Join Family Visa (Non-EEA/Non-Swiss National)

You apply for a join family visa online through AVATS (the Irish visa application system). The process requires you to submit your application before travelling to Ireland if you're a citizen of a visa-required country. If you're from a visa-exempt country, you must inform immigration officers at the port of entry of your intention to apply for family reunification.

Step 1: Determine Your Sponsor's Category

Before you begin, confirm which category your sponsor falls into. This determines your waiting period and financial requirements.

Category A (no waiting period): Irish citizens or those granted refugee or subsidiary protection status.

Category B (immediate for nuclear family; 2-year wait for dependent parents/adult children): Investors, entrepreneurs, Critical Skills Employment Permit holders, researchers, intra-corporate transferees, full-time non-locum doctors, PhD students, Ministers of Religion, or ISD-approved scholarship programme students.

Category C (12-month wait for nuclear family; 5-year wait for dependent parents/adult children): General Employment Permit holders, Reactivation Employment Permit holders, or Stamp 4 holders not covered above.

If your sponsor is a student (except PhD students or scholarship programme participants), EU/EEA/Swiss citizen, UK national, or on Temporary Protection, they cannot sponsor you.

Step 2: Confirm You Meet the Family Member Requirements

Check that your relationship qualifies:

• Spouse or civil partner: You must be at least 18, legally married or in a civil partnership recognized under Irish law, and have met your sponsor in person before and after entering the marriage or civil partnership. Online-only relationships do not qualify.
• De facto partner: You must have cohabited exclusively with your sponsor for at least two years in a relationship akin to marriage.
• Unmarried child under 18: You must be a biological child, step-child (full-time household member), or adopted child (with adoption recognized under Irish law).
• Dependent parent: You must not be a person of independent means and must be unable to live independently without your sponsor's financial and social support.
• Dependent adult child over 18: You must have a serious medical or psychological condition making independent life unsustainable, supported by official medical documentation.

Step 3: Check Financial Requirements

Your sponsor must meet income thresholds based on their category:

Category A sponsors must have earned €40,000 cumulative gross income over the three years immediately prior to application when sponsoring a spouse, civil partner, or de facto partner.

Category B sponsors must provide evidence of current or projected earnings (e.g., employment contract) or current tax year gross income. They are not subject to the same fixed thresholds as Category A.

Category C sponsors must have gross income exceeding €30,000 in the previous year for a couple with no children. If sponsoring minor children, the threshold is based on the Working Family Payment assessment—for example, sponsoring one child requires approximately €44,300 gross annual income (€36,660 net).

For dependent parents or dependent adult children, all sponsor categories must have earned gross income exceeding 185% of average yearly Irish earnings for one relative and 250% for two relatives, based on CSO quarterly data.

Step 4: Gather Required Documents

Collect all documents in their original form. If any document is not in English or Irish, you must provide a full translation with the translator's confirmation, date, name, signature, and contact details.

State-issued official documents (birth certificates, marriage certificates, etc.) issued outside the EEA or Switzerland must be apostilled (certified as genuine by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the issuing country). Translations of documents issued outside the EEA or Switzerland must also be apostilled. Translations of documents issued within the EEA or Switzerland do not require apostille.

Your identity and application documents:

• Signed and dated online application form (via AVATS)
• Two colour passport-sized photographs not more than 6 months old, with your name and visa application reference number printed on the back
• Current passport valid for at least 12 months, plus full copies of all previous passports
• Signed letter of application in English with your full contact details, reason for coming to Ireland, details of your sponsor, and details of any other family members in Ireland, the UK, or EU Member States

Your sponsor's documents:

• Clear and legible copy of all pages of their passport
• If non-EEA: copy of their certificate of registration (if applicable) and current employment permit, researcher hosting agreement, or other evidence of eligibility to sponsor
• If Irish citizen: evidence of their residency in Ireland (if residing there) or residency in another country (if residing abroad)

Proof of relationship:

• Spouse/civil partner: Marriage certificate or civil partnership certificate capable of recognition under Irish law. If your sponsor's residence in Ireland began before your marriage/civil partnership and no Irish Join Family visa has been issued since, provide a full account of your relationship history (where and when you met, evidenced by visas, entry/exit stamps, photographs, email correspondence, etc.).
• Child under 18: Birth certificate or adoption order. For children from previous relationships, provide evidence of full custody and access rights (e.g., court order) or a sworn affidavit from the other parent consenting to the child being removed from their home country.
• De facto partner: Evidence of at least two years of cohabitation and a durable relationship (e.g., joint bank accounts, shared tenancy agreements, utility bills, correspondence).

Financial documentation:

• Detailed bank account statements covering a six-month period immediately prior to application
• For Category A sponsors: Employment detail summary from Revenue for the three years immediately prior to application, showing gross income of at least €40,000 cumulative
• For Category B sponsors: Evidence of projected earnings (e.g., employment contract) or current tax year gross income
• For Category C sponsors: Employment detail summary from Revenue for the previous year, plus three recent consecutive payslips
• For employment permit holders: Copy of employment contract of at least one year from your proposed date of entry, showing annual salary

Additional documents:

• Police clearance certificates from all countries where you have resided
• If you have been refused a visa for any country, the original letter from those authorities
• For dependent parents or dependent adult children: Amount, frequency, and duration of financial support (e.g., bank statements showing transfers), any other sources of income, evidence of why you are unable to work or ineligible for state benefits, living costs (mortgage/rent, utilities, food, medical, education payments), details of other family members in your country of residence, medical condition documentation (if relevant), and evidence of active and continuous involvement in your life (visits, correspondence)
• For children travelling with one parent or with a person other than parents/legal guardians: Written consent from both parents/legal guardians, accompanied by copies of their passports or national identity cards showing their signature. If one parent has sole custody, a court order must be submitted.

