In This Section

Introduction
Conditions
Eligibility
How to apply

What happens if my application is approved?
What happens if my application is refused?
Frequently asked questions
Contact us

Introduction

If you have been legally resident in Ireland for a minimum of five years (60 months) as the holder of an employment permit issued by Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment you may apply for Long Term Residency permission.

If your application is successful you will be granted permission which allows you to work in Ireland for a further 5 years without the need for a further work permit. Please read below for further information on the eligibility requirements for this scheme.

Conditions

To qualify under this scheme, you must show legal residency in Ireland based on employment permit conditions as recorded by the corresponding Stamp 1 or Stamp 4 (issued by Immigration Service Delivery) in your passport, or expired Irish Residence Permit (IRP) cards.

Under this scheme, residency is calculated by reference to the stamps in your passport or the validity of your expired Irish Residence Permit (IRP) cards, not by reference to start and end dates on your employment permits. Any period of time for which you do not have a stamp in your passport, or you do not hold a valid IRP card, will not be counted.

If your application is successful your spouse and/or dependent(s) may also apply for Long Term Residency. Your spouse/dependent must also have been legally resident in the State for the required 60 month period i.e. during the same period of residence as you.

If you are granted long term residency as a spouse/dependent, you will be granted either a Stamp 1G or a Stamp 3 permission (depending on what type of employment permit your spouse/parent held). If you are granted a Stamp 3 permission, you are not allowed to work on this permission.

Eligibility

You may be eligible for this permission if:

  • You have completed a minimum of 60 months legal residence in Ireland, with qualifying stamps in your passport, or valid IRP cards, and

  • You have held employment permits/critical skills permits (also known as ‘green cards’) issued by the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment, and

  • You have not been an undue burden on the State

  • You are of good character, that is, you have not come to the adverse attention of An Garda Síochána (Irish Police)

  • You have not broken the conditions of your previous permissions to reside in Ireland

  • You are legally resident in the State at the time you make the application. This is shown by the immigration stamps in your passport or a valid IRP card

  • You are in employment at the time you make the application, during and after the application process. We do not accept applications from applicants who are self-employed.

You must meet all of the above criteria to qualify for Long Term Residency.

How to apply

Please fill out this form for Long Term Residency. You must complete all sections of the application form and send it, with all the required documentation listed below to the following address:

Long Term Residence Section
Unit C – Domestic Residence and Permissions Division
Immigration Service Delivery
Department of Justice
13-14 Burgh Quay
Dublin 2, DO2 XK70
Ireland

Incomplete application forms will not be processed and will be returned.

What happens if my application is approved?

If your application is approved, you will receive a letter from Immigration Service Delivery approving your application. You will then be asked to pay a fee of €500 within 28 days from the date of that letter. When this fee is received, you will be issued with a letter granting you permission.

You must register this permission online and pay the appropriate registration fee, which is in addition to the €500 permission fee.

What happens if my application is refused?

If you are refused, we will send you a letter giving the reasons for the refusal. There is no appeal process. You can re-apply for Long Term Residency permission at any time. You should pay careful attention to the reasons why your previous application was refused.

Frequently asked questions

Immigration stamps were previously placed on your passport, and are printed on your valid IRP, when you register your permissions with your local registration office. Only these stamps in your passport, count towards your Long Term Residency application.

The following stamps qualify:

  • Stamp 1. This is granted because you held a valid work permit/critical skills permit issued by the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment
  • Stamp 4. This is granted because you held a valid green card/critical skills employment permit issued by the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment.

The following type of stamps do not qualify for Long Term Residence.

