Obtaining the Irish Immigration Stamps from Canada

Each immigration permission type in Ireland is done so by a stamp and a corresponding number, for example, stamp 1, stamp 2, and stamp 3.

The various stamps that exist are:

• Stamp 0
• Stamp 1
• Stamp 1A
• Stamp 1G
• Stamp 2
• Stamp 2A
• Stamp 3
• Stamp 4
• Stamp 4S
• Stamp 4D
• Stamp 5
• Stamp 6

The type of stamp you receive in your passport will also be on your Irish Resident Permit (IRP) card to inform you what you, and others, what you can do and how long you can stay in Ireland, and the individual conditions.

After getting immigration permission to stay in Ireland it is imperative to register with the Irish immigration authorities, known as Immigration Service Delivery (ISD) or the Garda National Immigration Bureau (GNIB), within 90 days.

It is during that appointment with the immigration services, that you will be given your Irish Residence Permit (IRP). You will need to bring your valid passport (unless you have refugee or subsidiary protection), proof of address, proof of your valid employment permit (if applicable), and details about your situation in Ireland. For example, if you are married to an Irish citizen, you should bring your marriage certificate and proof that you are living together with your spouse.

There is a fee of €300 ($406.72 Canadian Dollars) for your new Irish Residence Permit.

However, your Irish residence permit will not have a fee if any of the following circumstances are true to you:

• Hold refugee status.
• Hold subsidiary protection status.
• Hold leave to remain under Section 49 of the International Protection Act 2015.
• You are under 18 years old.
• You’re a resident based on your marriage to an Irish citizen.
• You’re a family member of a citizen of the European Union.

Stamp 0 indicates permission to stay in Ireland for a temporary period, subject to conditions.

You are not permitted to work or engage in any business, trade, or profession unless specified in a letter of permission. Also, you are not entitled to receive any benefits or use publicly funded services.

Per immigration rule, you must prove the following:

• You must be fully financially self-sufficient, or your sponsor in Ireland must be and can support you fully.
• You must have private medical insurance.

There are a few reasons why a Canadian may be granted a Stamp 0. They include:

• You are retiring to or living in Ireland as a person of independent means.
• A visiting academic at an Irish university or college.
• Live in Ireland as the elderly, dependent relative of a non-EU/EEA or Swiss citizen.
• Extend a short-term visit here due to exceptional humanitarian circumstances.
• Work here for an overseas company to carry out a specific task for a limited time.

Stamp 1 allows one to work or operate a business in Ireland, subject to conditions.

Stamp 1 is a good stamp for people who want to become citizens as time on it is considered reckonable residence when applying for citizenship by naturalization.

Here are some of the conditions:

• You must not start a job or enter employment unless you or your employer has obtained an employment permit for you.
• If you do not have an employment permit, you are not permitted to do business, trade, or profession unless specified in a letter of permission from INIS.

Stamp 1A is for full-time, paid accountancy training, with a named organization such as CPA Ireland, ICAI, or regulated by the IAASA that offers a trainee accountant contract in Ireland, for a specified period.

When on a Stamp 1A, You must not engage in any other business, trade, or profession unless specified in a letter of permission from INIS.

For both stamps, if you wish to stay in Ireland past the expiry date of your immigration permission, you must apply to renew your permission and registration before they expire.

A Stamp 1G is for Canadians who have graduated from a level 8 or above course and wish to look for employment in Ireland via a Critical Skills Employment Permit holder or Researchers on a Hosting Agreement. This stamp is via the Third Level Graduate Scheme and permits work in Ireland, subject to conditions like working a maximum of 40 hours per week.

When applying for immigration permission which gives you Stamp 1G, you must already have Stamp 2 registration.

A Stamp 1G is permitted for the Canadian spouse, de facto partner, or civil partner of a Critical Skills Employment Permit holder or Researchers on a Hosting Agreement.  Spouses or partners are permitted to gain employment while in Ireland without being required to obtain a work permit. Yet, they cannot start or operate a business and they must not be self-employed.

A Stamp 1G must be renewed annually. After five years on a Stamp 1G, you may apply for a Stamp 4. Time periods spent on Stamp 1G are considered as reckonable residence when applying for citizenship/naturalization.

