If you are not a citizen of the European Economic Area (EEA), the United Kingdom or Switzerland, you need permission to enter Ireland. If you want to stay for more than 3 months you must have permission to remain and register your presence in Ireland with Immigration Service Delivery (ISD). This is how you get an Irish Residence Permit (IRP).
You must register if you plan to stay in Ireland for over 3 months and you:
If you are living in Ireland already and are about to turn 16, you must register with ISD.
You may have already applied to ISD for permission to remain in the State and received a letter granting your permission. This could be because you have:
You should bring the letter you got from ISD with you when you go to register.
If you have recently come to Ireland on a ‘D’ (long stay) visa, or you are a citizen of a country that does not require an entry visa (non-visa required), you can register with ISD without making a written application in advance. This could be because you are:
As soon as possible following your arrival in Ireland, you should call or email your immigration registration office for an appointment to register.
If you live in Dublin, Cork, Kildare, Limerick, Meath or Wicklow you must phone 1800 800630 to book an appointment to register at the Burgh Quay Registration Office. This Freephone number is open from 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday. To make an appointment you will need your passport and a valid email address. ISD will email you the date, time and location of your appointment, and a unique appointment confirmation number which you will need when you attend your appointment.
The documents you need will depend on the immigration permission you are applying for. You can find out the documents you will need to register with immigration in Ireland on the ISD website.
You must pay a fee of €300 for your Irish Residence Permit (IRP). Your IRP is free if you:
Before your Irish Residence Permit (IRP) expires you should go to your immigration registration office to renew it. You will need to bring your passport, your current card and evidence to support your residence permission, such as an employment permit.
If you live in Dublin, Cork, Kildare, Limerick, Meath or Wicklow, you can renew your IRP online. This means you will not have to go to the registration office in Burgh Quay to register in person. You must have less than 12 weeks left on your current permission before you can use the online renewal system.
To renew your IRP online, you should:
You must scan and upload the following documents when you are applying:
You should also upload documents that show that you are satisfying your immigration conditions. This depends on your situation, and may include:
You can read a full list of documents on the ISD website.
Following registration with immigration officials, you will be issued with an Irish Residence Permit (IRP) by post.
You must carry your card with you at all times and show it to an immigration officer or the Garda Síochána if requested.
If you change your address, or change your name, you should email immigrationsupport@justice.ie.
To renew your IRP because you have a new passport, you can use the ISD online system if you live in Dublin, Cork, Kildare, Limerick, Meath or Wicklow .
Non-EEA nationals who wish to travel abroad must have a valid IRP card to re-enter Ireland. A soft copy of your IRP card is not acceptable for travel.
If you want to travel abroad, you should contact the country that you are travelling to and find out about their requirements, such as the required immigration permission and documentation.
As well as your Irish Residence Permit (IRP), you will also receive a stamp in your passport, which specifies the duration and the conditions of your permission to remain in Ireland. If you are renewing online, you will not receive a stamp in your passport.
The following table lists the different types of stamp issued to non-EEA nationals:
Different types of stamp issued to non-EEA nationals
Stamp number
Issued to
People with permission to remain in Ireland for a specific, temporary and limited purpose, for example:
People who have received an employment permit, a working holiday authorisation or permission to open a business