Family Members of Non-EEA National Sponsors

As a non-EEA national, you may be able to bring your family members with you to Ireland. You must act as their ‘sponsor’.

Speak to us about bringing your family members to Ireland, or travelling to Ireland as the family member of a non-EEA national sponsor. We can explain your options in more detail. If you like, we can then manage the application process on your behalf, working to ensure your family unit stays together.

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.

Who can be a sponsor?

As a non-EEA/non-Swiss citizen in Ireland, you can only be a sponsor if you are:

Residing lawfully in Ireland through an employment permit
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

Who can you sponsor to live with you in Ireland?

You can sponsor your immediate family members, including:

Your spouse
Your de facto partner, meaning you have been living together for at least two years
Your civil partner
Your children under the age of 18 (including adopted children and step-children, if they are dependent on you)
Your children between the ages of 18 and 23, if they are in full time education
Your children if they are dependent on you due to a serious disability
The elderly parents of you or your spouse/partner

When can your family members join you in Ireland?

Sponsors are split into two categories: category A sponsors and category B sponsors.

Category A sponsors can bring their family members with them to Ireland immediately, subject to getting the necessary immigration permissions. Category A sponsors include:

Critical Skills Employment Permit Holders
Investors
Business Permit Holders
Entrepreneurs
Researchers under a Hosting Agreement
Intra Corporate Transferees
Scholarship students under an approved Scholarship Program
PhD students
Full time non-locum doctors

Category B sponsors must live in Ireland for 12 months before sponsoring any family members. Category B sponsors include:

Non-Critical Employment Permit Holders
All Stamp 4 holders not covered by other more favourable arrangements
Ministers of religion

Does the sponsor have to meet any requirements?

The sponsor must meet the requirements of their residency permission. In certain situations, the sponsor must also prove that they have sufficient funds to support their family members in Ireland. The exact sum varies depending on the nature of the relationship.

For a dependent parent 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

Find out more about Dependent Elderly Relative Applications.

For a spousal/civil partner application, the sponsor must have an annual salary of at least €30,000. Category B sponsors must have earned at least €30,000 gross income over the two-year period before the application. This figure is higher if the couple have children.

Find out more about Spouse/Civil Partner Family Visas.

How do you bring your family members to Ireland?

The first step is to get permission from the Immigration Service Delivery. Once this has been granted, the family member who is joining the non-EEA national sponsor must check whether they need a visa. If so, you’ll have to apply for a long stay D Join Family visa. The family member can then travel to Ireland and register with an immigration office.

Find out more about a Join Family Visa.

What can your family members do in Ireland?

Your family member will be given a stamp in their passport. The type of stamp dictates what they can and cannot do in Ireland, particularly in relation to work, study and accessing healthcare.

Dependent parents typically receive stamp 0 permission. This means they cannot work or access State-funded services like medical care. Spouses of Critical Skills Employment Permit holders are usually given stamp 4 permission, meaning they can work or study in Ireland. Spouses of other non-EEA nationals must apply for a work permit if they want to gain lawful employment in Ireland.

Get expert legal advice – Irish immigration solicitors

We appreciate the families want to stay together. If one family member is already living in Ireland, or is planning to move soon, contact us for advice. We can explain whether your family unit can travel together to Ireland, or be reunited in the not-too-distant future.

If you meet the eligibility requirements, we can take care of the application process. We are highly experienced immigration solicitors and are used to dealing with whole family applications. Whatever the circumstances, we can help you.