IrelandResidence permit for financially independent people

Irish permit without the right to work in Ireland

This is an Irish permission for temporary residence for foreign nationals who support themselves and do not enter the local labour market: people of independent means and pensioners, visiting foreign lecturers and researchers, and elderly dependent relatives of Irish citizens and permanent residents. The holder lives on their own funds, takes out private medical insurance and is not entitled to work or to use state services.

Visa term

Issued on a limited basis, renewed as long as the grounds remain

Threshold

You have to show financial self-sufficiency; the threshold depends on the case

Processing time

Depends on the basis and on registration

Work

No — work is not permitted on Stamp 0

Source: irishimmigration.ie — Immigration Service Delivery, Stamp 0 conditions

Who can obtain it

Financially independent people (including pensioners)

Living in Ireland as a person of independent means — on a pension, rental income or other income not connected with work in the country
The financial position is proven with documents in tabular form, converted into euro and certified by an Irish accountancy firm
The application on this Stamp 0 basis is filed before entering Ireland — on the TPER form

Visiting academics

A visiting academic or researcher at an Irish university for up to a year, provided that the salary continues to be paid by the foreign educational institution
Suitable for lecturers on sabbatical, CII directors, doctoral students, holders of fellowships such as Fulbright and other visiting university staff

Elderly dependent relatives

An elderly parent or a dependent adult child of an Irish citizen or of a permanent resident in certain categories
The sponsor in Ireland must prove an income above the set threshold for each of the last years and provide suitable accommodation
The application is filed only from abroad — you cannot arrange this Stamp 0 basis while already in Ireland

What it costs

Registration fee for the permission (issue of the IRP card)	300 EUR

Documents to gather

The set of documents depends on the basis on which Stamp 0 is being arranged — financial independence, visiting academic or elderly dependent relative. Below are the documents that the official pages describe as common to all bases, plus the specifics of each of them.

A legible copy of every page of a valid passport
A statement of the reason for applying for the permission
Details of all family members living in Ireland and their immigration status
Proof of available financial means — for example bank statements for the last six months
A private medical insurance policy with full cover in private hospitals
A Police Clearance Certificate from the country of origin
A medical declaration on your state of health
For the financial independence basis — a copy of the birth certificate and of the marriage certificate (if applicable), evidence of income and liabilities certified by an Irish accountancy firm, and details of connections with Ireland
For visiting academics — a letter from the Irish university confirming the work and its duration, and a letter from the home university about the applicant’s position and confirming that it continues to pay the salary
For elderly dependent relatives — proof of the relationship to the sponsor, the sponsor’s financial documents for the last years showing that the income threshold is exceeded, and a description of the accommodation the sponsor will provide

How the process runs

Arranging Stamp 0 takes several stages and begins before you enter Ireland.

1
File the application for permission
processing takes several months on average
Complete the TPER (Temporary Permission to Remain) form and send it with the documents through the Immigration Service Delivery Customer Service Portal or by post to the address of the relevant unit in Dublin. If the decision is positive, the applicant is sent a letter of permission.
2
Obtain a D visa (if required by your nationality)
Nationals of visa-required countries apply to their local visa office for an entry visa after receiving the letter of permission — D-Reside for the financial independence basis or D-Join Family for elderly relatives. Without such a visa you will not be able to register Stamp 0 in Ireland. Nationals of non-visa-required countries do not need this step — they travel on the letter of permission.
3
Enter Ireland
At the border the immigration officer at their discretion gives a temporary landing stamp for up to 90 days. Permission to enter does not in itself mean that the Stamp 0 application has been finally approved.
4
Register the permission and obtain the IRP card
Within the period allowed you must book an appointment through the Customer Service Portal at the Registration Office on Burgh Quay in Dublin, bring the original documents, give fingerprints and a photograph and pay the registration fee. After that the Irish Residence Permit (IRP) card arrives by post, confirming lawful residence in the country on Stamp 0 conditions.

Who you can bring with you

Whether family can join a Stamp 0 holder depends heavily on the basis on which the permission was granted.