Step 5: Create Your AVATS Account and Complete the Online Application

Go to https://www.visas.inis.gov.ie/avats/OnlineHome.aspx and create an account. Select "Join Family (D Visa)" as your visa type. Complete the online form with accurate information. The system will generate a summary application form.

Step 6: Print, Sign, and Date Your Summary Form

Once you complete the online form, print the summary application form generated by AVATS. Sign and date it. Do not submit the form online; you will submit it in person or by post with your supporting documents.

Step 7: Submit Your Application to the Appropriate Irish Mission

Submit your signed summary form and all supporting documents to the Irish embassy, consulate, or VFS Global visa application centre serving your country of residence. Follow the submission instructions on your summary form. The specific address and submission method depend on where you are applying from.

Key Irish missions include:

• Irish Embassy in the United States
• Irish Embassy in Australia
• Irish Embassy in Canada
• Irish Embassy in India

Check the Department of Foreign Affairs website for the mission serving your location.

Step 8: Pay the Visa Fee (Where Applicable)

Pay the visa fee as instructed on your summary form. Some applicants are exempt, including family members of Irish citizens (spouses, widows/widowers, biological or adopted children under 18) and family members of EU/EEA/Swiss citizens.

Important: The International Protection Bill 2025 proposes introducing application fees for family reunification visas. Fees will be introduced following a 12-month implementation window and consultation period in early 2026. Specific fee amounts have not yet been determined.

Step 9: Provide Biometrics (If Required)

If the visa officer requests biometrics as part of your application, you will be notified. Attend the appointment at the designated location (usually the visa application centre or embassy).

Step 10: Wait for a Decision

Applications are processed in date order. As of March 2026, the Dublin visa office is processing:

• Join family applications where the sponsor is in Category B: applications received on or before 16 April 2024
• Join family applications where the sponsor is an Irish citizen or Category A: applications received on or before 14 March 2024

This indicates processing times of approximately 22–24 months for Category A/Irish citizen sponsors and approximately 24 months for Category B sponsors. The London visa office lists a target processing time of 6 months, though actual times may vary.

Do not purchase travel tickets before receiving a decision. The visa officer may request additional information or documentation during processing.

Step 11: Receive Your Visa Decision

Once a decision is made, you will be notified. If approved, you will receive your visa. If refused, you will receive a decision letter explaining the reasons.

Step 12: Travel to Ireland and Register

Once you arrive in Ireland on your approved visa, you must register with the local immigration office within 90 days to obtain your Irish Residence Permit (IRP) card. Failure to register can result in loss of permission.

Item	Cost
Join Family Visa (D Visa)	Currently free for family members of Irish citizens and EU/EEA/Swiss citizens; other applicants subject to fee structure (specific amounts not yet published)
VFS Global service fee (if applicable)	Varies by location
Translation and apostille of documents	Varies by country and document type
DNA testing (if required by ISD)	Varies
Medical insurance (for dependent adult relatives)	Varies

Total estimate: €0–€500+ depending on your circumstances and location.

Does not include: Travel costs, accommodation in Ireland, private medical insurance at the level of private healthcare in a private hospital (required for dependent adult relatives), or costs associated with obtaining police clearance certificates.

Important: The International Protection Bill 2025 proposes introducing application fees for family reunification visas. Fees will be introduced following a 12-month implementation window and consultation period in early 2026. The specific fee amounts have not yet been determined, but officials expect most provisions to take effect in mid-2026.

Standard processing time: Approximately 12 months from submission to decision, assuming all required information has been submitted. This is a business goal, not a legal obligation.

Actual processing times as of March 2026:

• Category A/Irish citizen sponsors: Approximately 22–24 months (applications received on or before 14 March 2024 currently being processed)
• Category B sponsors: Approximately 24 months (applications received on or before 16 April 2024 currently being processed)
• London visa office: Target of 6 months, though actual times may vary

Processing time variations:

• Incomplete applications or missing documentation: Processing is delayed until all required documents are submitted
• Verification of supporting documents: Complex cases requiring verification of employment, financial records, or relationship evidence take longer
• Personal circumstances: Applications involving criminal convictions, previous visa refusals, or dependency assessments take significantly longer
• Dependent adult relatives: Applications for dependent parents or dependent adult children are subject to more rigorous assessment and typically take longer

Document validity periods:

• Passport: Must be valid for at least 12 months from the date of application
• Bank statements: Must cover a six-month period immediately prior to application
• Employment detail summary from Revenue: Must cover the three years (Category A) or one year (Category C) immediately prior to application
• Payslips: Must be three recent consecutive payslips
• Police clearance certificates: Typically valid for 12 months from issue date

Visa validity: Once approved, your visa is typically valid for 6–12 months from issue, during which you must travel to Ireland. Once you arrive and register, your immigration permission is typically granted for 2 years initially, renewable thereafter.