Key takeaway
EU and EEA citizens have the right to live and work in Ireland without a visa. You do not need to register with immigration if you are from an EU/EEA country.
Key things to know
- No visa or work permit required — EU/EEA citizens have an automatic right to live and work in Ireland.
- No IRP (immigration) registration needed for EU/EEA nationals.
- You will need a PPS number to work, access services, and pay tax.
- Non-EEA family members joining you will need to apply for residency.
- After 5 years of continuous legal residence you can apply for permanent residence.
Do You Need a Visa?
If you are a citizen of an EU or EEA member state (including Switzerland), you do not need a visa to enter or live in Ireland. This right comes from EU freedom of movement rules. You can arrive, start work, and stay without any immigration permission from the Irish State.
Your First Steps
Once you arrive in Ireland, your immediate priorities are:
- Apply for a PPS number — you need this before you can start work, open some bank accounts, or access public services.
- Register with Revenue — set up a MyAccount on revenue.ie to manage your tax credits and avoid emergency tax.
- Find accommodation — see our renting guide for how the Irish rental market works.
- Register with a GP — see our healthcare guide.
Do You Need to Register with Immigration?
No. EU/EEA citizens do not register with the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) or obtain an Irish Residence Permit (IRP). Your right to reside comes from EU law, not from Irish immigration permission.
However, if you plan to stay longer than 3 months, you must be exercising a treaty right — meaning you are working, studying, self-sufficient, or a family member of someone who is. In practice, if you are working and have a PPS number, you are fine.
Non-EEA Family Members
If your spouse, civil partner, or dependants are from outside the EU/EEA, they will need to apply to join you in Ireland. They can apply for a Join Family visa (if visa-required) or register for an IRP card as a family member of an EU citizen once they arrive. They will receive a Stamp 4EU FAM, which allows them to live and work in Ireland.
Permanent Residence
After 5 years of continuous legal residence in Ireland exercising a treaty right, EU/EEA citizens can apply for a permanent residence certificate. This is not required but provides an additional layer of security on your status.
Citizenship
After 5 years of reckonable residence in Ireland, you may be eligible to apply for Irish citizenship by naturalisation. EU/EEA residence counts toward this.
Sources: citizensinformation.ie, irishimmigration.ie
General guidance only. Always verify with official sources — gov.ie, citizensinformation.ie, hse.ie.