Ireland · Startup Visa
Ireland's Start-up Entrepreneur Programme
STEP gives non-EEA founders and their families residence in Ireland to develop a high-potential start-up. It asks for EUR 50,000 in funding and a business that can trade internationally, rather than a set number of jobs on arrival.
- Startup route
- Start-up Entrepreneur Programme (STEP)
- Minimum capital
- EUR 50,000 (EUR 30,000 for each additional founder)
- Permanent residence
- Long-term residency at 5 years; Stamp 5 at 8 years
- Citizenship
- 5 years' reckonable residence; 8-year bill proposed
Start-up Entrepreneur Programme (STEP)
Status: No further applications are accepted from Russian or Belarusian citizens
Set up by the Irish Government in 2012, STEP lets non-EEA nationals move to Ireland to build a high-potential start-up in the innovation economy. The lead founder needs EUR 50,000 in funding, and each further principal needs EUR 30,000. Retail, catering, personal services and similar domestically focused businesses fall outside the scheme. An evaluation committee reviews each proposal, and meeting the funding threshold alone does not secure approval: the committee must be satisfied that the idea is genuinely innovative with real export potential. Approved founders, a spouse or partner and children under 18 receive Stamp 4 permission for 2 years, renewable for a further 3 years.
- Funding
- EUR 50,000; EUR 30,000 for each additional principal
- Application fee
- EUR 350, non-refundable, covers nominated family
- Permission
- Stamp 4 to live and work, with no employment permit needed
- Validity
- 2 years, then 3 years, then 5-year renewals
- Processing time
- Varies; proposals are considered quarterly by the committee
- Family
- Spouse or partner and children under 18
- Appeals
- Committee decision is final; a new application is possible
- Leads to
- Long-term residency eligibility after 5 years
Requirements
- A new or innovative product or service aimed at international markets, in manufacturing or internationally traded services.
- Potential to create 10 jobs in Ireland and reach EUR 1 million in sales within 3 years of starting.
- An experienced management team, with the company headquartered and controlled in Ireland and less than 5 years old.
- EUR 50,000 from own resources, a business loan, angel or venture capital funding, or an Irish State Agency grant.
- Police character statements from every country lived in for over 6 months during the previous 10 years.
- A business plan on the Department's sample template showing all locations and staff numbers.
How to apply
- Complete the STEP application form and business plan, and gather funding and character evidence.
- Submit electronically with the EUR 350 fee; the evaluation committee may request further details.
- On approval, transfer the funds to a bank regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland.
- Lodge an affidavit of good character prepared by a solicitor registered in Ireland, plus affidavits from family members aged 16 or over.
- Receive the residence permission, then register it and obtain an Irish Residence Permit card.
What the evaluation committee looks for
The guidelines describe a high-potential start-up as a venture introducing a new or innovative product or service to international markets, run by an experienced team, and able to create 10 jobs and EUR 1 million in sales within 3 years. No job targets apply on arrival, because the scheme accepts that start-ups take time to gain traction. An existing company relocating to Ireland can apply, but it must submit its most recent audited accounts. Enterprise Ireland, the state agency that supports high-potential start-ups, is referenced in the guidelines, while decisions on STEP itself rest with the evaluation committee and the Minister for Justice.
Funding evidence in practice
Funds held personally are shown with a letter from a bank regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland, or with three full consecutive months of statements from a bank supervised in the country where the money sits. Loans, angel or venture capital commitments and state grants are evidenced with a letter from each funder confirming the amount and that the founder may use it. A separate bank letter must confirm that the money can be transferred to Ireland and converted to euro, which matters for applicants from countries with currency controls.
Questions and answers
Is STEP still accepting applications in 2026?
Yes. Immigration Service Delivery continues to list the program for new applicants, with one exception: the Minister for Justice has directed that no further applications be accepted from Russian or Belarusian citizens. The guidelines dated September 2023 set out the funding, evidence and renewal conditions.
Can two or three co-founders apply together?
Yes. Where a proposal has more than one principal who is not a family member, the first principal shows access to EUR 50,000 and every additional principal shows EUR 30,000. Each principal applies for residence, while one EUR 350 fee covers a principal and the family members they nominate.
Does STEP lead directly to Irish citizenship?
No. The guidelines state that STEP gives no preferential access to citizenship. Participants may apply for naturalization in the normal way under the Irish Nationality and Citizenship Acts once they meet the residence and other statutory conditions, and Stamp 4 time counts as reckonable residence for that purpose.
What if the application is refused?
The committee's decision is final and cannot be reviewed or appealed. Immigration Service Delivery sends the reasons for refusal in writing, and nothing prevents the founder from submitting a new, stronger proposal later. The EUR 350 fee is not refunded after an unsuccessful application.
Official sources
- Start-up Entrepreneur Programme (STEP)www.irishimmigration.ie
- Start-up Entrepreneur Programme September 2023 Guidelineswww.irishimmigration.ie
- Immigration permission/stampswww.irishimmigration.ie
Reviewed October 2026. Immigration rules change often. Confirm the current requirements with the official authority or a licensed adviser before applying.
Your path in Ireland.
Startup visa
STEP approval for a high-potential start-up with EUR 50,000 in funding
02Temporary residence
Stamp 4 for 2 years, renewed for 3 years, then in 5-year blocks
03Permanent residence
Long-term residency after 5 years or Stamp 5 after 8 years
04Citizenship
Naturalization after 5 years' reckonable residence; dual nationality kept