  • Stamp 0
  • Holder of Contract for Services Employment Permit – Stamp 1
  • Permission to apply for work permit – Stamp 1
  • Trainee Accountants – Stamp 1A
  • Immigrant Investor Programme – Stamp 4
  • Start-Up Entrepreneur Programme – Stamp 4
  • Atypical Working Scheme – Stamp 1
  • Permission granted by the Minister for Justice granting permission to work without the need for an employment permit – Stamp 1
  • Permission granted under the Policy for 5 year workers and redundant workers – Stamp 1/4
  • Student – Stamp 2 or Stamp 2A or Stamp 1G (student graduate conditions)
  • Special Student scheme – Stamp 4S
  • 2004 Student Probationary extension – Stamp 4
  • Intra Company Transfer – Stamp 1
  • Spouse or dependent of an Intra Company Transfer – Stamp 3
  • Working Holiday Authorisation – Stamp 1
  • Spouse of Irish National – Stamp 4
  • Spouse or dependent of a non EEA national in the State, who does not hold an employment permit – Stamp 3
  • EU Treaty Rights – Stamp 4EUFAM
  • De Facto partner – Stamp 3/4
  • Parent of Irish Citizen Child – Stamp 4
  • Parent of Irish Born Child (IBC 05 scheme) – Stamp 4
  • Self Employed – Stamp 4
  • Business permission – Stamp 1
  • Investor /Entrepreneur permission– Stamp 4
  • Temporary Registered Doctors – Stamp 4
  • Missionary/Volunteer – Stamp 3
  • Temporary visitor’s permission granted at the port of entry
  • Permission granted under Section 3 of the Immigration Act 1999 – Stamp 1/3/4
  • Family Reunification – Stamp 4
  • Refugee Status – Stamp 4
  • Subsidiary protection – Stamp 4
  • International protection – Stamp 4
  • Permission granted under International Protection Act Family Reunification Scheme – Stamp 4
  • Student scheme – Stamp 4S
  • Cancelled stamps
  • Turkish Association – Stamp 1/4
  • Time spent as a Diplomat in the State
  • Permission under the Labour Market Access Scheme
  • Permission as a victim of human trafficking
  • Permission as the victim of domestic violence
  • Temporary stamp 1 permissions granted to applicants in order for them to apply for a new employment permit will not be counted towards their eligibility for this scheme.

The above list is illustrative and is not intended as a complete list those non-qualifying stamps. If you have any of these non-qualifying stamps in your passport or IRP cards they will not be counted towards the 60 months legal residence required.

No, residing in Ireland for over five years does not in itself entitle you to Long Term Residency. You must have been registered with your local immigration office for a minimum of 60 months based on employment permits issued by the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment.

  • Completed application form
  • Full colour copies of your past and current passport or IRP cards showing all your immigration stamps
  • A copy of your current Irish Residence Permit (IRP) or GNIB Card
  • A copy of your employment contract or a letter from your employer, detailing commencement and terms of employment
  • Full colour copies of all employment permits (issued by the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment)
  • Documentation which proves that you have been residing continuously in Ireland. This may include copies of tenancy agreements, bank statements, State issued documents etc.

We will not accept poor quality documentation.

Yes. The fee is €500. If you qualify for Long Term Residency, we will send you a letter of approval. This letter tells you that your application is approved and asks that you pay the fee within 28 days to complete the application.

  • You can pay the fee by way of a bank draft or postal order, made payable to the Secretary General, Department of Justice. We do not accept personal or company cheques
  • Once the fee is paid, a letter will issue to you granting Long Term Residency for 5 years.
  • You must then register this permission with your local registration office. This will allow you to work without an employment permit.

Note: If the fee is not paid within the required 28 days, we will not contact you and will close your application. However, if you wish to complete the Long Term Residency process at a later date you should be aware that some steps in the processing procedure may need to be repeated and this may result in further delays.

Yes. If you hold a combination of work permits and the Critical Skills Employment Permit which cover 60 months, then you can apply for Long Term Residency. You must also meet the other eligibility criteria.

Yes. If you have held a number of successive work/employment permits covering a period of at least 60 months and are currently working in the State under Hosting Agreement conditions then you can apply for Long Term Residency. You must also meet the other eligibility criteria, outlined in the web notice, for example that you have obeyed the laws of the State.

