID, or one of 34 NDLS centres; 0818 700 800	Recognised-state licences must be exchanged within 1 year of their expiry date; you count as resident after 185 days a year
11. Children: school and childcare	School is compulsory from 6 to 16, but most children start at 4 or 5 in September; apply to schools from 1 October of the previous year, and publicly funded schools may not charge for admission. A child who does not speak English is assessed by the class teacher within a few weeks and gets extra support. Free pre-school (ECCE) runs 3 hours a day, 38 weeks a year, from age 2 years and 8 months; for crèches and childminders the NCS (National Childcare Scheme) pays a universal €2.14 an hour for up to 45 hours a week, or up to €5.10 an hour if your net family income is under €68,000.	Any local school (School Directory search); your Regional Education and Language Team (REALT) if you cannot find a place; NCS Parent Support Centre (01) 906 8530	School applications open on 1 October for the following September
12. Learn English (or Irish)	All 16 Education and Training Boards (ETBs) run free ESOL classes from beginner to proficient level, most part-time at 3–4 hours a week, some intensive at 6 hours or more; there is no entry test, only an initial assessment. Free ESOL is confirmed for citizens of Ireland, the UK, Switzerland and the EEA and for international protection applicants – others should ask their local ETB. Adult literacy classes are free for every adult.	Your local ETB; course finder on the FETCH website; NALA freephone 1800 20 20 65 for free tutoring by phone	Part-time courses run 3–4 hours a week; QQI-certified intensive courses last 7–14 weeks

Tax at a glance for 2026

Ireland taxes employees through PAYE: your employer deducts income tax, the USC (Universal Social Charge) and PRSI (Pay Related Social Insurance) every pay day, and you claim credits and reliefs afterwards in myAccount. Budget 2026 left the income-tax bands and credits unchanged; the figures below are for an employee on Class A PRSI. A salary calculator for Ireland is coming to this page.

Item	2026 rate or threshold	Note
Income tax bands	20% on the first €44,000 for a single person, €48,000 for a lone parent, €53,000 for a married couple or civil partners with one income (up to €88,000 with two incomes); 40% on the balance	Unchanged from 2025 (Revenue, Citizens Information)
Personal and PAYE tax credits	Personal credit €2,000 (single) or €4,000 (married); Employee PAYE credit €2,000	Credits are deducted from your tax bill, not from your income
Rent Tax Credit	Up to €1,000 (single) or €2,000 (jointly assessed couple) – 20% of rent paid	Runs until the end of 2028; claim it in myAccount
USC	0.5% up to €12,012; 2% from €12,012.01 to €28,700; 3% from €28,700.01 to €70,044; 8% above €70,044	No USC at all if your total income is €13,000 or less; reduced rates for medical card holders and people aged 70 or over with income of €60,000 or less
Employee PRSI (Class A)	4.20% of all earnings until 30 September 2026; 4.35% from 1 October 2026	Nil on weekly pay of €352 or less – you are still insured through the employer's contribution
Employer PRSI (Class A)	11.25% (9.00% on weekly pay up to €552); 11.40% and 9.15% from 1 October 2026	Paid on top of your gross salary
Self-employed PRSI (Class S)	4.2% of income until 30 September 2026, 4.35% from 1 October 2026; minimum €650 a year	Applies to self-employed income of €5,000 or more
National minimum wage	€14.15 an hour since 1 January 2026 (€28,696.20 a year on a 39-hour week) for workers aged 20 and over	€12.74 at 19, €11.32 at 18, €9.91 under 18
Emergency Tax	40% on all pay if Revenue has no PPS number for you; with a PPS number but no registered job, 20% on €846.16 a week for four weeks, then 40% on everything; emergency USC is a flat 8%	Avoid it by registering the job in myAccount before your first pay day
Tax residence	Resident if you spend 183 days or more in Ireland in a tax year (1 January to 31 December), or 280 days over this year and last	You can elect to be resident in your year of arrival and claim split-year treatment
Pension auto-enrolment (MyFutureFund)	Since 1 January 2026 employees aged 23–60 earning €20,000 or more with no payroll pension are enrolled; you and your employer each pay 1.5% in years 1–3 (rising to 6% by year 10) and the State adds €1 for every €3 you pay	You may opt out after 6 months
Employment permit salary floors	Critical Skills €40,904 (€36,848 for recent graduates; €68,911 for occupations not on the list); General Employment Permit €36,605 (€34,009 for Irish graduates; €32,691 for healthcare assistants, home support, horticulture and meat processing)	Since 1 March 2026; further rises are phased in to 2030

