Stamp 0 Ireland Requirements

The Temporary Permission to Remain, also called Stamp 0, is one of the most fundamental immigration stamps offered by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS). Successful applicants are usually individuals who are looking to live in Ireland and can provide evidence of being fully financially self-sufficient, whether through savings, investments, or pension income. Stamp 0 permissions also offer a path for the elderly dependent parents to join a child with Irish resident status or citizenship who has agreed to sponsor them.

Page Contents

• Introduction to Stamp 0 Permissions
• Limitations for Stamp 0 Ireland
• Key Criteria for Stamp 0 Eligibility
• Independent Means or Pensions
• Elderly Dependent Parents
• Researchers and Academics
• Required Documents for Stamp 0 Applications
• Fees for Stamp 0 Application
• Visa Requirements
• Requirements for Renewing Your Stamp 0 Permission
• How Can Total Law Help?
• FAQ

Stamp 0 permissions are usually issued for a temporary period of 12 months. Eligible candidates will be able to renew their immigration permission as long as they still meet the eligibility requirements.

Stamp 0 does not offer a path towards permanent settlement. Time spent in Ireland under this permission is not eligible to be counted towards the residence requirements needed to apply for naturalisation.

You will not be permitted to seek any form of employment in Ireland unless explicitly granted permission from the INIS due to exceptional circumstances. This includes enrolling in an Irish University or College for studies. You may only engage in volunteering work or other non-profit activities and are not able to benefit from any publicly funded services such as benefits or healthcare.

Upon receiving your conditional letter of offer from the Minister for Justice, you will be asked to sign an agreement form acknowledging the conditions of your immigration stamp. Breaking any of these restrictions will invalidate your legal status in Ireland and the Garda National Immigration Bureau might file for deportation. Additionally, it might affect your ability to reapply for Irish residence in the future.

Depending on the basis of your Stamp 0 application, you will need to meet different requirements to qualify for this permission. In general, you will need sufficient funds to financially support yourself without working during your time in the State. This might mean evidence of significant savings, investment income, or a pension.

Alternatively, the financial burden might be taken on by a sponsor. Unlike other family or dependent permissions, Stamp 0 elderly dependent sponsorship has very limited eligibility. As the name suggests, only elderly dependents are eligible, which usually means the parents of a non-EU/EEA or Swiss national with citizenship or residence in Ireland. Other family members, such as grandparents, will only rarely qualify for this permission and the more distant the familial connection to the sponsor, the less likely it becomes.

Sponsors will also need to provide evidence that their financial means can cover sponsorship for either one or both parents. This income will need to be guaranteed for the duration of the permission.

Finally, you might be able to provide evidence of continued employment overseas if you are applying as a visiting academic or researcher who is only temporarily visiting an Irish educational institution. Since Stamp 0 is subject to strict non-employment conditions, you will need to show that you are still on the international payroll and will not be earning an income in Ireland.

All applicants will need to show proof of having obtained private medical insurance that offers comprehensive cover including hospital stays. If you do not already have a cover, you will need to show proof of your intentions of obtaining it once in the State.

Those planning to travel to Ireland on the basis of independent financial means will mainly need to prove their financial capacity to qualify for a Stamp 0 permission. This includes a guaranteed income such as pension payments or investments, as well as access to a lump sum in savings that would be able to cover any significant costs that might not be expected.

In general, a person of independent financial means will need to have access to:

• €50,000 income such as pensions, savings, or investments
• €100,000 lumps to cover unforeseen significant expenses

You should present your financial evidence in the form of spreadsheets. The information should be converted into euros and clearly lay out your monthly income and expenses. This information will need to be certified by an expert Irish accountancy firm with verifiable experience in handling similar matters.

If you are an academic hoping to apply for a Stamp 0 permission to visit an Irish university or college will need to show that you have either independent financial means, are sponsored by an organisation, or remain on the payroll of your overseas company. You will need to convince the immigration authorities that your work arrangement does not include any form of income in Ireland.

You might need the following documents to support your case:

• Letter from the Irish college or University explaining the purpose of your visit, work arrangements, and duration
• Letter from your overseas employer detailing your employment position and confirming that you are still on an overseas payroll
• Details of any organisation that is sponsoring you
• Evidence of your independent financial means such as pay slips or bank statements
• Details of any relevant family members resident in Ireland

If you are a lecturer on a sabbatical or a CII Director, you may apply to bring your family with you, subject to financial capacity. Any family members joining you on this permission will not be permitted to seek employment, however, your children will be permitted to attend state school.

Other types of academics will not be able to bring their family unless they can provide proof of significant finances to support them. This applies to PhD students, Fulbright scholars, CII staff members, as well as any categories not mentioned here.

During your application, you will be asked to provide evidence that your circumstances meet the necessary criteria to qualify for this permission. This includes your personal information, financial documents or evidence of your sponsor’s capacity, proof of private medical insurance, as well as any other information pertaining to your grounds of application.

You will need to provide the following:

• Copy of your passport (all pages)
• Copy of your birth certificate
• Copy of your marriage certificate (if applicable)
• Letter explaining your reasons for applying and intentions in Ireland
• Evidence of any available finances (pay slips or bank statements from the last 6 months, pension details, savings statements)
• Proof of private medical insurance covering medical treatment including hospitalisation
• Details about any financial liabilities
• Details of any family members in Ireland, including their immigration status
• Details about your accommodation plans
• Criminal background check from your country of origin
• A declaration of health from your doctor (elderly dependents)

If applicable, you might also need to provide:

• Details of your sponsor’s finances (6 months of payslips or bank statements, savings or pensions, proof of employment)
• Proof of relationship to your sponsor (birth certificate)

Or:

• Details of your sponsoring organisation
• Confirmation from your hosting academic organisation, explaining the purpose of your visit.
• Details of continued overseas employment showing you remain on overseas payroll and explaining your position

Apart from the financial requirements of Stamp 0 applications, you will also need to be able to pay the associated fees.

If you are a visa-required person and have no fee exception under the Visa Waiver Programme (for example due to exceptional humanitarian circumstances), you will be expected to pay the following, depending on your situation:

• Single entry visa: €60
• Multiple entry visa: €100

Registering your permission in Ireland will include an additional charge of €300.

If you are a visa-required national will need to take the appropriate steps to secure a visa before entering the State. This will be a long-stay ‘D’ visa. Depending on your circumstances you will need to select either a ‘D’- Join Family visa (for elderly dependents), a ‘D’- Reside visa, or select the category ‘other’ and explain your reasons for visiting Ireland if applying as an academic or researcher.

Non-visa-required nationals will not need to do this, though you should keep in mind that your Stamp 0 will not guarantee you entry into Ireland.

Stamp 0 permissions can usually be renewed 4 months before their expiry. You will need to send a TPER Renewal Form to the Domestic Residence and Permission Division of the Immigration Service Delivery, along with your personal documentation and evidence. Renewals are subject to your ability to prove that you still meet the eligibility requirements for Stamp 0 permissions to your local immigration office.