Yes, but only in the following circumstances. If you hold a Critical Skills Permit and Stamp 1, you do not have to renew the Critical Skills Permit. After two years, you may apply to the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment for a letter confirming you are entitled to a stamp 4 permission.

You can then attend at your local immigration office with your letter from Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment to obtain your stamp 4 permission. This permission is valid for 2 years, and is renewable (subject to certain conditions).

If you have held this permission for 5 years, you may apply for long term residency. You must also meet the other eligibility criteria.

Yes. You may apply, if you have held 60 months permission on

  • Five years of Hosting Agreements or
  • A combination of Hosting Agreements and Employment Permits amounting to five years or
  • Two years Hosting Agreement and 3 years on Stamp 4.

Any stamps which overlap in dates are counted from the start date of the oldest stamp to the end date of the most recent stamp, any dates that overlap or double up are not twice counted.

Example: a person may have a Stamp 1 in their passport from 01/05/15 to 01/05/17 and they may then get a Stamp 4 from 01/02/17 to 01/02/19. In this case, you would have 45 months reckonable residence. The three months between 01/02/17 to 01/05/17 that overlap on both stamps are only counted once.

No, you must be residing legally and working in the State to apply for this scheme.

A stamp 4 permission means that you can live and work in Ireland without the need for an Employment Permit. It does not give you a right to any particular public service or funding (the relevant government department or State agency make this decision).

The following conditions will apply to you permission to remain in Ireland:

  • That you will obey the laws of the State;
  • That you will not become involved in criminal activity;
  • That you will reside continuously in the State;*
  • That you will make every effort to remain in employment and not be an undue burden on the State;

* ‘Reside continuously in the State’ means that that you must live here full time for the period in respect of which you were granted permission (shown by the stamps in your passport/IRP card). This period of continuous residence may only be interrupted by short periods spent outside the State for the following reasons: holidays, family emergencies, or work commitments arising from business or employment carried out within the State. Generally, periods of absence from the State in a calendar year, either a single absence or cumulative absences, should not exceed 90 days. Please note that long absences form the state may impact any future citizenship application you may wish to make.

Any false information given during the application process may result in your application being refused.

If your application/renewal is refused, you may be able to return to your previous immigration permission (if you still meet the qualifying criteria for that permission, and if you have not broken the conditions attached to your previous permission).

To return to your previous permission you can attend at your local immigration office to be renewed on your previous permission. If your previous permission is expired you will have to write to the relevant area of ISD and request this permission.

Yes. Long term residency is granted only if you meet the qualifying criteria. If after we have granted you permission, it is discovered that you have not met the qualifying criteria, or have provided false information, the Minister may revoke your permission. If no other permission exists, the Minister may seek to issue you with an intention to deport.

The following list, which is not a complete list, are some of the types of information, which may result in the Minister revoking your permission:

  • Information that shows that you have broken the conditions of your permission
  • Information about your character or conduct (whether before or after we granted you permission), including criminal convictions
  • Information which shows that you have failed to register your permission with your local immigration office as required by law
  • Information that shows that you have provided misleading or inaccurate information to the Minister or to other authorities of the State.

If you have been working in Ireland for the last five years on your long term residency permission you can attend at your local Immigration Office to renew this permission.

You will be required to provide evidence to show that you have been living and working in Ireland for the previous five years (for example, P60s showing your employment records). Persons who wish to apply for renewal and are in receipt of a means tested social welfare payment will need to apply to this office for renewal of their permission.

All applications must be submitted on the long term residency application form. Applications will be assessed, taking into account your personal circumstances and the amount of means tested social welfare payments that you have received.

Yes, you have to be working legally in the Ireland before we will accept an application for long term residency. Please note that once you left the State, your unlimited work permit should have been returned to the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment, and is no longer valid.