Emergency and health numbers

Ireland's emergency numbers are 112 and 999 – both free, from any phone, with the same priority – for An Garda Síochána (the police), ambulance, fire and coast guard. Emergency departments are open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year; attending one without a GP referral costs €100 (an injury unit €75), while public ambulances are free and public in-patient charges were abolished in April 2023.

Number	For what
112 or 999	Garda (police), ambulance, fire and coast guard – free from any phone; 112 also works in every EU country
112 by text message	Emergency SMS service for deaf, hard-of-hearing and speech-impaired people – register your phone first
1800 666 111	Garda Confidential Line
+353 1 666 0000	An Garda Síochána headquarters – non-emergency matters go to your local Garda station
1800 700 700 or 01 240 8787	HSE Live – general health service information, Monday–Friday 8am–8pm, Saturday 9am–5pm (from abroad 00 353 1 240 8787)
0818 22 44 78	HSE medical card and GP visit card unit (also 01 864 7100)
Your GP practice	GP out-of-hours service at night and weekends – phone appointment only; free with a medical card or GP visit card, a fee otherwise
1800 454 454	Threshold – free advice for tenants, Monday–Friday 9am–9pm
0818 07 4000	Citizens Information Phone Service, Monday–Friday 9am–8pm (+353 21 229 8178 from abroad)
1800 404 404	Commission for Regulation of Utilities customer care – your electricity and gas rights

The address book

Every entry below is an Irish public body or a State-funded service. Most now prefer an online portal to a phone call – Immigration Service Delivery publishes no phone number at all – so the website column names the organisation to search for rather than an address. Opening hours are those published on 24 September 2026.