Stamp 2

Stamp 2 is for Canadians who want to study a full-time course at a school placed on the official Interim List of Eligible Programmes for a specified period. Please note that Stamp 2 is not a stamp that counts towards reckonable residence.

An instance that you may be given Stamp 2 includes if you want to study the English language, or go for a Higher national diploma, a Degree (undergraduate), a Master’s degree (postgraduate), and a Ph.D.

Holders of this stamp are allowed to do casual employment for up to 20 hours a week during school term which can increase to 40 hours per week during school holidays. However, other business or trade is not permitted.

You cannot receive any benefits or use publicly funded services (e.g. public hospitals) unless via other means, such as private medical insurance.

Should you wish to remain in Ireland past the expiry date of your immigration permission, you have to apply to renew your permission and registration before the expiry date.

Stamp 2A

Stamp 2A is a bit different for Canadians who want to study full-time in Ireland for a course that is not on the official Interim List of Eligible Programmes (ILEP), for a specified period. Stamp 2A is not reckonable as a residence when applying for citizenship by naturalization.

You may be given Stamp 2A for a semester abroad or to study at a private secondary school in Ireland.

With this stamp, you are not permitted to receive any benefits or use publicly funded services, e.g. public hospitals and you have to have private medical insurance. You must not work or engage in any business, trade, or profession.

If you wish to stay in Ireland past the expiry date of your immigration permission, you must apply to renew your permission and registration before they expire.

This stamp is provided to those who have been granted permission to stay in Ireland as a volunteer or as a Minister of Religion. On stamp 3, holders must not work in any other business, trade, or profession. Stamp 3 counts towards reckonable residence when applying for citizenship by naturalization.

You may be given Stamp 3 if you wish to volunteer, be a minister of religion, or join your non-EEA/EU/Swiss spouse/civil partner or family member who is in Ireland based on a work permit.

Stamp 4 counts towards reckonable residence when applying for citizenship by naturalization.

With this stamp, you are allowed to take up employment without a valid work permit. You can work in any profession you wish, including the chance to establish and operate a business. Also, you may access state funds and services like Irish citizens.

If you wish to stay in Ireland past the expiry date of your immigration permission, you must apply to renew your permission and registration before they expire.

You may be given Stamp 4 if you have had permission to work  or granted permission in Ireland with any of the following:

• With a valid Critical Skills employment permit for 2 years
• With a valid employment permit for 5 years
• As a researcher (ie with a valid Hosting Agreement) for 2 years
• To join your Irish spouse, civil partner, or de-facto partner
• To join your EU/EEA or Swiss family member based on EU Treaty Rights
• To join a family member who has immigration permission based on Stamp 4EUFAM (ie EU Treaty Rights)
• To join your family member who is a recognized refugee or has been granted subsidiary protection
• To remain with your child who is an Irish citizen
• Under the Investor and Entrepreneur Programme (including spouse/partner & family)
• For Long Term Residence
• As a convention or program refugee, or based on subsidiary protection

Stamps 5 and 6 are for Canadian citizens and residents who have been granted permission to stay in Ireland without limits to the time they can be in Ireland.

Stamp 5 counts towards reckonable residence when applying for citizenship by naturalization. However, it is only granted to those who have completed 8 years of legal residency in Ireland.

Those who are granted Stamp 5 permission are able to remain in Ireland ‘Without Condition as To Time.’

Stamp 6s are for Irish citizens that have dual citizenship so to qualify you to have or be entitled to hold an Irish passport and a Canadian passport. In specific circumstances, a Stamp 6 might be given to one with a non-Irish passport who has permission to remain in Ireland ‘Without Condition’.

The application process will vary depending on which stamp you are after.

You can get any stamp within the Stamp 1 to 4 range, 0, 5, or 6 after registering for your stay of over 90 days with immigration officials at a registration office. Immigrants who want to stay in Ireland for more than 90 days have to register for immigration permission.

In the case that your application is successful, an immigration officer will stamp your passport with the corresponding stamp to showcase which type of immigration permission you have been granted, what you are allowed to do or not do, and how long you can stay in the country.