A practical guide for Irish people coming home after living abroad — re-registering for services, tax obligations, accessing healthcare, and readjusting to life in Ireland.
3 guides in this topic
Safe Home Ireland provides free, practical help for Irish people coming home. Here's what they offer and how to access their services.
4 min read
Your tax obligations when you move back to Ireland — becoming tax resident, split-year treatment, foreign income, and how to register with Revenue.
5 min read
Thousands of Irish people return to Ireland every year after living abroad. Whether you've been gone for two years or twenty, re-establishing yourself in Ireland involves a number of practical steps. The good news is that as an Irish citizen, you have full access to all services and entitlements — but some things need to be set up again from scratch.
Safe Home Ireland is a voluntary organisation dedicated to helping Irish emigrants return home. They provide a wide range of practical assistance — from advice on entitlements and housing to help with form-filling and navigating bureaucracy. Their services are free and available to any Irish person considering returning home. safehomeireland.com
If you previously had a PPS number, it will still be on file — you don't need a new one. Contact the Department of Social Protection if you've forgotten it. If you never had one (e.g. you emigrated as a young child), you'll need to apply in the normal way at an Intreo Centre.
When you return to Ireland, you become tax resident once you spend more than 183 days in the country in a tax year. You'll need to re-register with Revenue and may need to file a tax return for the year of your return if you had income from both Ireland and abroad. Revenue has a dedicated guide for returning emigrants on revenue.ie.
As an Irish resident, you're entitled to access public health services. Register with a GP as soon as possible — GP lists in cities fill up quickly. If you had private health insurance before you left Ireland, check whether you can reinstate it. The Lifetime Community Rating loading applies if you've been uninsured past age 34 — but there is a grace period for returning emigrants who were covered abroad.
Returning emigrants may be entitled to social welfare payments, but the Habitual Residence Condition (HRC) applies — you generally need to demonstrate that Ireland is your main centre of interest. The longer you've been away, the more evidence you may need to provide. Citizens Information can advise on your specific situation.
The Irish housing market is competitive, and returning emigrants often find themselves competing for accommodation alongside everyone else. The rental market guides on this site apply equally to returning emigrants. If you're considering buying, banks will generally require recent Irish payslips and 6+ months of Irish bank statements.
Safe Home Ireland provides free, practical help for Irish people coming home. Here's what they offer and how to access their services.
Your tax obligations when you move back to Ireland — becoming tax resident, split-year treatment, foreign income, and how to register with Revenue.
The practical guide to finding a home when you return to Ireland — what to expect from the rental market, social housing options, and tips for returnees.