IrelandFamily

Joining a non-EEA resident in Ireland

A long stay category D visa for a person who wants to come to Ireland and live for more than three months with a spouse, civil or de facto partner or parent — where that family member is not a national of Ireland, the EEA, Switzerland or the United Kingdom but holds an employment or other long-term permission in the country. Separate schemes apply to the relatives of Irish, UK and EEA/Swiss nationals.

Source: Immigration Service Delivery (irishimmigration.ie)

Who can make an application

Eligibility to apply for reunification depends on the status in Ireland of the sponsor — the family member the applicant is joining.

Category B — application immediately after the sponsor arrives

The sponsor holds a Critical Skills Employment Permit
The sponsor is an intra-company transferee
The sponsor is a hospital doctor other than a locum
The sponsor is a researcher on a Hosting Agreement
The sponsor is an investor under the Immigrant Investor Programme (IIP)
The sponsor is an entrepreneur under the Start-up Entrepreneur Programme (STEP)
The sponsor is studying under a scholarship programme approved by the ISD (for example KASP)
The sponsor holds a PhD Student permission, subject to additional conditions
The sponsor is a minister of religion under the relevant government scheme

Category C — application after 1 year of lawful work by the sponsor in Ireland

The sponsor holds a General Employment Permit (not a Critical Skills one)
The sponsor holds a Reactivation Employment Permit
The sponsor is an independent Stamp 4 holder not covered by the other categories
The sponsor has been granted refugee status or subsidiary protection and the relationship began after their arrival in Ireland — a mandatory wait of at least 2 years from the grant of status

What it costs

Long stay visa for family reunification (single entry)	60 EUR
Visa with the right of multiple entry (multi entry)	100 EUR

Documents to gather

The file is submitted together with the printed and signed summary application form generated after applying online through AVATS.

A signed and dated summary application form
Two colour passport-size photographs no more than 6 months old
A valid passport (with at least 12 months’ validity) and copies of all previous passports
A signed letter of application with contact details, the reason for coming and the sponsor’s details
Proof of the sponsor’s status and entitlement to sponsor: a copy of the passport, the registration card, a valid employment permit or hosting agreement
Evidence that the relationship is genuine (a marriage or partnership certificate, the history of the relationship, and for a child a birth certificate)
Account statements for the applicant and the sponsor for the 6 months before the application
Evidence of financial and social dependency — if the application is made on that basis
Medical or travel insurance — produced on request and required at the border
Details of any previous visa refusals by any country, with the original refusal letter
For category C sponsors — proof of suitable accommodation: tenancy registration with the RTB and form ACCOM1, or ownership documents

How the process runs

The family reunification visa application is made online only.

1
Apply online through AVATS
The applicant completes the form on the visas.inis.gov.ie/avats portal — there is no other way to apply for a long stay visa.
2
Print and sign the summary form
The system generates a summary application form from the questionnaire; it has to be printed, signed and dated and attached to the file of documents.
3
Submit the file of supporting documents
The original documents — passport, evidence of the relationship, financial statements, proof of the sponsor’s status and the rest — are submitted to the address stated on the summary application form.
4
Provide biometrics if requested
The visa officer may require biometric information as part of processing the application.
5
Wait for the decision on the application
up to 12 months
Applications are processed in the order received; the ISD aims to reach a decision within 12 months of receiving the complete file of documents, but this is not a legally binding time limit.

Timelines and rights

Work

Spouses and partners of Critical Skills Employment Permit holders and of researchers on a hosting agreement who are on stamp 3 can move to stamp 1G. Stamp 1G gives the right to work without a separate employment permit.

Who you can bring with you

Who can join the sponsor and on what conditions.

Spouse or civil partner

A marriage or partnership recognised under Irish law is required; if the marriage was concluded after the sponsor began living in Ireland, a full history of the relationship is needed — visas, border stamps, correspondence, photographs

De facto partner

Applies on the same basis as a spouse — with evidence of the relationship and proof that the sponsor meets the financial threshold for their category

An unmarried minor child under 18

A birth certificate is required; where custody is not full, a court custody order or the certified consent of the other parent to the child’s departure

Other family members (not a spouse, partner or minor child)

For a category B sponsor an application is possible only after 2 years of residence in Ireland on a qualifying permission immediately before the application, and for category C after 5 years

Dependent adult relatives (dependent parents, adult children with serious medical or psychological conditions)

A category B or C sponsor has to show a higher income according to the number of dependants and a heightened level of dependency — details are in sections 8-10 of the Policy Document on Non-EEA Family Reunification

Renewal and the grace period

An approved visa gives the right to enter Ireland for family reunification; which immigration registration (stamp) the person then receives and what they are allowed to do — for example work without a separate employment permit or run a business — depends on the sponsor’s status and is determined by Appendix C of the Policy Document on Non-EEA Family Reunification.

Frequently asked questions about Joining a non-EEA resident

Who can apply for family reunification with a non-EEA resident of Ireland?

A spouse, civil or de facto partner, and an unmarried minor child of the sponsor. If the sponsor is in category B (for example a Critical Skills Employment Permit holder, a researcher on a hosting agreement or an IIP investor), the application can be made straight away. If the sponsor is in category C (for example a General Employment Permit holder), they must first have worked lawfully in Ireland for at least 1 year.

What is the minimum income for a category C sponsor?

A gross income of more than EUR 30,000 for the previous year, with an expectation that this level will continue. Only one sponsor’s income is counted — you cannot combine it with the income of a spouse or another relative. No separate income threshold is set for category B sponsors: the status of the permission is itself treated as sufficient proof.

How much does a family reunification visa cost and is the money refunded if it is refused?

A single-entry visa costs EUR 60 and a multiple-entry visa EUR 100. This is an administrative fee for processing the application and is not refunded if the application is refused or the applicant withdraws it. You may also have to pay a fee for lodging the documents — details are on the website of the particular visa office, embassy or consulate.

How long does it take to process an application?

There is no official legally binding time limit. Applications are processed in the order received, and Immigration Service Delivery aims to reach a decision within 12 months of receiving the complete file of documents. You are advised not to buy tickets before the visa decision.

Does a category C sponsor have to prove suitable accommodation?

Yes. A category C sponsor must provide evidence of suitable accommodation — for rented accommodation this is registration with the Residential Tenancies Board and form ACCOM1, and for owned accommodation the ownership documents and a description of the property. It is not mandatory when the application is made, but the deciding officer may request this evidence later; if the sponsor does not provide it within 6 months of the request, the application will be refused.

How does this programme differ from reunification with an Irish, UK or EEA national?

This scheme is only for the family members of sponsors who are not themselves nationals of Ireland, the United Kingdom, the EU/EEA or Switzerland but hold an employment or other long-term permission in the country (categories B and C). Separate schemes on the same website apply to the relatives of UK nationals and to the relatives of EEA/Swiss nationals exercising free movement rights.

What happens if false or misleading information is given in the application?

The application may be refused. In some cases there is no right of appeal against the refusal, and the applicant may be barred from obtaining an Irish visa for 5 years.

Other ways to move to Ireland

Every route in one list — migration programmes: Ireland.

The terms and the amounts are checked against official sources — the link sits under each section.Last checked on: 7 August 2026.