Residence and identity

Agency	What you use it for	Phone	Website	Visit / service office
Immigration Service Delivery (ISD), Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration	Registering and renewing your immigration permission and IRP card, visas, stamps, citizenship by naturalisation	No public phone line – all queries go through the ISD Customer Service Portal	Immigration Service Delivery – Customer Service Portal and online renewal portal	Burgh Quay Registration Office, 13-14 Burgh Quay, Dublin 2, D02 XK70 – appointment only; admits only people with a confirmed appointment in their own name. Citizenship Division: Rosanna Road, Tipperary Town, E34 N566 (post only; phone services suspended)
Garda National Immigration Bureau (GNIB), An Garda Síochána	Immigration policing. Since 13 January 2025 it no longer carries out first-time registrations anywhere in the Republic – that is ISD's job	+353 1 666 9100	An Garda Síochána	13/14 Burgh Quay, Dublin 2, D02 XK70
Department of Social Protection – PPS Number and Public Services Card centres	Your PPS number, the Public Services Card, verifying your phone number for MyGovID	0818 405060	Department of Social Protection; MyWelfare; MyGovID	Dublin: Cork Street PPSN and PSC Centre, The Guild Building, Cork Street, Dublin 8, D08 XH90; D'Olier House, D'Olier Street, Dublin 2, D02 A370; 77 Upper Gardiner Street, Dublin 1, D01 HH87; 20 King's Inns Street, Dublin 1, D01 P382. Cork: Hanover Street, Cork, T12 PX62. Limerick: Limerick Intreo Centre, Dominick Street, V94 X327. Galway: Galway Intreo Centre, Sean Duggan Centre, Fairgreen Road, H91 XT91. Monday–Wednesday 9:15am–5pm, Thursday 10:30am–5pm, Friday 9:15am–4:30pm
Client Identity Services, Department of Social Protection	PPS number queries, tracing a number you already have, changes of address	(071) 967 2616 or 0818 927 999 (+353 71 967 2616 from abroad)	Department of Social Protection – MyWelfare	Shannon Lodge, Carrick-on-Shannon, Co. Leitrim, N41 KD81 (post)
Citizens Information (Citizens Information Board)	Free, confidential information on rights and entitlements in English and Irish; the Returning to Ireland portal	0818 07 4000, Monday–Friday 9am–8pm; +353 21 229 8178 from abroad	Citizens Information	Local Citizens Information Centres nationwide; head office George's Quay House, 43 Townsend St, Dublin 2, D02 VK65
Passport Service, Department of Foreign Affairs	Irish passports and Foreign Birth Registration (citizenship applications go to ISD, not here)	+353 1 671 1633 (passports), +353 1 568 3331 (Foreign Birth Registration), Monday–Friday 9am–4.30pm	Department of Foreign Affairs – Passport Online	Knockmaun House, 42-47 Lower Mount Street, Dublin 2, D02 TN83, and Passport Office, 1a South Mall, Cork, T12 TA46 – both 9.00am–5.00pm Monday–Friday
Residential Tenancies Board (RTB)	Tenancy registration (your landlord's duty), the public rent register, rent rules, free mediation of disputes	0818 30 30 37, 0818 30 30 43 or 01 702 8100, Monday–Friday 9am–5pm; webchat the same hours	Residential Tenancies Board – RTB Service Centre	Post only: PO Box 13841, Freepost FKY7736, Killorglin, Co Kerry
Threshold	Free advice for private tenants, including rental scams	1800 454 454, Monday–Friday 9am–9pm	Threshold	Offices in Dublin, Cork and Galway
Register of Electors – your local authority	Registering to vote once you are 18 and resident: EU citizens vote in European and local elections, UK citizens in general and local elections, everyone else in local elections	See the agency's website	Check the Register (online with your PPS number) or a witnessed paper form	Your city or county council – applications must arrive at least 15 days before polling day

