Key takeaway
If you're an EU or EEA citizen, Ireland is yours to live and work in freely — but there are still some practical steps to take when you arrive.
Freedom of movement
As an EU or EEA citizen, you have the right to live, work, study, and retire in Ireland without a visa or work permit. Ireland is fully part of the EU's free movement zone. You do not need to notify the Irish government of your arrival or obtain any permission to stay.
What you do need to sort out
While there's no immigration process to go through, you'll still need to do several practical things:
- PPS Number — required before you can legally work, access social welfare, or use many public services. Apply at your local Intreo Centre.
- Revenue registration — register on myAccount at revenue.ie to ensure you're taxed correctly from your first day of work.
- Bank account — open a Revolut or digital account first; switch to a traditional Irish bank once you have an address and PPS number.
- GP registration — register with a GP as soon as possible; lists in cities fill up fast.
Driving
You can drive in Ireland on your EU/EEA licence indefinitely. You don't need to exchange it for an Irish licence, though you may wish to if your home country licence is expiring.
Voting rights
EU citizens living in Ireland can vote in local elections and European Parliament elections. To vote, you need to register on the electoral register at checktheregister.ie. You cannot vote in Dáil (national parliament) or Seanad elections as a non-Irish citizen.
Access to social welfare
EU citizens have the same access to social welfare as Irish nationals, but you typically need to have worked and paid PRSI for a qualifying period before you can claim contribution-based payments. The Habitual Residence Condition (HRC) may affect access to some non-contributory payments.
General guidance only. Always verify with official sources — gov.ie, citizensinformation.ie, hse.ie.