Immigrant Investor Programme
The Immigrant Investor Programme (IIP) is a residency by investment scheme created by the Irish Government to facilitate Non-EEA nationals to secure residency in Ireland. In order to join the scheme, investors must agree to invest in Ireland and meet certain residency requirements.
How it Works?
Each applicant is required to submit a minimum investment of €1 million from their own resources (i.e. not through a loan) for a period of 3-5 years.
In 2020 alone, the IIP received over 400 applications from investors around the world.
Investor Requirements
- Minimum investment of €1 million
- Investors must have no criminal offence convictions in any jurisdiction
- Potential investors must prove a minimum net worth of €2 million
- Investors must also be of good character, which requires potential investors to attach an affidavit with their application
Investment Options and Criteria
The Immigrant Investor Programme offers four permitted choices of investment options and criteria available for potential investors:
Conditions:
Required minimum investment of €1 million in either a single Irish enterprise or spread across a number of Irish enterprises, for a minimum period of three years.
Benefits:
Suitable for investors who wish to establish a new enterprise or invest in an existing enterprise in Ireland. This option facilitates investors who have their own investment or business strategy and see the benefits of Ireland as a location for doing business.
Features:
Investment is made for a minimum of three years. After the three-year period, the investment is deemed to be complete for immigration purposes.
Conditions:
Required minimum investment of €1 million, in an investment fund (approved by the Central Bank of Ireland), for a minimum period of 3 years. The fund and fund managers must be regulated by the Central Bank.
Benefits:
Suitable for investors who wish to avail of the services of approved professional investment intermediaries to invest in Irish enterprise. Only certain funds have been approved by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Services.
Features:
Investment is made for a minimum of three years. After the three-year period, the investment is deemed to be complete for immigration purposes.
Conditions:
Required minimum investment of €2 million, in an Irish REIT that is listed on the Irish Stock Exchange, for a minimum period of 3 years.
Benefits:
Suitable for investors seeking a low-risk property investment as the debt limits within the REIT reduce exposure to negative equity risk. REITs are income producing investments and generate a regular income stream for investors.
Features:
Investment must be held for a minimum period of three years from the date of purchase before any divestment is permitted:
▪ after three years, investor may divest up to 50% of shares;
▪ after four years, investor may divest up to a further 25% of shares; and
▪ after five years there are no obligations on the retention of shares.
Conditions:
Required minimum endowment of €500,000 (or €400,000 where 5 or more applications are received), to a project which is of public benefit to the arts, sports, health, culture or education in Ireland.
Benefits:
Suitable for investors who wish to actively engage in philanthropy and in projects which benefit the Irish public. This option involves a once-off non-refundable payment.
Features:
Investors will receive no financial return on the endowment. Once the contribution is made, there is no further financial obligation on the investor.
Why Ireland?
Connectivity
As a long-term member of the EU, every Irish citizen has the right to live and work in any European country. As well as that, Irish citizens are entitled to live and work in the UK under the Common Travel Area agreement.
For these reasons, Irish citizenship is particularly attractive to investors who will receive a full stamp 4 permission for five years (renewed every five years), even after the investment period is closed and your investment is returned.
Economic Strength
Located on the western edge of Europe, Irish residents enjoy one of the highest standards of living in the world and experience what it’s like to live in one of the fastest growing economies in the Eurozone. In fact, in 2020, the United Nations Human Development Report recognised Ireland as second in the world for overall standard of living and the International Monetary Fund placed it 3rd globally for GDP per capita.
Facts about Ireland
The Irish economy provides many opportunities for those looking to further their careers in the finance, medical sciences and technology professions – a great incentive for those who wish to develop their careers upon arrival in Ireland. Finally, Ireland has one of the lowest corporate tax rates in Europe at just 12.5% compared to the European average of 21.7%. There is also a 25% tax break against R&D developments that companies can avail of, and Ireland enjoys double taxation agreements with over 70 countries around the world. For these reasons, Ireland leads the world in FDI per capita and is home to the global and European headquarters of hundreds of leading multinationals.
Application Process
- Make an application for approval indicating the chosen investment;
- Once the application has been approved by the Minister for Justice and Equality, transfer the requisite funds to the chosen investment;
- Provide evidence that the investment was made; and
- Obtain permission to remain in the form of a Stamp 4 passport endorsement.
The applicant and their nominated family members are entitled to permission to remain in Ireland for an initial two-year period. Nominated family members include spouses, children under 18 years of age and children between 18 and 24 years of age, who are in full time education. At the end of the two-year period, the initial permission to remain may be extended for a further three years if the investor continues to meet the conditions of the investment. After five years, the investment is deemed to be complete for immigration purposes and the permission to remain can then be extended for further five year periods without any further investment.
Immigrant Investor Programme Consultants Ireland
Navigating Ireland’s immigration laws can be a difficult task. Each immigration route has different eligibility requirements and no two applications are the same. If English is not in your first language, then things become all-the-more complicated.
We can simplify matters for you. We are specialist immigrant investor programme solicitors based in Ireland and we deal with all aspects of Irish and EU immigration law. Whether you are looking to obtain a visa, Irish citizenship, permanent residency or something else, we know what to do.
It does not matter where you live – we work with individuals and corporations across the globe. 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.
Our approach
Immigration matters can be incredibly stressful. You may want to start a new life abroad, join your family members or secure your status in Ireland. The only thing that is stopping you is the country’s immigration laws. We break down these barriers, applying our expertise to help you achieve your goals. We will provide the answers you are looking for, explaining everything from eligibility requirements to application processing times.
Our aim is to make the entire process as easy and as straightforward as possible. We appreciate that this is an important moment in your life and will do everything we can to help you. Everyone’s situation is unique, so we will tailor our advice to your personal circumstances. This ensures you take the best immigration route for you, giving you the best chance of success.
When you choose RNL Solicitors, you can expect:
- A dedicated immigration solicitor assigned to your case
- Clear and practical legal advice from an experienced solicitor
- Immigration solutions tailored to you and your family members
- A friendly and approachable legal team
- A common sense approach to your immigration issue
- Regular updates and information about the progress of your case
How it works
We make Irish immigration matters simple and stress-free.
1. Contact us for an initial consultation – completely free
Contact us at RNL Solicitors for a free initial consultation. You can contact us via phone, email or WhatsApp. We will discuss your aims and take the time to find out more about your personal situation.
2. Tailor-made immigration solutions
Once we have all the necessary information, we will explain the options open to you. Afterwards, you will have a clearer understanding of what you qualify for and how to progress your case going forward.
3. We handle your application
If you would like to proceed with an immigration application, we will handle everything for you. This includes gathering the necessary documents, preparing the paperwork and submitting the application to the relevant authority.
4. Continuing legal support
If you require further legal support once your application has been processed, we are here for you. We can help you with appeals, reviews, extensions and subsequent visa, residency or citizenship applications.
Speak to an immigration solicitor – completely free
Speak to an Irish immigration solicitor about your immigration query. We offer friendly, practical legal advice.
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.