Money, work and social insurance

Agency	What you use it for	Phone	Website	Visit / service office
Revenue (Office of the Revenue Commissioners)	Registering your first job, tax credits, Emergency Tax, the yearly PAYE Income Tax Return, Rent Tax Credit; customs relief when you move your belongings	PAYE helpline 01 738 3636 (00353 1 738 3636 from abroad), 09.30–13.30 Monday–Friday; appointments 01 738 3660	Revenue – myAccount (employees) and ROS (self-employed)	Dublin Central Revenue Information Office, Cathedral Street, Dublin 1, D01 DC78; Revenue House, Assumption Road, Blackpool, Cork, T23 W922; Geata na Cathrach, Fairgreen Road, Galway, H91 W26K; Sarsfield House, Francis Street, Limerick, V94 R972 – all 09:30–13:30 Monday–Friday, priority to people with an appointment
Intreo and JobsIreland, Department of Social Protection	The public employment service: job search, jobseeker's payments, activation meetings; JobsIreland is the free job site (basic MyGovID needed)	JobsIreland support 0818 111 112 or 01 248 1389, Monday–Friday 9am–5pm	Intreo; JobsIreland; MyWelfare	Your local Intreo Centre – it also verifies your phone number for MyGovID without an appointment
Employment Permits Section, Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment	Critical Skills and General Employment Permits, the occupations lists, quotas and processing dates	(059) 917 8900, Monday–Friday 9.30am–5pm, closed 1pm–2pm	Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment – Employment Permits Online	Lansdowne House, Lansdowne Road, Dublin 4, D04 A3A8 – no public office, personal callers are not facilitated
Workplace Relations Commission (WRC)	Complaints about pay, hours, contracts or dismissal – within 6 months of the incident	(059) 917 8990, Monday–Friday 9.30am–1pm and 2pm–5pm	Workplace Relations Commission – online complaint form	O'Brien Road, Carlow, R93 E920
PRSI Records, Department of Social Protection	Your social insurance record and contribution statement (also on MyWelfare); refunds of wrongly paid PRSI	(01) 471 5898 or 0818 690 690	Department of Social Protection – MyWelfare	McCarter's Road, Ardaravan, Buncrana, Co. Donegal (post)
Child Benefit Section, Department of Social Protection	Child Benefit (€140 a month per child) and the New Baby Grant – apply within 12 months of the birth or of the family arriving in Ireland	(074) 916 4496 or 0818 300600, 9:15am–4pm Monday–Friday (phone and email only)	Department of Social Protection – MyWelfare	St Oliver Plunkett Road, Letterkenny, Co. Donegal, F92 T449 (post)
State Pension (Contributory), Department of Social Protection	The Irish State Pension from age 66; the department requests your foreign contribution history itself	(071) 915 7100 or 0818 200 400	Department of Social Protection – MyWelfare	College Road, Sligo, F91 T384 (post)
Central Credit Register, Central Bank of Ireland	Your Irish credit report, free of charge (loans of €500 or more; there is no credit score)	01 224 5500	Central Credit Register – requests are made online, not by phone	Adelphi Plaza, George's Street Upper, Dún Laoghaire, Co. Dublin
MABS	Free money and debt advice; a guide to opening a bank account	0818 07 2000	MABS	See the agency's website

Health and safety

Agency	What you use it for	Phone	Website	Visit / service office
HSE (Health Service Executive)	All public health services: GPs, medical card and GP visit card, hospitals, the Drugs Payment Scheme, the European Health Insurance Card	HSE Live 1800 700 700 or 01 240 8787 (00 353 1 240 8787 from abroad), Monday–Friday 8am–8pm, Saturday 9am–5pm; no email	HSE – Find a GP, online medical card and GP visit card applications, HSE Health App	Head office Dr. Steevens' Hospital, Steeven's Lane, Dublin 8, D08 W2A8 (01 635 2000); services through your local primary care centre and GP
National Medical Card Unit, HSE	Medical card and GP visit card applications and queries; S1 forms for people insured in another EU/EEA state or the UK	0818 22 44 78 or 01 864 7100	HSE – online medical card service	Post: National Medical Card Unit, PO Box 11745, Dublin 11
An Garda Síochána (national police)	Emergencies (999 or 112), reporting crime, a lost or stolen IRP (you need a Garda PULSE reference number for the replacement), the Age Card, Garda vetting	Confidential Line 1800 666 111; headquarters +353 1 666 0000	An Garda Síochána – station directory	Your local Garda station for non-emergency matters
Health Insurance Authority (HIA)	Regulator of private health insurance: the Lifetime Community Rating rules and comparing plans	+353 (0)1 406 0080	Health Insurance Authority	Beaux Lane House, Mercer Street Lower, Dublin 2
Commission for Regulation of Utilities (CRU)	Electricity and gas: switching, the licensed suppliers, codes of practice, complaints once the supplier's own process is finished, the vulnerable customer register	1800 404 404	Commission for Regulation of Utilities	See the agency's website
ComReg	Mobile, broadband and home phone contracts, switching provider and keeping your number	See the agency's website	ComReg	See the agency's website

