Eligibility Quiz
Application Process
You must apply online through AVATS (Automated Visa Application Tracking System) at www.irishimmigration.ie. The system will guide you through each step. Here's what to expect:
Step 1: Check Your Eligibility
Before you begin, confirm that you meet the basic requirements. Your Irish citizen sponsor must be residing or intending to reside in Ireland and able to support you financially without relying on state funds. You must also fall into one of these categories:
- Spouse or civil partner — at least 18 years old, lawfully married or in a recognized civil partnership, and you must have met in person before and after entering the relationship
- De facto partner — at least 18 years old and able to prove at least 2 years of exclusive cohabitation in a relationship like marriage (with evidence such as joint leases, shared bills, photographs, and correspondence)
- Unmarried child under 18 — biological, step-, or adopted child
- Dependent adult child over 18 — only if you have a serious medical or psychological condition that makes independent life impossible (requires official medical documentation)
- Dependent parent — subject to stricter requirements and higher financial thresholds
Important: Children aged 18–23 in full-time education are no longer eligible as part of the nuclear family as of November 2025. They can only apply if they meet the dependent adult child criteria above.
Step 2: Verify Your Sponsor's Financial Capacity
Your sponsor must meet specific income thresholds. These are measured as gross annual income and are indexed annually (expect increases in 2026). The thresholds depend on your relationship:
- Spouse, civil partner, or de facto partner: Combined gross income of at least €40,000 over the three years before application
- One minor child: Net annual salary of €36,660 (approximately €44,300 gross in 2025)
- Two minor children: Net annual salary of €41,912 (approximately €54,200 gross in 2025)
- Three minor children: Net annual salary of €47,164 (approximately €64,200 gross in 2025)
For dependent adult relatives, thresholds are significantly higher (€92,789 gross per year for one dependent). Your sponsor cannot have relied mainly on state supports for two or more continuous years immediately before application.
Step 3: Gather Your Documents
Collect all original documents in hardcopy format only—do not submit via USB, memory card, CD, or file-sharing platforms. You will need:
Your Documents:
- Current passport valid for at least 12 months plus full copies of all previous passports
- Two colour passport photographs (not more than 6 months old) with your name and visa application reference number printed on the back
- Signed letter of application including your full contact details, reason for coming to Ireland, details of your Irish sponsor, and details of any other family members in Ireland, the UK, or EU Member States
- Bank statements covering 6 months immediately before application
Your Sponsor's Documents:
- Clear copy of their passport or other proof of Irish citizenship
- If residing outside Ireland: proof of residency in that country
- Bank statements covering 6 months immediately before application
- Employment Detail Summary from Revenue (Irish tax authority) for the 3 years before application
- Three recent consecutive payslips
- If self-employed: Notices of Assessment for the three most recent years plus evidence of earnings since the most recent tax return
Proof of Relationship:
- Spouse/civil partner: Marriage or civil partnership certificate (must be capable of recognition under Irish law); if not living together since marriage, provide full relationship history with visas, entry/exit stamps, photographs, and correspondence
- De facto partner: Evidence of 2 years cohabitation (joint leases, shared bills, photographs, correspondence, bank statements showing shared expenses)
- Child: Birth certificate or adoption order; if from a previous relationship, evidence of full custody and access rights or a sworn affidavit from the other parent consenting to the child's removal
- Dependent adult child: Official verifiable medical documentation proving serious medical or psychological condition making independent life unsustainable
If You Are Dependent:
- Bank statements showing the amount, frequency, and duration of financial support from your sponsor
- Evidence of any other income you have
- Evidence of your living costs (rent/mortgage, utilities, food, medical, education)
- Details of other family members in your country of residence
- Medical documentation if relevant
If You Have Been Refused a Visa Before:
- Original letter from the authorities that refused you
Step 4: Translate and Authenticate Documents
Any document not in English or Irish must include a full translation with:
- Confirmation from the translator that it is accurate
- Date of translation
- Translator's full name and signature
- Translator's contact details
State-issued official documents (birth certificates, marriage certificates, death certificates, divorce certificates) issued outside the EEA or Switzerland must be apostilled (certified as genuine) by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the issuing country. Translations done outside the EEA or Switzerland must also be apostilled.
