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

Application and Identity Documents

• Signed and dated online application form via AVATS (the Irish visa application system)
• 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, including:
  • Your full contact details
  • Your reason for coming to Ireland
  • Details of the family member sponsoring your application
  • Details of any other family members in Ireland, the UK, or EU Member States

Sponsor's Status and Eligibility

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

Evidence of Relationship

• Spouse or civil partner: Marriage certificate or civil partnership certificate (capable of recognition under Irish law). If the sponsor's residence in Ireland began before the marriage or civil partnership and no Irish join family visa has been issued since, a full account of the relationship history is required (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, 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 proposed date of entry, showing annual salary

Accommodation Evidence

• Proof of suitable accommodation: The revised policy emphasizes that your sponsor must provide evidence of suitable accommodation. This is now a formal requirement before visas are issued. Documentation might include a tenancy agreement, mortgage statement, or letter from a landlord confirming the property is available for your occupation.

Dependency Evidence (if applicable)

If you are a dependent parent, dependent adult child, or de facto partner, you must provide:

• Amount, frequency, and duration of financial support (e.g., bank statements showing transfers)
• Any other sources of your 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)
• Evidence of active and continuous involvement in your life by the sponsor (visits, correspondence)

Additional Documents

• Police clearance certificates: From all countries of residence
• Parental consent (for children): If you are travelling with one parent or with a person other than your parents/legal guardians, written consent from both parents/legal guardians is required, 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
• Previous visa refusals: If you have been refused a visa for any country, the original letter from authorities must be provided. Non-disclosure results in automatic refusal

Document Requirements and Translations

All documents must be originals. If a document is not in English or Irish, it must be accompanied by a full translation containing:

• Confirmation from the translator that it is an accurate translation
• Date of translation
• Translator's full name and signature
• Translator's contact details

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

Documents issued within the EEA or Switzerland do not require attestation, but translations are required unless a multilingual standard form (MSF) is provided.