Moving goods, cars and pets

Agency	What you use it for	Phone	Website	Visit / service office
Revenue – Customs (transfer of residence relief)	Duty- and VAT-free import of your household goods and car when you move from outside the EU (form C&E 1076); Vehicle Registration Tax relief on your own car, claimed within 7 days of bringing it in	See the agency's website	Revenue – MyEnquiries in myAccount	The customs office at your point of entry (moves from outside the EU); the National VRT Service via MyEnquiries (moves from within the EU)
National Driver Licence Service (NDLS), Road Safety Authority	Exchanging a foreign licence (€65), learner permits and Irish driving licences	0818 700 800 or +353 21 462 4810, 9:00am–5:00pm Monday–Friday; appointment booking 0818 919 090, 9:00am–6:00pm	National Driver Licence Service – online with a Public Services Card and verified MyGovID	34 NDLS centres, by appointment; post: PO Box 858, Little Island DSU, Cork
National Car Testing Service (NCTS)	Registering an imported car and paying VRT (book within 7 days of the car's arrival, register within 30 days); the NCT roadworthiness test (€60) once a car is 4 years old	01 413 5992	National Car Testing Service	NCT centres nationwide
Motor tax – your local authority and the Vehicle Registration Unit	Motor tax (online, for 3, 6 or 12 months) and change of ownership	Vehicle Registration Unit 0818 411 412, Monday–Friday 10am–1pm	Motor tax online service	Vehicle Registration Unit, Shannon; the motor tax office of your council
Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine – Pet Travel	Bringing cats, dogs and ferrets: microchip, rabies vaccination, EU pet passport or health certificate, tapeworm treatment for dogs, advance notice at least 24 hours before arrival from outside the EU	+353 (0)1 607 2827	Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine – Pet Travel portal and Advance Notice Portal	Entry only via Dublin Airport, Dublin Port, Shannon Airport, Cork Airport, Ringaskiddy Port or Rosslare Europort
Transport for Ireland (National Transport Authority) – TFI Leap Card	The Leap Card for buses, Luas, DART and rail nationwide (register it – unregistered cards are not replaced), fares and fare caps	0818 824 824 (+353 1 907 9425 from abroad), Monday–Friday 7am–7pm, Saturday and bank holidays 9am–3pm	Transport for Ireland; TFI Leap Card	2,500 Leap agents and all post offices
Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) – eFlow	Tolls: the barrier-free M50 in Dublin (€2.60 with a tag, €3.80 unregistered) must be paid by 8pm the next day; one eToll tag works on every toll road	eFlow 0818 50 10 50	eFlow; Transport Infrastructure Ireland	Pay online, by phone or at Payzone outlets

Education and qualifications

Agency	What you use it for	Phone	Website	Visit / service office
Department of Education and Youth	Schools and admissions, Section 29 appeals against a refused place (within 63 days), exemptions from Irish, school transport, recognition of professional qualifications	See the agency's website	Department of Education and Youth – School Directory	Apply to any local school directly; if there is no place, your Regional Education and Language Team (REALT – 16 teams hosted by the ETBs) or Tusla's Educational Welfare Officer
Education and Training Boards (ETBs)	Free ESOL English classes and adult literacy; further education and training	See the agency's website	Your local ETB; the FETCH course finder	16 ETBs nationwide – City of Dublin ETB offers up to 12 hours of English a week
NALA	Free tutoring by phone (one call a week) or online for adults improving their reading, writing or English	Freephone 1800 20 20 65	NALA	By phone and online
NARIC Ireland, Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI)	Free online comparability statements placing your foreign qualification on the 10-level National Framework of Qualifications – often asked for by employers, colleges and for permits (not issued for regulated professions or licences)	See the agency's website	QQI – NARIC Ireland database	Online only
Competent authorities for regulated professions	Teachers, doctors, nurses, pharmacists, architects, accountants, electricians, gas installers and other regulated professions must register before working; UK qualifications are no longer automatically recognised since 1 January 2021	See the agency's website	The relevant professional body; coordination by the Department of Education and Youth	Online
National Childcare Scheme (NCS)	Childcare subsidies (universal €2.14 an hour; income-assessed up to €5.10 an hour) – apply with a verified MyGovID and your children's PPS numbers	Parent Support Centre (01) 906 8530, 9am–5pm Monday–Friday	National Childcare Scheme	Online; paid to Tusla-registered providers with an NCS contract
CAO and SUSI	College applications (CAO – by 1 February for EU/EEA applicants) and student grants (SUSI – 3 of the last 5 years' residence in Ireland, the EU/EEA, the UK or Switzerland)	See the agency's website	CAO; SUSI	Online

