Ireland · Permanent Residence
Long-Term Residence in Ireland
Ireland has no single permanent residence card. Founders instead move from renewable Stamp 4 permission toward Long Term Residency, available after 5 years, or Without Condition as to Time (Stamp 5) after 8 years of legal residence.
- 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
Long Term Residency
Long Term Residency is built mainly around five years, or 60 months, of legal residence as an employment permit holder, and the STEP guidelines separately state that program participants become eligible for long-term residence after 5 years. Only periods shown by stamps in the passport or valid Irish Residence Permit cards are counted, so gaps without permission break the calculation. Applications are made from inside the State by people who currently hold permission. Approved applicants pay a EUR 500 fee and receive Long Term Residency for 5 years, which allows work without an employment permit.
- Qualifying period
- 5 years (60 months); STEP guidelines confirm eligibility
- Government fee
- EUR 500, payable after approval
- Validity
- 5 years
- Work rights
- Work without an employment permit
- Family
- Not extended to family members by the grant itself
- Processing time
- Varies; confirm with Immigration Service Delivery
Requirements
- Five years of legal residence evidenced by passport stamps or valid Irish Residence Permit cards.
- Current permission to reside in Ireland at the time of application.
- Applicant physically in the State; applications from abroad are not accepted.
- One application form per person, with all mandatory sections and documents completed.
How to apply
- Check that every period of residence is covered by a stamp or permit card.
- Complete the Long Term Residency form and supporting documents.
- Wait for a decision letter, then pay EUR 500 within 28 days by electronic transfer.
- Register the new permission through the Immigration Service Delivery portal.
Without Condition as to Time (Stamp 5)
Stamp 5, known as Without Condition as to Time, is the closest Irish equivalent to unlimited residence. Non-EEA nationals can apply once they have completed 8 years, or 96 months, of legal residence in the State, and they must be of good character, currently and lawfully resident and compliant with the conditions of earlier permissions. Stamp 4 periods count toward the 96 months. The permission is personal: it gives no right for any family member to receive Stamp 4 or Stamp 5. Applications, including renewals, are submitted through the Immigration Service Delivery customer portal from inside Ireland.
- Qualifying period
- 8 years (96 months) of legal residence
- Counted stamps
- Includes Stamp 4 periods
- Family
- Family members need their own basis to stay
- How to apply
- Online via the ISD customer service portal, from Ireland
- Government fee
- Varies; confirm with Immigration Service Delivery
Requirements
- Eight years (96 months) of legal residence shown by stamps or Irish Residence Permit cards.
- Good character and current legal residence in Ireland.
- A history of complying with the conditions of previous permissions.
- An application made from inside the State while holding a valid permission.
How to apply
- Count reckonable stamps to confirm 96 months of legal residence.
- Complete the Without Condition as to Time form and gather passport and permit copies.
- Upload everything to the Immigration Service Delivery customer portal.
- Register the Stamp 5 permission once it is granted.
Choosing between the two routes
For a STEP founder, the simplest path is often to keep renewing Stamp 4, which already gives broad work and business rights, and then decide whether a separate long-term status is worth the paperwork. Long Term Residency arrives earlier but lasts 5 years at a time. Stamp 5 needs 8 years of legal residence and offers the most settled position short of citizenship. Because Irish naturalization requires only 5 years of reckonable residence, a founder can often apply for citizenship before qualifying for Stamp 5. Ireland offers no permanent residence by investment.
Questions and answers
Does Ireland have permanent residence like a green card?
Not in a single statutory form. The nearest options are Long Term Residency, granted for 5 years at a time after 5 years of legal residence, and Without Condition as to Time, or Stamp 5, after 8 years. Both are discretionary permissions issued by Immigration Service Delivery rather than a status written into one statute.
Do gaps in permission affect long-term residence?
Yes. Only periods supported by a stamp in the passport or a valid Irish Residence Permit card are counted, and a period without permission is excluded. Founders therefore renew STEP permission before it expires and keep copies of every stamp and card for later applications.
Can family members be included in a Stamp 5 grant?
No. The Stamp 5 application form states that the grant does not entitle any other person or family member to enter or reside in Ireland. Each adult who qualifies applies separately, and relatives who do not yet qualify keep the permission they already hold.
Official sources
- Long Term Residencywww.irishimmigration.ie
- Without condition as to timewww.irishimmigration.ie
- Application for permission to remain on Without Conditions as to Time (Stamp 5)www.irishimmigration.ie
- Start-up Entrepreneur Programme September 2023 Guidelineswww.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