General program requirements

To be eligible for a so-called retirement permission (participants need not necessarily be retired) in Ireland, an applicant must have the financial means to support himself. 

This also means that he will not be able to access State benefits while living in Ireland. 

Applicants must demonstrate an annual income of at least €50,000 as well as access to a lump sum of money that can cover any sudden major expenses; as a rule of thumb, this lump sum should be equal to what it would cost for a residential dwelling.

Prospective residents must submit their documentation and application, approval of which will result in a Conditional Letter of Offer and and Agreement Form.

Once in possession of the Conditional Letter of Offer, the applicant must apply at for a D-Reside Visa at an Irish consulate or embassy.

Once granted a visa, the applicant may travel to Ireland for the final registration and receive a passport stamp confirming his status.

Program benefits

• Increased visa-free travel;
• Freedom of movement (but not settlement) within Schengen;
• No investment or donation requirement;
• Path to citizenship;
• Permits dual/multiple citizenship;
• Safety and security;
• Enhanced business access to large economies;
• Short processing time;
• English as official language.

Requirements to qualify for citizenship

The Retirement Visa is valid for one year at a time and is renewable indefinitely as long as the applicant continues to meet the conditions.

After five consecutive years of residency, the applicant is eligible for permanent resident status. 

One year after obtaining the permanent residency, the applicant is eligible for Irish citizenship if he can meet certain physical presence requirements and pass an examination conducted in English.

Applications for this program may be directed to:

Unit 2 Domestic Residence and Permissions Division, Immigration Service Delivery, Department of Justice

Legislation upon which this program is based:

No statistics available yet for this program.