Cities

Agency	What you use it for	Phone	Website	Visit / service office
Dublin City Council	Housing list and HAP, parking, guidance on bin collectors, the Register of Electors, the Local Authority Integration Team	01 222 2222, Monday–Friday 9am–5pm; out-of-hours emergencies 01 222 3150	Dublin City Council – Citizen Hub	Civic Offices, Wood Quay, Dublin 8, D08 RF3F – public counters by appointment only
Cork City Council	Housing and HAP, parking, the Local Authority Integration Team for refugees and protection applicants	+353 21 4924000; out of hours +353 21 4966512	Cork City Council	City Hall, Anglesea Street, Cork, T12 T997 (opening hours are not published on the contact page)
Limerick City and County Council	The 'Information for New Communities' guide, housing and HAP, the MyLimerick portal	+353 61 556000, 9am–5pm Monday–Friday	Limerick City and County Council – MyLimerick	Merchant's Quay, Limerick, V94 EH90, and Dooradoyle Road, Limerick, V94 WV78 – 9am–5pm Monday–Friday
Galway City Council	The 'Welcome to Galway' integration page, housing, parking, the participatory budget	091 536400, 9am–5pm Monday–Friday (the same number for out-of-hours emergencies)	Galway City Council	City Hall, College Road, Galway, H91 X4K8 – public counter 9am–4pm, Housing Office 9:30am–1pm Monday–Friday

The biggest cities

Four cities take most newcomers, and all four have a council, a Revenue office, a PPS number centre and a university within reach. They are also where rents are highest: the RTB's latest rent index (Q1 2026, new tenancies) puts Dublin City at €2,301 a month, Galway City at €2,004, Limerick City at €1,921 and Cork City at €1,903. Populations are the Census 2022 counts (3 April 2022) for each city and its suburbs, published by the Central Statistics Office (CSO); the next census is in April/May 2027.

Dublin

Population (date and source)	Public transport	Universities	Nearest airport	Newcomer service
1,263,219 in Dublin City and suburbs (Census 2022, CSO); 1,597,700 in County Dublin, 28.9% of the national population (CSO estimate, April 2026)	TFI Leap Card on Dublin Bus, Go-Ahead Ireland, the Luas tram, DART and commuter rail; 90-minute fare €2.00, daily cap €6.00, weekly cap €24.00; adult monthly Zone 1 ticket €96.00	Trinity College Dublin, University College Dublin, Dublin City University, Technological University Dublin, RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences, National College of Art and Design (Maynooth University is in neighbouring Co. Kildare)	Dublin Airport – a State airport run by daa, with US pre-clearance	Dublin City Council's Local Authority Integration Team; Customer Services 01 222 2222

Dublin City is run in five 'Local Areas': Central, North Central, North West, South Central and South East. The Docklands, on both banks of the Liffey from the Talbot Memorial Bridge to the 3Arena, is the regenerated business and tech quarter around the Custom House of 1791. South-west of the centre, The Liberties in Dublin 8 has its own local area plan and a greening strategy for new parks; the North Central area takes in Clontarf, Fairview, Raheny, Kilbarrack, Coolock and the newer suburbs of Belmayne and Clongriffin, while Ballymun and Finglas in the north-west are covered by a regeneration plan that runs until October 2027. A quarter of Dublin's residents – 362,478 people – were born outside the State at Census 2022, the highest share of any county, and the city has a large cohort of young adults.

