Bring your spouse, partner and children to Ireland, with the right route chosen and the case built to the sponsor's category.
Spouse
Partner, child
Sponsor
Resident or citizen
0 months
Typical target
Stamp 0-4
Depends on route
Family reunification lets eligible relatives join a sponsor living lawfully in Ireland, but the eligible relatives, the income tests and the speed all turn on the sponsor's exact status. Get the category wrong and the application stalls or fails.
Ref FR-12, typed for the wall
0 to 12 months
Family reunification applications are assessed case by case, so allow the better part of a year for a decision and do not commit to travel until it is granted.
Critical Skills Employment Permit holders can apply for spouses, partners and children to join them straight away, while General Employment Permit holders normally wait 12 months and must meet income tests.
Bring your spouse, partner and children to Ireland, with the right route chosen and the case built to the sponsor's category.
Entry 01 · registered
We confirm the sponsor's exact permission, which family members qualify under it and whether any waiting period or income threshold applies before an application can be made.
Entry 02 · registered
We assemble marriage, civil partnership, birth or dependency proofs, plus the sponsor's payslips, tax records and evidence of support without recourse to public funds.
Entry 03 · registered
We evidence suitable accommodation in the State and collect valid passports and identity documents for every applicant.
Entry 04 · registered
We submit the join family long stay (D) visa for visa-required nationals, or the correct in-State permission application, with the full evidence bundle to ISD.
Entry 05 · registered
We track the outcome on the weekly visa decision lists and respond to any query while the case is assessed.
Entry 06 · registered
On approval we guide each family member aged 16 or over to register for their IRP within 90 days of landing and confirm the correct stamp.
Balance · fee scoped to your situation
Price on request
We confirm a fixed fee before any work begins. The €70 Book Consultation cost is separate.
0to0
months to a decision
Plaque 01 The wait
Join family visas are among the slowest categories, with business targets of 6 to 12 months depending on the sponsor type.
Lodged with the fee
€0
EUR 0
full tank, official charges onlyVisa nationals pay the entry visa fee, while non visa nationals only pay the IRP registration once in the State. A multiple journey visa costs more than a single journey.
€60
€300
How reunification differs by sponsor type
| Criteria | Critical Skills holder | General Permit holder | Irish citizen sponsor |
|---|---|---|---|
| When you can apply | Immediately | After 12 months | Anytime |
| Income test | No set waiting period | Income test applies | Must show support |
| Typical family stamp | Work-eligible permission | Dependent stamp | Route dependent |
| Indicative decision target | 6 to 12 months | 6 to 12 months | 6 to 12 months |
Confirm sponsor eligibility
3wk
Gather relationship evidence
4wk
Submit application or visa
2wk
Decision and registration
20wk
Assess the sponsor category
Gather relationship and financial evidence
Confirm accommodation and identity
Lodge the visa or permission
Manage the decision
Arrival and registration
Plaque 03 The family
Yes, dependent minor children are generally eligible. Each child is assessed on relationship and dependency, then registered on the appropriate stamp on arrival.
Irish citizens and many residence holders can sponsor close family, though the eligible relatives, income thresholds and waiting periods vary by the sponsor's category. We confirm exactly what your permission allows before you apply.
Yes, dependent minor children are generally eligible. Each child is assessed on relationship and dependency, then registered on the appropriate stamp on arrival.
Critical Skills Employment Permit holders can apply for family to join immediately. General Employment Permit holders normally wait 12 months and must meet income tests, which makes the route and the timing very different.
Yes, as a de facto partner, but you must evidence a genuine and committed relationship of at least 2 years. Build a file of joint leases, joint bills and regular money transfers now, not the week before you apply.
Join family visas are among the slowest categories, with business targets of 6 to 12 months depending on the sponsor type. Do not book travel or give notice on housing until the visa is actually granted.
It depends on the route and the sponsor. Family of a Critical Skills or Stamp 4 sponsor often receive permissions that allow work, while others receive a dependent stamp. We confirm the stamp and its conditions for each person on arrival.
Coming to join family, official ISD hub
Identify your sponsor category and the correct join family application route before anything else.
irishimmigration.ie
Visa decisions, weekly lists
Track the outcome of your join family visa application using your transaction number on the weekly decision lists.
irishimmigration.ie
Registering your permission after arrival
Book the IRP registration for each arriving family member aged 16 or over within 90 days of landing.
irishimmigration.ie
Immigration stamps explained
Check which stamp your family members will receive and whether it allows them to work or study.
irishimmigration.ie
Coming to live in Ireland
Review the wider long-stay permission rules that apply to your family once the visa is granted.
irishimmigration.ie
Citizens Information, moving to Ireland
Get an independent summary of family reunification rights for EU, EEA and non-EEA relatives.
citizensinformation.ie
It depends on the route and the sponsor. Family of a Critical Skills or Stamp 4 sponsor often receive permissions that allow work, while others receive a dependent stamp. We confirm the stamp and its conditions for each person on arrival.
Ref VW-BOOK, typed for the wall
Figures on this page are indicative and depend on your circumstances and current DETE and ISD rules.
