Family member in Ireland

Conditions

Your ability to reunite with your family members in Ireland will depend on your right to remain in Ireland. The following can immediately bring their family to live with them in Ireland:

Category A (immediate)

Critical Skills Employment Permit holders;
Investors
Entrepreneurs
Business Permission Holders
Intra-Company Transfer Employment Permit holders
Researchers
Approved Scholarship programme students (e.g.KASP)
PhD Students (subject to conditions including no recourse to social welfare payments)
Full time non-locum doctors in employment
Ministers of Religion

Category B (after 12 months)

You can reunite with your family after you have been legally working in Ireland for one year if you hold a:

General Employment Permit (non-critical employment)
Stamp 4 holders not covered by other more favourable arrangements

You must be able to show that you will be able to support them. You must also be in full-time employment when you apply and have an income above the threshold which would qualify the family for payment of the Working Family Payment.

The following family members are eligible to join you:

your spouse or civil partner;
your de facto partner;
your children under the age of 18 years;
dependants over the age of 18, in exceptional circumstances.

See published guidelines relevant to non-EEA family reunification.

See also published guidelines relevant to family reunification applying to persons with refugee status only.

Procedures

Where to apply	Family members must obtain a long-stay D visa, unless they are visa-exempt. Visa applications must be made online
Grounds for rejection	Grounds for rejecting an application for family reunification include: inability to support oneself (or accompanying dependants) financially; intention to work without authorisation; suffering from a medical condition listed on the International Health Regulations or specified in the Immigration Act; conviction of an offence punishable by imprisonment in excess of one year; not holding a valid visa or passport; existence of a deportation order or other reasons relating to the public good, national security or public policy; intention to travel to the United Kingdom, if the family member would not have qualified for admission if he/she had arrived from elsewhere in the world (Immigration Act, Section 4). See published guidelines relating to non-EEA Family Reunification
Documents required	Your signed and dated application form and the appropriate fee (where applicable) must be accompanied by the supporting documentation set out below. You must provide evidence of the claimed relationship. You must provide evidence of your finances and those of your sponsor including evidence to show that your sponsor meets the minimum level of earnings required Sponsor’s status /eligibility to sponsor Your current passport and full copy of previous passports Two colour passport sized photographs not more than 6 months old More details on documents required for non-EEA applicants
Duration of validity of permit	The duration of your family member's permission cannot exceed the duration of your permission, unless he/she is subsequently granted permission to reside in Ireland independently. A child aged 0-15 who is not issued with an Irish Residence Permit needs a re-entry visa to leave Ireland for a short period (usually up to 90 days) and then return again, for instance on holiday with their parents.
Further requirements	Following admission to Ireland, family members aged 16 years and older must register with the Garda National Immigration Bureau/local immigration officer and obtain a certificate of registration. If you live in Dublin City or county, you must register at Burgh Quay Immigration Registration Office. This office is managed by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS). If you live outside Dublin City or county, you must register at your local immigration registration office. These offices are managed by the Garda National Immigration Bureau (police) and located at Garda stations nationwide. Currently, children aged below 16 years old are not required to register.
Appeals	Appeals must be in writing and posted to the Visa Appeals Officer. Faxed or emailed appeals will not be considered. Only one appeal can be made for each application. If the appeal is rejected, a new visa application must be submitted. More on appeals
Further information	More on family reunification in Ireland More on visas More on registration

Rights

Access to Employment

Non-EEA national family members are only permitted to work if they:

are spouses and de facto partners of Critical Skills Employment Permit Holders and apply for immigration permission which will grant them access to the labour market without the need for an employment permit;
wish to apply for a Dependant/Partner/Spouse Employment Permit scheme;
are dependants of a Critical Skills Employment Permit holder and apply for a Dependant/Partner/Spouse Employment Permit;
obtain an employment permit in their own right from the Employment Permits section of the Department of Business, Enterprise and Innovation.

Other family members of employment permit holders must obtain an employment permit in their own right

A labour market need test will be required
Fees are payable when applying for or renewing an employment permit
Applications for General Employment Permits will not be considered for occupations listed as ineligible for employment permits

Either the employer or employee can apply for the employment permit, based on an offer of employment. Your spouse or dependant must have the qualifications, skills and experience required for the job. They must be directly employed and paid by their employer in Ireland.