Elderly dependent relative of an Irish citizen or permanent resident

This is a separate, standalone Stamp 0 basis rather than an add-on to another status: the sponsor must prove an income above the set threshold for each of the last three years, provide suitable accommodation and arrange private medical insurance for the relative. The application is filed only from abroad — you cannot arrange this basis while already in Ireland as a tourist.

Family of a visiting academic — a lecturer on sabbatical or a CII director

These categories may bring their family provided sufficient financial means are proven. Children are admitted to state schools, but adult family members do not obtain the right to work or access to state services.

Family of other visiting academics — doctoral students, holders of fellowships such as Fulbright and other university staff

They may bring their family only if they separately prove substantial additional means to support them.

Trips, renewal and the grace period

You must meet the basis of the permission and have means and insurance

Stamp 0 is granted for the period stated in the letter of permission and is renewed as long as the grounds remain — for elderly dependent relatives, for example, the first registration period is one year. To renew you complete the TPER Renewal Form and submit it with supporting documents through the Customer Service Portal; the passport no longer has to be produced for the renewal procedure itself. Once approved, a new letter of permission arrives, on the basis of which the IRP card registration is renewed.

How it differs from the routes next to it

The comparison is built from the official terms of the routes themselves — the source links sit on their own pages.

	Irish permit without the right to work	Permit for shortage occupations	General employment permit
Visa term	Issued on a limited basis, renewed as long as the grounds remain	Tied to the employer, at least 9 months with the first one, then a flexible status	Usually 1–2 years, renewable
Grounds	Independent income/pension	Shortage occupations	Employment
Money	You have to show financial self-sufficiency; the threshold depends on the case	EUR 40,904 for some critical occupations with a degree; EUR 36,848 for graduates; EUR 68,911+ for other roles	A threshold of about EUR 36,605 for most occupations
Work	No — work is not permitted on Stamp 0	Yes, for the employer in the stated role until Stamp 4	Yes, for the named employer/role
Residence	You must meet the basis of the permission and have means and insurance	Employment; the 50:50 rule on EEA composition	Actual employment, labour market restrictions

What comes next: permanent residence and citizenship

Route to permanent residence

Usually does not lead directly to permanent residence

Route to citizenship

An awkward basis for naturalisation

Frequently asked questions about Irish permit without the right to work

Can you work on Stamp 0?

No. The Stamp 0 conditions expressly prohibit working, running a business, trading or carrying on any professional activity — except in cases specifically stated in the letter of permission from Immigration Service Delivery.

What income do you need to obtain Stamp 0 as a person of independent means — for example a pensioner?

The Irish immigration service expects an individual annual income of around EUR 50,000, plus access to a substantial lump sum for unforeseen expenses — comparable in size to the cost of a home in the country. The financial documents must be set out in tabular form, converted into euro and certified by an Irish accountancy firm.

How much does it cost to register a Stamp 0 permission in Ireland?

The registration fee for Stamp 0 is EUR 300 per person and is paid by card at the in-person appointment at the Registration Office in Dublin.

Does Stamp 0 give access to public healthcare?

No. Stamp 0 does not give entitlement to state services, including treatment in public hospitals — the holder must have private medical insurance with full cover for the whole period of the permission.

How long does it take to process a Stamp 0 application?

On average — around four months. The period may be longer if the applicant filed an incomplete set of documents; applications are processed in the order in which they are filed.

Can an elderly parent or dependent adult child move to Ireland to join a relative on Stamp 0?

Yes, this is a separate Stamp 0 basis. But the sponsor in Ireland must prove an income above the set threshold for each of the three previous years and provide suitable accommodation, and the application must be filed from abroad — you cannot arrange this basis while already in Ireland as a tourist.

Can a visiting academic on Stamp 0 bring their family with them?

Not always. Lecturers on sabbatical and CII directors may bring their family provided sufficient financial means are proven: children are admitted to state schools, but adult family members do not obtain the right to work or access to state services. Doctoral students, holders of fellowships such as Fulbright and other visiting university staff must separately prove substantial means to support their family.

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: 18 August 2026.