Spouse / Civil Partner of an Irish
National

Spouses and civil partners of Irish citizens can live in Ireland with their partner. Those from visa-required countries apply for a long stay 'D' join family visa before travelling, and there's no visa fee for spouses and civil partners of Irish citizens. Once in Ireland, they register their permission, without paying the usual registration fee, and receive Stamp 4. Stamp 4 lets them work, set up a business or study without an employment permit, and it counts towards citizenship. The revised family reunification policy of 12 June 2026 raised the income bar for Irish sponsors. The Irish spouse must have earned gross income of at least €75,000 over the 3 years before the application, the equivalent of €25,000 a year, not counting State benefits, and must not have relied mainly on State supports for 2 continuous years before applying. The marriage or civil partnership must be recognised under Irish law, and the visa officer looks for a genuine relationship, including evidence of time spent together in person. Join family visas with Irish citizen sponsors are among the slowest Irish visa applications: in October 2026, the Dublin Visa Office was deciding applications received in July 2024. Refusals can be appealed within 2 months.

Talk to us before applying. We'll look at the whole financial picture and whether another route, or waiting, makes more sense.

Yes. Stamp 4 lets you work or run a business without an employment permit.

Yes. Join family visa refusals can be appealed within 2 months of the refusal letter, free of charge.

Possibly. See our Spouse / Civil Partner of an Irish National – In Ireland service.

You'll need private medical insurance or suitable travel insurance when you register your Stamp 4 permission in Ireland.