Family Reunification in Ireland
One documented route of this kind in Ireland, with its conditions, documents, official government fees and process.
Join Family - Spouse / Civil Partner / De Facto Partner of an Irish National (Stamp 4)
Routes for the spouse, civil partner, or de facto partner of an Irish national to reside in Ireland on Stamp 4. The Irish sponsor must meet an income requirement of EUR 40,000 earned over the prior 3 years.
- Processing time
- ISD reports high volumes and delays; no specific timeframe published
- Validity
- Stamp 4 (de facto: initial 1 year, renewable)
- Language requirement
- None
- Permanent residence
- Stamp 4 (de facto initial 1 year, renewable; spouse route grants Stamp 4)
- Citizenship
- Spouse/civil partner of an Irish citizen: married/in civil partnership 3+ years plus 3 of last 5 years reckonable residence (including 12 continuous months before applying)
Requirements
- Spouse/civil partner: relationship to an Irish national; sponsor earned EUR 40,000 over the last 3 years (over and above State benefits), rising for additional family members
- De facto partner: at least 2 years' cohabitation in a genuine relationship before applying; sponsor earned gross EUR 40,000 over the prior 3 years
- De facto sponsor must not have sponsored/been sponsored by anyone in the prior 7 years
- Medical insurance (de facto: min EUR 25,000 accident / EUR 25,000 illness in year 1)
- Police clearance (<6 months old) for every country lived in over the last 5 years (de facto route)
Required Documents
- Original marriage / civil-partnership certificate (spouse route) required
- Sponsor's original Irish passport required
- Proof of joint address / cohabitation evidence required
- Proof of financial means (sponsor's EUR 40,000 income) required
- 6 months' certified bank statements (de facto route) required
- Medical insurance (de facto route) required
- Police clearance for all countries lived in over last 5 years (de facto route) required
- Relationship-history evidence (de facto route) required
Official fees
- De facto preclearance/visa fee (single entry) 60 EUR
- De facto preclearance/visa fee (multiple entry) 100 EUR
Process Steps
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1
Determine visa requirement
Determine if you are visa-required via the ISD travel path.
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2
Apply
Spouse with existing permission: book a registration appointment via the ISD Customer Service Portal. De facto: complete the online application (visas.inis.gov.ie/AVATS), selecting Long Stay (D) and the relevant Join Family (De Facto Irish) reason.
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3
Submit documents and fee
De facto: organise documents and pay the fee within 30 days of completing the online form. Submit passport and supporting documents to the designated office.
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4
Apply from outside Ireland
De facto applicants apply from outside Ireland and remain outside until decided.
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5
Travel and register
On approval, travel within 6 months (preclearance letter / D visa valid 6 months); register and receive Stamp 4. If refused while holding permission, request a review within 2 months.