1) Can I bring my family member(s) to Ireland?

The answer depends on:
1) Your nationality / immigration status in Ireland
2) The type of family member(s) you want to bring to Ireland
3) If you meet the financial criteria

• Am I eligible?

  You can apply to bring immediate family members (spouse/ partner and children), if you are:

  – An Irish citizen living or intending to live in Ireland

  – An EU citizen living or intending to live in Ireland

  – A UK citizen living or intending to live in Ireland

  – Investors with a permission under the Immigration Investor Programme

  – Entrepreneurs with a permission under the Start-up Entrepreneur Programme (STEP)

  – A critical skills employment permit holder

  – Researcher under a Hosting Agreement

  – ISD-approved scholarship programme student (e.g. KASP)

  – Intra-company transferees

  – A PhD student studying for a doctorate accredited in Ireland

  – Full-time non-locum doctors in employment

  – A Minister of Religion under the relevant Scheme.

  – A stamp 5 holder

  – A recognised refugee or subsidiary protection holder where the application is not within the scope of Sections 56 and 57 of the International Protection Act 2015

  Notes: A recognised refugee or subsidiary protection holder who qualifies for family reunification under Sections 56 and 57 of the International Protection Act 2015 should apply under a separate process – please see www.irishimmigration.ie for official information

   

  You can apply to bring immediate family members (spouse/ partner and children) after 12 months, if you are:

  – A General Employment Permit Holder

  – A Reactivation Employment Permit Holder

  – Stamp 4 holders not covered by the categories mentioned above

   

  You CANNOT sponsor a family member, if you are:

  – Stamp 2 holder

  – Stamp 3 holder

  – Stamp 0 holder

  For more information see the official Policy Document on Non-EEA Family Reunification

• Who can I bring?

  Immediate family members include:
  – Spouse/ civil partner
  – De facto partner – if living together for at least 2 years, and can evidence it.
  – Children under 18
  – Adopted children recognised under Irish law

  As of 26 November 2025 you can no longer sponsor dependent children aged 18-23 in full-time education under the same financial criteria as children under 18, unless you are an EU citizen living and working in Ireland (or intending to)

  Dependent Adult Relatives, including elderly dependent parents and adult children, but you must show a higher level of financial and emotional dependence on you. A longer waiting period also applies before those family members can be sponsored for a family reunification application after the sponsor has been granted an eligible permission.

  Other family members are very difficult to apply for. You can only apply to bring extended family members if they are fully dependent on you, you meet the financial requirement, and you have exceptional humanitarian reasons. Contact us if you have questions about bringing your family member.

• Financial requirements to bring a spouse / de facto partner?

  In the case where:

  • I am an Irish citizen (sponsor) or I am a recognised refugee or subsidiary protection holder application outside the scope of Sections 56 and 57 (sponsor) 
    A combined income of €40,000 for the past 3 years before tax (approximately €13,300 per year), on top of any State benefits received.
  • I am an EU citizen (sponsor)
    No financial requirement but you as the EU-citizen must be working or otherwise exercising your EU Treaty Rights. This includes:
    o Working at least 12 hours per week
    o Be self-employed in Ireland
    o Be a full-time student with private health insurance and be financially self-sufficient
    o Become involuntarily unemployed
    o Have sufficient resources and private health insurance
  • I am a UK citizen (sponsor)
    An annual income before tax per year of €20,000 for the past 3 years.
  • I am a Non-EEA citizen (sponsor)
    €30,000 income before tax per year for the past year.

     

• Financial requirements to bring child(ren)?

  The income of only one individual sponsor will be considered in assessing the financial ability.

  You can bring children until the age of 18 if they are enrolled on full-time education and you can prove that they are fully dependent on you financially. To meet the financial requirement to bring your child(ren) you must have a weekly income after tax as per the Working Family Payment.

  One child	€765
  Two children	€866
  Three children	€967
  Four children	€1,058
  Five children	€1,184
  Six children	€1,300
  Seven children	€1,436
  Eight or more children	€1,532

• Financial requirements to bring my parents (dependent adult relatives)?
  If you can show that your parent(s) are financially dependent on you have an annual income before tax for the past 3 years of:
  – €92,789 to bring 1 parent
  – €125,390 to bring 2 parents          Note: Provide health insurance cover for the parent(s) equivalent to VHI Plan D.

2) How do I apply to bring my family member(s) to join me in Ireland?

The process depends on whether you family members are visa-required or not. You can check this here.

Depending on who you want to bring, your family member(s) can either apply for a visa or a pre-clearance even if they are non-visa required.

• Visa required

  If your family member is from a visa-required country, they must go through the visa application process.

  If you are an Irish citizen or a Non-EEA national: your family member(s) must apply for a D-Join family visa.

  If you are an EU-citizen: your family member must apply for a single journey short-stay C visa Join EEA Family member.

• Pre-clearance required

  Pre-clearance required (De facto partner / elderly dependent parent(s) and all family members of UK-citizens) must apply for pre-clearance even if they are non-visa required nationals. If they are visa-required they need to apply for a visa as explained above.

  If you are an Irish national or an Non-EEA national (sponsor) and your family member is a de facto partner

  If your family member is an elderly dependent parent(s)

  If you are a UK-citizen find more information here about how to bring family

• The steps to apply for a visa or pre-clearance application

  1) First, you need to check if you meet the financial requirements listed above, and that your family member is dependent on you.

  2) Before you do the online-visa application prepare the supporting documents and letters of application.

  3) Do an online visa application (AVATS) once you have all the other documents and letters ready

  4) Submit the online visa-application and print the summary sheet. Once you submit the application you will be directed to pay a fee if required and where to send all the supporting documents.

  5) Check out your local Irish embassy for more information or the ISD website.

  6) Check Visa processing time.

• Non-visa required

  Your family member does not need to apply for a visa to enter Ireland if from a non-Visa required country, unless your family member is a De Facto Partner / an Elderly dependent Parent / a Family member of UK National. In these specific cases, a pre-clearance is required, as explained above.

  If you are an EU-citizen (excluding Irish citizens) your family member(s) will need to submit a written application within 90 days of arriving in Ireland to get residence permission.

  When your family member(s) arrive at border control they might be requested to show evidence that they have valid reason to enter Ireland. They need to explain that their intention is to join you (the sponsor) in Ireland and apply for residence permission. Your family member(s) might be required to show documents such as:

  • Marriage certificate (if you are married)
  • Birth certificate(s) if you have a child(ren) together.
  • Evidence of your joint address / evidence of where you are going to be living in Ireland
  • Evidence that you (the sponsor) is working
  • Evidence of private health insurance

  Please see official information on entering the border at this link Suggested documents to present at border control – Immigration Service Delivery

Page last updated 15/01/2026