Subsidiary Protection Status

Core Eligibility Criteria

You are eligible for subsidiary protection if you meet all of the following:

1. You are not an EU national — Nationals of any EU Member State cannot apply for subsidiary protection.

2. You do not qualify as a refugee — You must first be assessed against refugee criteria. Refugee status requires a well-founded fear of persecution for reasons of race, religion, nationality, political opinion, or membership of a particular social group. If you do not meet this definition, you may still qualify for subsidiary protection.

3. Substantial grounds exist that you face a real risk of serious harm — This is the core test. "Serious harm" is defined very narrowly and means only:

   • Death penalty or execution in your country of origin or former habitual residence
   • Torture or inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment
   • Serious and individual threat to your life or person by reason of indiscriminate violence in a situation of international or internal armed conflict

   General discrimination, poverty, gang violence, or ordinary criminal activity do not constitute serious harm. The harm must be of sufficient severity and must be directed at you personally or as part of a clearly identified group.

4. You are unable or unwilling to avail yourself of your country's protection — You must demonstrate that you cannot or will not seek protection from your own government because of the risk you face.

5. You are not excluded — You are excluded from subsidiary protection if there are serious reasons to believe you have:

   • Committed a crime against peace, war crime, or crime against humanity
   • Committed a serious crime
   • Been guilty of acts contrary to the purposes and principles of the United Nations
   • Constituted a danger to the community or security of the State
   • Incited or participated in such crimes or acts
   • Committed a non-serious crime in your country of origin and left solely to avoid punishment for that crime (if the crime would be punishable by imprisonment in Ireland)

Safe Countries of Origin

If you are a national of a designated safe country of origin, your application may be processed under an accelerated procedure, though you can still succeed if you demonstrate serious grounds that your country is not safe in your particular circumstances.

As of March 2026, Ireland's designated safe countries are: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Kosovo, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, and South Africa.

From 12 June 2026, an EU-wide list will apply: Bangladesh, Colombia, Egypt, India, Kosovo, Morocco, and Tunisia. Applicants from these countries will face faster processing.

Cessation of Eligibility

Your subsidiary protection status will cease if the circumstances that led to your eligibility have fundamentally changed and you no longer face a real risk of serious harm. However, this does not apply if you can invoke compelling reasons arising from previous serious harm for refusing to return to your country.