You can apply for a new work permit.

To qualify for Long Term Residency, the Minister must be satisfied that you are of good character. The Minister will consider the nature of your criminal conviction in determining whether to grant or renew a Long Term Residence permission. Failure to inform Immigration Service Delivery of any criminal convictions will result in your application being refused.

If you have been charged and are awaiting trial, your application will be placed on hold until the outcome of the trial. It is your responsibility to keep your permission to remain in Ireland valid at all times.

We will not accept your application if you do not have legal permission to reside in Ireland. Failure to inform this office that you have been charged with a criminal offence and are awaiting trial, will result in your application being refused.

No. You are required by law to register your permission at your local immigration office.

These cases will be looked at on an individual basis. If you have been living and working illegally in Ireland for a number of years, you have broken both immigration and employment laws. Part of the qualifying criteria is that you are of good character. When processing these cases, this office will take into account the efforts that you have made to rectify your immigration permission in Ireland, and how quickly you informed Immigration Service Delivery that you were residing in Ireland.

Yes. The spouse and/or dependant(s) of a person who holds Long Term Residency, Stamp 4 may also apply for Long Term Residency. The permission they will be granted is determined by the type of employment permit you initially held in the State. If you held a general work permit for 5 years, they will be granted stamp 3 for 5 years. If you held a critical skills employment permit, then they will be granted stamp 1G for 5 years.

Your spouse/dependent will be eligible if:

  • They are of good character (have not come to the adverse attention of An Garda Siochana (Irish Police) or have become an undue burden on the State)
  • They have lived legally in Ireland as a spouse/dependant for the required 60 month period
  • They have not broken the conditions of their previous permissions to remain in Ireland
  • They are currently legally resident in Ireland when they make the application, which is shown by an immigration stamp in your passport/ valid IRP card
  • They must be the spouse/dependant of a person who has been granted Long Term Residency on Stamp 4 conditions and still holds this permission, when they make their application.

This means that you are in receipt of a social welfare payment which is not as a result of your Pay Related Social Insurance (PRSI) contributions. Your application will be assessed on its own merits but will take into account non-insurance social welfare payments that you have received.

Special arrangements apply to non-EEA medical doctors. Only certain doctors are able to apply for long term residency. Doctors who qualify for long term residency are required to submit additional documentation to that stated in the eligibility section.

Doctors employed as Senior House Officers (SHOs) and Registrars, who were granted Stamp 1 permission to remain in Ireland because they were working in a public hospital or public health facility, did not need employment permits prior to the 1st of March 2014. After this date, they were required to have an employment permit. (Stamp 4 holders are exempt).

These arrangements do not apply to doctors holding Stamp 4 permission. Doctors holding Stamp 4 may renew this immigration permission, at their local immigration office as long as they are continuing to practice medicine. At all times doctors must remain in compliance with all Regulations, Guidelines and Requirements set out by the Medical Council of Ireland and /or HSE.

All doctors who were required to hold work/employment permits, such as those working in private hospitals or facilities will be required to do so. This scheme is not open to doctors working in the State under the Atypical Working scheme.

Only registration Stamps in your passport/IRP cards after the date you have registration with Irish Medical Council count in your Long Term Residency applications.

If you wish to make an application for Long Term Residency, you need to submit additional documentation, such as:

  • Copy of all Certificate of Medical Council Registration
  • Contract of employment as SHO/Registrar, prior to March 2014.

Immigration Service Delivery will only deal directly with you or your legal representative. Representations made on behalf of the applicant through third parties, such as immigration consultants, will be acknowledged only. No substantive response will be issued to third parties, all communication will be directed to you.

Contact us

You can contact us through the dedicated Customer Service portal. You can register for an account or log in to your existing account.

We do not issue status updates on applications. Please only contact us, if it is urgent. This will allow us spend more time processing applications.

This page was last updated on October 24, 2024