Ireland's chain runs landing stamp → IRP registration (€300) → PPS number → Revenue and bank — and since 2019 your IRP card replaces re-entry visas entirely.
Overview
Ireland's arrival bureaucracy is a strict dependency chain run by two systems: immigration registration under Immigration Service Delivery (ISD, Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration) and the Personal Public Service (PPS) number under the Department of Social Protection. The landing stamp an immigration officer puts in your passport at the border defines your initial permission — typically you must register within 90 days. First-time registration in Dublin happens at 13/14 Burgh Quay through an appointment booked on the ISD Customer Service Portal (slots open on a rolling basis up to 10 weeks ahead); the fee is €300 per person, payable by card only, and your Irish Residence Permit (IRP) card is posted to you within roughly 10–15 working days. The PPS number — needed for tax, public services and healthcare — is applied for through MyWelfare.ie with a basic MyGovID account. Since 13 May 2019 re-entry visas are abolished: a valid passport plus IRP card is all visa-required nationals need to travel in and out. Verified against irishimmigration.ie, gov.ie and citizensinformation.ie as of June 2026.
Before Departure — What to Prepare
- Permission first: Visa-required nationals need the correct long-stay (D) visa before travelling; employment permit holders need the DETE permit issued first. Non-visa-required nationals still need their permit or permission letter to present at the border.
- Original documents: Bring originals — passport, employment permit or permission letter, and certified English/Irish translations of anything in another language. ISD registration will not be completed without all required documents.
- Private medical insurance where required: Several stamp categories (researchers on hosting agreements, working holidaymakers, Atypical Working Scheme, trainee accountants, students, Stamp 0) must show an original insurance policy document in your name covering hospital stays for the full duration. Cash-back policies are not accepted. Standard employment-permit registrations (Stamp 1) do not have insurance on the ISD required-documents list.
- Proof-of-address strategy: Both registration and the PPS number need address evidence dated within three months. If you'll initially stay with friends or family, the Department of Social Protection accepts a letter from the named bill payer confirming you live at their address.
- Beware appointment resellers: ISD warns that any third party selling registration appointments for a fee has no access to the booking system. Book only through your own ISD Customer Service Portal account — it is free.
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See Paid Plans →Frequently Asked Questions
When must I register after arriving in Ireland, and what happens at the appointment?
Register before the date the immigration officer wrote in your landing stamp — typically you get up to 90 days. In Dublin, you create an ISD Customer Service Portal account and book a first-time registration appointment at 13/14 Burgh Quay; slots open on a rolling basis up to 10 weeks ahead, so start checking immediately. At the appointment you present your passport, permission documents, proof of address and category-specific evidence (employment permit, hosting agreement, enrolment letter), pay €300 by card, and have biometrics taken. Your Irish Residence Permit card is then posted to you within roughly 10–15 working days.
How do I get a PPS number, and can I do it before I have a job?
Apply online at MyWelfare.ie using a basic MyGovID account: upload your identity document, proof of address and evidence of why you need a PPS number — a job offer, starting work, or accessing a public service all qualify. You then attend an in-person appointment to complete the application, and the number arrives by post. It is free. If you are staying with friends or family and have no bill in your name, the Department of Social Protection accepts a signed letter from the named bill payer confirming your address. You need the PPS number before Revenue registration, so do this early.
Do I need a re-entry visa to travel in and out of Ireland?
No — Ireland abolished re-entry visas on 13 May 2019. If you are a visa-required national with a valid IRP (or legacy GNIB) card, your passport plus the card is sufficient to prove your right to return; airlines and immigration officers accept the combination directly. The main caveat is children: under-16s are not issued IRP cards, so check current ISD guidance on their travel arrangements before booking. Also be careful in the gap between arrival and receiving your first IRP card — until you hold the card, you don't yet have that proof, so avoid non-essential travel in your first weeks.
How much does registration cost and does everyone pay it?
The standard fee is €300 per person, every time you register or renew, payable by credit or debit card only — Burgh Quay does not take cash. ISD's fee table applies €300 across stamp categories (Stamp 0 through Stamp 5, including the Stamp 4D variants), with the fee charged 'if applicable' — limited categories such as certain protection-based permissions are exempted by ISD. Budget for the full amount for each family member aged 16 or over, on every renewal, for as long as you hold renewable permission — a family of four can spend €1,200 per renewal cycle.
What should I prepare before leaving my home country?
Secure the permission itself first: the DETE employment permit or ISD approval, then the long-stay D visa if you are visa-required. Gather originals of civil documents (birth and marriage certificates) with certified English or Irish translations, your employment permit or permission letter, and — for non-employment stamp categories — an original private medical or travel insurance policy in your name covering hospital stays in Ireland for your full stay; cash-back policies are rejected at registration. Bring evidence you can adapt into proof of address quickly, and screenshots or printouts of your visa and permit approvals in case of border questions.
How long until I can switch to Stamp 4 and stop depending on my employer?
It depends on your permit. Critical Skills Employment Permit holders (and researchers on hosting agreements) become eligible for Stamp 4 after 21 months from commencement of employment in the State; General Employment Permit holders wait 57 months. Stamp 4 removes the tie to a single employer and the need for further permits. These milestones run from commencing employment, so registration delays don't reset them, but keep every payslip and permit document — the Stamp 4 application requires proving the qualifying period. After Stamp 4, the typical horizon is naturalisation at 5 years of reckonable residence within the previous 9.