The Government has announced changes to the policies around sponsoring family members to come to Ireland. Go to the official link by clicking Revised Non-EEA Family Reunification Policy and Final Report on the Review of the Policy
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Please see an overview of the changes below
New Family Reunification & Immigration Permission Changes
Effective 26 November 2025
On 26 November 2025, the Department of Justice introduced major reforms to the Non-EEA Family Reunification Policy. These changes affect who can apply, financial requirements, the definitions of dependants, and the types of residency permissions issued to family members.
Changes after 26 November 2025
The policy applies to eligible Irish and Non-EEA sponsors and their family members seeking family reunification.
People who have already made an application under the former Policy will still be considered under that former Policy
- Eligible Sponsors
The revised policy recognises three sponsor categories:
Category A
- Irish citizens
- Refugees and beneficiaries of subsidiary protection
(where the application does not fall within Sections 56–57 of the International Protection Act 2015)
Category B
- Critical Skills Employment Permit (CSEP) holders
- Intra-Company Transferees (ICT)
- Other specialist and small migration schemes
Category C
- General Employment Permit (GEP) holders
- Reactivation Employment Permit holders
- Certain eligible Stamp 4 holders not included in Categories A or B
Only the income of one sponsor is assessed to meet the financial threshold.
- Family members
Dependent Spouses, Civil Partners, and De Facto Partners
They remain eligible for family reunification under all categories.
Dependent Minor Children
- Dependent children must be under 18 at the time of application.
- Adult children aged 18–23 in full-time education are no longer automatically considered dependants. Adult children will only qualify if they can demonstrate:
- High dependency, and
- A serious medical or psychological condition preventing independent living.
- The financial threshold to sponsor dependent children is aligned with the Working Family Payment rates.
Dependent Adults
Financial thresholds for dependent adult relative sponsorship have increased:
- €92,789 (1 adult)
- €125,390 (2 adults)
- Stamp Changes: Stamp 3 → Stamp 1G
Dependent children aged 16-18 who came through family reunification will now receive Stamp 1G, giving them access to the labour market.
- Appeal period reduced from two months to 30 working days.
Long-Term Policy Direction (Not Yet Implemented)
These reforms are part of a wider migration policy overhaul. Some proposed future measures include
Proof of Suitable Accommodation
A mandatory accommodation requirement will be introduced once operational systems are ready.
Pre-Clearance Requirement
Non-visa-required family members will need pre-clearance approval before travelling to Ireland.
Introduction of Visa Application Fees
A new fee system is under consideration to reduce application backlogs and limit unsuitable applications