Cork

Population (date and source)	Public transport	Universities	Nearest airport	Newcomer service
222,526 in Cork City and suburbs (Census 2022, CSO); 224,004 in the Cork City Council area	Bus Éireann city buses and the Cork commuter rail lines to Cobh and Midleton with the TFI Leap Card; 90-minute fare €1.70, daily cap €5.10, weekly cap €20.40 since 20 July 2026; monthly ticket: See the agency's website	University College Cork, Munster Technological University	Cork Airport – a State airport run by daa	Cork City Council's Local Authority Integration Team ('Integration from Day One' – for refugees, protection applicants and temporary-protection beneficiaries); +353 21 4924000

Cork's historic north inner city, Shandon, got an Integrated Urban Strategy on 8 April 2025 with 36 actions covering the Butter Market complex, St Anne's Church and Shandon Street. East of the centre the Docklands and South Docks are being built out as a new mixed-use quarter, with a bus lane and cycle track along Victoria Road and Albert Quay under construction. Blackrock and Mahon in the south-east have a 3 km harbour walkway along the old Passage railway line to Rochestown and the MTU Blackrock Castle Observatory; Fitzgerald's Park lies beside University College Cork on the west side, and Ballincollig, 9 km west of the centre, has a 54-hectare regional park on the River Lee. At Census 2022, 87% of the city's residents were born in County Cork – the highest share of the five cities.

Limerick

Population (date and source)	Public transport	Universities	Nearest airport	Newcomer service
102,287 in Limerick City and suburbs (Census 2022, CSO)	Bus Éireann city buses and TFI Local Link with the Leap Card; adult single €1.35 (0–11 stages), Red Zone calendar-month ticket €60.00	University of Limerick, Technological University of the Shannon (TUS), Mary Immaculate College	Shannon Airport – a State airport with US pre-clearance (the official pages give no distance from Limerick)	Limerick City and County Council's 'Information for New Communities' guide (housing, schools, health, work, banking, translation); +353 61 556000

Limerick calls itself Ireland's third city, founded by the Vikings in 922 and chartered in 1197. King's Island holds the medieval quarter around King John's Castle – described by the council as the westernmost Norman castle in Europe – and St Mary's Cathedral, and the city has the largest Georgian quarter in Ireland outside Dublin. Castletroy, the university suburb to the east, has a neighbourhood park with 1.2 km of paths, a playground and a lake, and the University of Limerick's Living Bridge is the longest footbridge in the country. Moyross, St Mary's Park, Southill and Ballinacurra Weston are the four regeneration areas under a programme launched in September 2013, with new A-rated housing and the first phase of the Moyross Avenue upgrade finished in 2024. Rents in new tenancies rose faster here than in any other city in the year to Q1 2026, by 20.9%.

Galway

Population (date and source)	Public transport	Universities	Nearest airport	Newcomer service
85,910 in Galway City and suburbs (Census 2022, CSO); 84,414 in the Galway City Council area	Bus Éireann routes 401–409 and City Direct routes 410–414 with the Leap Card; adult single €1.35, Red Zone calendar-month ticket €60.00 on the Bus Éireann routes	University of Galway, Atlantic Technological University (ATU)	Shannon Airport – a State airport with US pre-clearance (the official pages give no distance from Galway)	Galway City Council's 'Welcome to Galway' page and Local Authority Integration Team (learning English, healthcare, work, banking, crisis support); 091 536400

Salthill, the seaside suburb west of the centre, is linked to the city by a 6 km walking and cycling route from the Spanish Arch past the Claddagh, Nimmo's Pier and South Park along the promenade. Renmore, east of the centre on Galway Bay, has Ballyloughane Beach and the 1.4 km Lough Atalia walkway; further east, Doughiska has Merlin Park's adventure playground and skate park, and the council is replanting Merlin Woods as native woodland after Storm Éowyn in January 2025. Knocknacarra in City West has council playgrounds at Cappagh Park and McGrath Field, the 2026 participatory budget of €65,000 and 25 starter homes for sale at Slí na hAbhann. Galway has the lowest share of residents born in the county of the five cities (70%) and, like Dublin City, a young population.

