Planning To Move To Ireland?
This article is in partnership with Day Translations.
Ireland may not lure the majority of tourists for its weather but it does offer a mix of history and beautiful landscapes. Ireland is more than just Dublin (I can count myself as being one of those people who initially thought that way) and there is so much to explore across 26 counties.
For some, Ireland is the country of their ancestors and for others a place that makes a convenient location to travel further in Europe.
Entry Requirements for Ireland
European and British citizens don’t need visas to enter Ireland (British citizens can benefit from the British-Irish Visa Scheme); they also don’t need to demonstrate they can afford to live there, however having a good amount of savings is absolutely necessary as a safety net.
For non-EU citizens, such as Americans, there are requirements to meet, which include having the right visa and a minimum amount of savings. Having evidence of being able to access enough funds to support oneself also acts as a buffer during the initial few months when outgoings might be higher than income. Those who plan to stay in Ireland for more than three months must apply for an Irish Residence Permit. Before entering Ireland they would need to request a Long Stay ‘D’ type visa, which is different from a ‘C’ type short stay Tourist Visa. The visa will contain all the conditions allowing the applicant to stay in the country and they may exclude commercial activities so in that case the applicant would first need to leave Ireland, apply for a different visa and then re-enter the country.
To be able to apply for permantent Irish residency the candidate must show proof of employment, or be part of an Irish Immigrant Investor programme, or have a business permit.
Students applying for a visa in Ireland may see their application get rejected mostly on the basis of insufficient funding because they need to demonstrate they can support themselves financially; a minimum of 10,000 euro in savings should be enough to facilitate the application process.
Forbes has dedicated a number of articles to the topic of moving to Ireland (for example, in November 2024, June 2023 and again in June 2023). These articles are aimed specifically at an American audience, as about 31 million Americans claim to have Irish ancestry and, therefore, be eligible for an Irish passport.
Getting Paid To Move To Ireland?
One of the Forbes articles mentioned earlier probably risks to get people’s hopes up when referencing to Irish government schemes that incentivise moving to remote Irish islands. These schemes mostly consist of grants to buy derelict properties, which means that not only you would have to pay the money upfront and then claim it back, but the application process can be complicated and can take several weeks to come to fruition.
Some of these incentives include moving to one of 30 remote islands and renovate a property that has been vacant for at least two years. Applicants can potentially receive about $90,000 towards refurbishing and rebuilding empty buildings but all the money is tied up to reconstruction costs and not living costs. So, talking about getting money to live in Ireland is not correct and it’s important to make this point clear. Besides, owning a property in Ireland does not automatically guarantee residency or citizenship.
Then, we must remember that the Irish government has put these initiatives in place to encourage people to move to specific areas permanently, create a sense of community and regenerate areas for generations to come. This may not be what visitors from outside Ireland want to do in the long term and may see buying a property simply as an investment instead of as their family dwelling.
Related article: Is Ireland a Good Place for Digital Nomads?
Picture: Ireland from above by Paola Bassanese
