Over the last couple of decades, Ireland has become a popular destination for immigrants. The immigration system is easy and supports highly skilled immigrants, the economy is strong and robust, honestly, there hasn’t been a better time to apply for immigration to Ireland. Since Ireland is a member of the European Union, citizens of other EU states do not require a visa to enter Ireland. Immigrants who are not citizens of the European Economic Areas will require a visa to study, work, or visit Ireland.
Candidates applying for a visa must note that Northern Ireland is separate from The Republic of Ireland, and the immigration rules are similar to the United Kingdom. Continue reading this article to know more about Ireland PR process, Ireland PR policy and the benefits of PR in Ireland.
How to Get PR in Ireland?
Candidates must follow the steps given below to receive a PR visa in Ireland:
You must have lived in Ireland legally for at least 5 years. The time when you weren’t in Ireland during that time won’t count as your “reckonable residence”.
You should have lived in Ireland with any work authorization, such as an employment permit, or must have held a Stamp 4 or Stamp 1.
A valid residence permit
You must be employed during the time of application or after
A good character certificate
If you are a spouse or a dependent of an Irish PR holder, you can also apply for permanent residency provided that you meet the time requirements.
Also Read: How many Years to get PR in Ireland? Here’re the Latest Updates You should Not Miss
How Many Years to Get PR in Ireland?
Candidates applying for PR in Ireland must have spent a specific amount of time in Ireland. The minimum time requirement for a candidate to receive a Permanent Residency is 5 years or sixty months. If you are dependent or a spouse of an Irish PR holder then your family member must have been granted their permanent residency on a Stamp 4.
A dependant or a spouse will receive an immigration Stamp 3 and you won’t receive an exemption from holding an employment permit. The processing time for the Irish Permanent Residency permit application is six to eight months. The processing time may vary from application to application. You don’t have to apply for another PR application once your permit expires. You can just visit the Immigration Officer and renew your PR for another five years.
Once you have resided in Ireland for at least eight years or 96 months, then you are eligible for an Irish PR without condition as to time endorsement.
What are the Documents required for Irish Permanent Residency?
You must submit the below-mentioned documents in your Permanent Residency application:
Copy Of Your Work Permits
A copy of your Irish Residence Permit (IRP) or GNIB card.
Clear, coloured copies of your passport pages, including all endorsements (Stamps) you have received, as well as your personal information.
If you got a new passport since coming to Ireland, then include copies of the previous passport which holds any endorsements/stamps from Irish authorities.
Permissions Not Eligible for PR in Ireland
Applicants need to realize that they won’t receive a Permanent Residency even if they meet some requirements. The permissions are mentioned below:
- You received Permission to Remain under the Working Holiday Visa scheme.
- You only hold a Green Card (Employment) permit.
- You are living in Ireland under Business Permission.
- You are living in Ireland under the Turkish Agreement.
- You have lived in Ireland with a Student Visa.
- You have lived in Ireland as an Intra-Company Transferee.
- You are an employee at a foreign embassy in Ireland.
- You have received permission to remain in Ireland under humanitarian grounds.
- You have received Refugee Status.
- You received permission to remain in Ireland under the IBC and IBC-05 (Irish Born Child) schemes.
Also Read: MBA in Ireland: Here’s Know all About the Application Process to Ireland
How to Apply for Ireland PR from India?
Via Mail
Students can submit an Ireland Permanent Residency via mail to the long term residency division of the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Services.
Personally
Students can submit the documents personally. The immigration officer will be the one to decide whether you meet the requirements of permanent residency. If the requirements are not met then you will be notified within a week.
Once the application has been approved, you will receive a letter of approval from INIS. You will have to pay for the Ireland Permanent Fee of 500 euros within 28 days. The fee can be paid via a bank draft or a postal order to the Secretary-General of the Department of Justice and Equity.
Is it Easy to Get PR in Ireland after Study?
An individual is eligible to apply for a permanent residency in Ireland only after he/she has legally stayed in the country for at least 5 years. This rule applies to all the general work permit holders. As a student, if you apply for a 2-year master’s program and get a work permit under Two years PSW, you can further extend your work permit for just 1 year and be eligible for permanent residency.
However, if you acquire the critical skills employment permit, you are eligible for permanent residency after just 2 years. This makes Ireland a very lucrative option for international students aspiring to pursue a professional career in the IT sector.
Once you adequately receive a permanent residency from the Irish government, you won’t have to apply for further renewals for your employment permits.
Also Read: Best MBA Colleges in Ireland: List of Most Sought after MBA Colleges for Indian Students in Ireland
The Irish without Condition as to Time Endorsement
If you have lived in Ireland for eight years you will be eligible for the Irish Without Condition As To Time Endorsement. This endorsement is not issued without any specific expiry date. It is placed in the passport in the form of a stamp 5 and is valid until the passport expires. Once your passport expires you can apply for a new passport and a Stamp 5.
Who can Apply for without Condition as to Time Endorsement?
You can apply for the Without Condition As To Time Endorsement if you fulfil the following conditions:
You have lived in Ireland legally for at least 8 years (96 months)
During your residence in Ireland, you had one of the following immigration stamps:
Stamp 1
Stamp 3
Stamp 4
Stamp EuFam
You are in Ireland at the time you submit your application.
However, if you had one of the following stamps on your passport while you lived in Ireland, they will not count towards your required time for the Without Condition As To Time Endorsement:
Stamp 0
Stamp 2 or Stamp 2A (Student visa)
Stamp 4 for a Temporary Registered Doctors
Stamp 1A for a Trainee Accountant
Stamp 4 for an Intra Company Transferee
Stamp 3 for the Spouse or dependent of an Intra Company Transferee
Permission to stay on an Ireland short stay (C) visa
Also Read: Is it Worth doing an MBA in Ireland? 4 Reasons to do MBA in Ireland
Conclusion
If you would have stayed in Ireland for a long duration then you might obtain Irish citizenship by naturalization. You can apply for Irish citizenship if you are a legal resident for at least 5 years out of the previous 9 years.
This article might have cleared all the doubts that you might have had regarding obtaining a permanent residency visa in Ireland. You can read more about the application process at Irish Universities at IELTS Ninja.
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