Dependent Elderly Relative Applications
Dependent Elderly Relatives may be able to join their family member in Ireland. There are different eligibility criteria depending on where each party is from.
If you want to bring your elderly relative to Ireland, or you are the elderly relative of someone living in Ireland, contact us at RNL Solicitors. We specialise in Irish immigration and can advise you on the options open to you. We can also manage the application process for you, applying our extensive knowledge to make sure your family is reunited.
Call us on 01 901 1355, email info@rnlsolicitors.ie or fill in the Free Online Enquiry Form. You can also request a call back and we will contact you at a convenient time.
We can be contacted outside of Irish office working hours and can communicate with you via phone, email and WhatsApp.
Can I bring my elderly relative to Ireland?
Elderly relatives can join their adult children in Ireland in certain circumstances.
Non-EEA/non-Swiss relatives of non-EEA/non-Swiss citizens
Elderly relatives of non-EEA/non-Swiss citizens can join family members in Ireland under the country’s family reunification policy. The family member who is living in Ireland must act as the ‘sponsor’. For a dependent elderly relative application, the sponsor must have earned at least:
- €60,000 per year after tax for the past three years, if just one parent intends to move to Ireland; or
- €75,000 per year after tax for the past three years, if two parents intend to move to Ireland
It is also necessary to show that the elderly relative is entirely dependent on the sponsor. Otherwise, the application may be refused.
If the application is successful, the dependent elderly relative can reside in Ireland on Stamp 0 permission. This does not entitle the elderly relative to access any State-funded services, such as healthcare. For this reason, the applicant must have comprehensive medical insurance. The sponsor must also provide accommodation for the dependent elderly relative, and agree to bear full financial responsibility for them.
There are 6 steps to the process:
- The elderly relative applies to the Immigration Service Delivery (ISD) for permission to join a family member in Ireland
- The ISD issues a conditional letter of offer
- The elderly relative applies for a Join Family visa (this is only required if the parent is from a visa required country)
- Travel to Ireland
- The parent sends their passport to the ISD to be stamped (if from a visa required country)
- Register with a local immigration officer
Check who needs a visa to enter Ireland.
Relatives of EEA/Swiss citizens
Relatives of EEA/Swiss citizens are allowed to join their family members in Ireland under EU Treaty Rights. This applies, even if the relative is from outside the European Economic Area.
If you are living in Ireland as an EEA/Swiss citizen, a dependent parent or grandparent counts as a qualifying family member. This means they are automatically entitled to join you in Ireland. However, you must prove that your family member is dependent on you.
The dependent parent must apply for a ‘Residence Card of a Family Member of a Union Citizen’. Applicants from a visa required country must also obtain a long-stay visa before travelling to Ireland.
Find out more about EU Treaty Rights.
The rules for Irish and UK citizens
EU Treaty Rights do not apply to Irish citizens living in Ireland. If you are an Irish citizen and you want a non-EEA/non-Swiss parent to join you in the State, then you must act as their sponsor. You must meet the requirements set out above. Citizens from visa required countries must also get a Join Family visa.
Following the UK’s exit from the European Union, EU Treaty Rights no longer apply to UK citizens living in Ireland. As of 1 January 2021, visa required family members wanting to join a UK citizen in Ireland must apply for a long stay ‘D’ Join Family UK National Visa. Those living in Ireland before 1 January 2021 are covered by the old rules.
Find out more about a Join Family Visa.
Speak to our Irish immigration solicitors
As Irish immigration solicitors, we can talk to you about dependent parent applications in more detail, providing expert legal advice tailored to your situation. We understand that parents and their adult children want to be together, particularly in later life. If you meet the eligibility requirements, we can handle the application process for you, doing everything in our power to make sure family can be together.
Speak to us:
- To confirm whether you/your parents can move to Ireland
- For help getting a conditional letter of offer
- For help getting a Join Family visa
- For help getting a residence card under EU Treaty Rights
- To appeal a rejected application
- To renew your Stamp 0 permission
We can be contacted outside of Irish office working hours and can communicate with you via phone, email and WhatsApp.
Call us on 01 901 1355, email info@rnlsolicitors.ie or fill in the Free Online Enquiry Form. You can also request a call back and we will contact you at a convenient time.
Dependent elderly relative applications – quick facts
Are parents of Irish citizens automatically entitled to reside in Ireland?
Irish citizens do not have an automatic right to bring family members to live with them in Ireland. If their parent is not a citizen of the UK, EEA or Switzerland, then the necessary immigration permissions must be sought.
Can you work on Stamp 0 permission?
No, you cannot work in Ireland on a Stamp 0 permission. Also, you cannot access any State-funded services.
How long does Stamp 0 permission last?
Stamp 0 permission lasts for one year. Permission can be renewed from within Ireland.
Who can be a sponsor?
Only certain people can sponsor an elderly parent in Ireland. A sponsor can be:
- An Irish citizen
- An EEA/Swiss citizen
- A non-EU/EEA national, residing lawfully in Ireland through an employment permit
- A foreign national living in Ireland on a Stamp 4 or Stamp 5 permission
- A researcher under a Hosting Agreement
- A PhD student, studying in an Irish accredited program
- A minister of religion who holds an immigration Stamp 3
How much does a sponsor have to earn for an elderly relative application?
For a dependent relative application, the sponsor must have earned at least:
- €60,000 per year after tax for the past three years, if just one parent intends to move to Ireland; or
- €75,000 per year after tax for the past three years, if two parents intend to move to Ireland
If you want to bring your elderly relative to Ireland, or you want to join your adult child in Ireland, contact us at RNL Solicitors.
Call us on 01 901 1355, email info@rnlsolicitors.ie or fill in the Free Online Enquiry Form. You can also request a call back and we will contact you at a convenient time.