Embassies in Ireland

Your embassy issues passports, registers births and helps in an emergency. These are the embassies most people moving to Ireland need – 42 countries. Addresses, phone numbers and e-mails were read on each embassy’s official website or the Irish Department of Foreign Affairs’ Diplomatic List on 24 September 2026. Most consular services are by appointment only – book before you go.

Good to know

Ireland is not in the Schengen Area and does not take part in the EU Entry/Exit System, so Schengen rules and EES do not apply when you arrive here – you show a passport or ID card to an immigration officer even on a flight from Paris or Berlin. The flip side: an Irish Residence Permit gives no right to live or travel in other EU countries, and IRP holders are not exempt from EES when they visit the Schengen area unless they are immediate family of an EU citizen. With the UK, Ireland shares the Common Travel Area: Irish and UK citizens live, work and study in either country without permits and face no routine passport checks between the two – but carriers ask for ID, and the rights do not extend to other nationalities or to your non-Irish family.

Renting changed on 1 March 2026. Rent Pressure Zones, extended to the whole country on 20 June 2025, were dismantled and replaced by a national rule: rent may rise once a year by at most 2% or the rate of inflation, whichever is lower, and a landlord setting a new rent must show three comparable rents from the RTB register. A deposit may not exceed one month's rent, and you cannot be asked for more than two months' rent up front in total (deposit plus one month in advance). Every tenancy must be registered with the RTB by the landlord, and tenants can claim the Rent Tax Credit of up to €1,000 a year (€2,000 for a couple). The RTB's index for Q1 2026 puts the average rent in a new tenancy at €1,839 a month nationally and €2,335 in County Dublin. View every property in person, and never pay by wire transfer or cryptocurrency before you have verified the landlord.

Public healthcare is open to anyone ordinarily resident, but most working adults pay for GP visits (about €45 to €65) and for medicines – the Drugs Payment Scheme caps a family's approved prescription costs at €80 a month, with no means test. If you want private insurance, buy it within nine months of making Ireland your home: after that, first-time buyers aged 35 or over pay a Lifetime Community Rating loading of 2% for every year over 34, for up to 10 years. The insurers are Irish Life Health, Laya Healthcare and VHI Healthcare, and the premium attracts 20% tax relief on up to €1,000 per adult.

Household waste is collected by private licensed companies, not the council – Dublin City Council lists six domestic operators and provides no kerbside service itself – and you must separate food waste (brown bin), dry recyclables (green) and general waste (black). A TV licence costs €160 a year and is needed even for a smart TV used only for streaming; a foreign licence cannot be transferred. Cash bills are rounded to the nearest 5 cent, calls to 1800 numbers are free and 0818 numbers cost the same as a landline call, and every address has a 7-character Eircode you will be asked for constantly. The legal age for alcohol and tobacco is 18; the tobacco age rises to 21 only on 1 February 2028. Ireland has 10 public holidays a year, and Good Friday is not one of them.

If you plan to stay, the current law lets you apply for citizenship after 5 years of reckonable residence in the last 9 (3 years for spouses of Irish citizens; time as a student never counts), with at most 70 days abroad in the final year, for €175 plus €950 on approval; ISD says most applications are decided within 12 months, Citizens Information says 19 months. A General Scheme of the Irish Nationality and Citizenship (Amendment) Bill 2026, published on 21 September 2026, proposes raising this to 8 years and adding language and civics tests – it is a proposal, not law, and has no effective date.

Relocate in Europe provides general information, not legal or financial advice. Numbers, prices and opening hours were checked on 24 September 2026 – check with the agency before you visit.