Documents issued within the EEA or Switzerland do not require apostille, though translations may be needed unless a multilingual standard form is provided.
Step 5: Prepare Official Letters
Any letters from businesses, companies, or organisations must be on official headed paper showing:
- Organisation's full name and full postal address
- Fixed-line telephone number (not mobile)
- Website address and email address (not Yahoo or Hotmail)
- Contact person's name and title
- Written signature of an authorised representative (electronic signatures are not accepted)
Step 6: Complete the Online Application Form
Go to AVATS and complete the online form. The system will generate a summary application form that you must print, sign, and date by hand. Do not submit the application electronically—you will submit the printed version with your documents.
Step 7: Submit Your Application
Submit your printed and signed application form along with all supporting documents to the appropriate visa office, embassy, or consulate. The AVATS system will provide instructions on where to send your documents. Applications must be submitted before your family member travels to Ireland if they require a visa. If they do not require a visa, they must inform immigration officers at the port of entry of their intention to apply for family reunification.
Critical: Do not include false, misleading, or inaccurate information or documents. If you do, your application will be refused, you may not be able to appeal, and you may be blocked from obtaining an Irish visa for 5 years.
Step 8: Biometrics (If Required)
You may be asked to provide biometrics information (fingerprints and/or photographs) as part of the application process. The visa office will contact you if this is needed.
Step 9: Wait for a Decision
Applications are processed in date order. The stated target is approximately 12 months, but this is a business goal, not a legal obligation. As of March 2026, applications received in Dublin on 14 March 2024 are still being processed, indicating actual delays of approximately 2 years for Irish citizen sponsor applications. Complex cases take significantly longer.
The speed of processing depends largely on the quality of your supporting documentation. Incomplete applications may be refused or delayed. Applications may also take longer if there are personal circumstances such as criminal convictions or if a detailed assessment of family rights is required.
Do not purchase travel tickets before you know the outcome of your visa application.
Step 10: Receive Your Decision
If approved, you will receive a Stamp 4 immigration permission (if you are a nuclear family member) or a dependent status permission (if you are a dependent). Stamp 4 allows you to work without an employment permit or to establish and manage a business. Dependent status means you remain subject to employment permit requirements.
Fees
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Visa application fee | To be announced (expected in 2026) |
| Document submission charges | Variable by visa office/embassy |
| Local currency conversion | May apply (varies by location) |
Total estimate: Fees are currently being finalised. The Department of Justice announced in November 2025 that application fees for family-reunification visas will be introduced in 2026, but specific amounts have not yet been published. Check with your visa office, embassy, or consulate for current fees and payment methods.
Does not include: Translation costs, apostille fees, courier or postal charges, travel to submit biometrics, or any costs incurred in gathering documents (such as obtaining certified copies of birth certificates or marriage certificates from your home country).
Processing Time
Stated target: Approximately 12 months from submission, assuming all required information has been provided. However, this is a business goal and does not constitute a legal obligation. Cases not completed within 12 months will not automatically receive approval.
Actual current delays: As of March 2026, applications for join family visas with Irish citizen sponsors received in Dublin on 14 March 2024 are still being processed. This indicates a backlog of approximately 2 years for Category A (Irish citizen) applications, significantly exceeding the stated target.
Complex cases are likely to take substantially longer than 12 months. Processing speed is largely determined by the quality and completeness of your supporting documentation. Incomplete applications may be refused or experience significant delays.
Additional factors that may extend processing:
- Personal circumstances such as criminal convictions
- Need for detailed assessment of family rights under Irish Constitution or European Convention on Human Rights
- Long family separation requiring additional scrutiny
- Concerns about the genuineness of the relationship
- Financial threshold verification requiring additional investigation
Document validity periods:
- Passports must be valid for at least 12 months from the date of application
- Bank statements must cover the 6 months immediately before application
- Employment Detail Summary from Revenue must cover the 3 years immediately before application
- Payslips must be from the 3 most recent months of employment