Stamp 1G Ireland: Graduate Stay-Back Permission & Spousal Work Rights

Stamp 1G allows eligible holders to live and work in Ireland without obtaining a separate employment permit.

A Stamp 1G holder may:

• Work full-time in Ireland, subject to Irish employment law
• Take up employment without obtaining an employment permit
• Undertake a course of study in Ireland
• Renew their registration where they continue to meet the requirements of their Stamp 1G route

A Stamp 1G holder may not:

• Establish or operate a business
• Work on a self-employed basis

The duration of Stamp 1G permission depends on the reason it was granted. A graduate with an NFQ Level 8 award may receive permission for a duration of no more than 12 months.

A graduate with an NFQ Level 9 award or above may receive an initial 12 months and may apply for a further period of up to 12 months if they meet the requirements.

Family-member Stamp 1G permission depends on the holder continuing to qualify through their relationship and the sponsor’s status.

Stamp 1G does not automatically lead to Stamp 4 after 5 years. Graduates who want to remain in Ireland after their graduate permission ends may need to secure an appropriate employment permit or another immigration permission.

Stamp 1G and Naturalisation

Time spent in Ireland on certain Stamp 1G permissions may count as reckonable residence for an application for Irish citizenship by naturalisation.

This includes Stamp 1G permission held:

• Under the Third Level Graduate Programme
• As the partner of a Critical Skills Employment Permit holder
• As the partner of a researcher in Ireland on a hosting agreement

Reckonable residence is only one part of the naturalisation requirements. An applicant must also meet the required residence conditions and provide acceptable evidence of their residence history.

Irish Immigration Service Delivery provides a Naturalisation Residency Calculator to help applicants check whether their permissions can be counted.

Stamp 1G may be available to eligible spouses, civil partners, and de facto partners who have been granted family reunification with certain employment permit holders or researchers in Ireland.

Eligible sponsors may include:

• Critical Skills Employment Permit holders
• General Employment Permit holders
• Intra-Corporate Transferee employment permit holders
• Researchers in Ireland on hosting agreements
• Certain Non-Consultant Hospital Doctors holding Multi-Site General Employment Permits
• Certain holders of reactivation employment permits

A person registered on Stamp 1G under this route may work in Ireland without obtaining a separate employment permit. They may also undertake a course of study.

Stamp 1G does not permit the holder to establish or operate a business or work on a self-employed basis.

Stamp 1G for Partners of General Employment Permit Holders

On 15 May 2024, the Irish Immigration Service Delivery introduced a change affecting eligible spouses and partners of holders of General Employment Permit and Intra-Corporate Transferee employment permits.

Eligible people who applied for and were granted family reunification under the Non-EEA Family Reunification Policy became eligible to register on Stamp 1G conditions rather than Stamp 3 conditions.

This allows eligible Stamp 1G holders to:

• Work in Ireland without obtaining an employment permit of their own
• Undertake a course of study in Ireland

The change applies to eligible spouses and partners. It does not apply to all family members of employment-permit holders.

Family Reunification Timing

The time at which a family member may apply depends on the sponsor’s immigration category and the relationship involved.

For a relevant Category C sponsor, a spouse, civil partner, de facto partner, or unmarried dependent child may apply after the sponsor has legally worked in Ireland for one year.

For a relevant Category B sponsor, an eligible spouse, civil partner, de facto partner, or unmarried dependent child may apply immediately. Family-reunification applications remain subject to the applicable policy and financial requirements.

Renewal and Stamp 4

Stamp 1G registration must be renewed each year while the holder continues to meet the applicable requirements.

After five years on Stamp 1G, a person may be eligible for Stamp 4 permission. This is not automatic, and the Irish Immigration Service Delivery will assess eligibility based on the person’s circumstances.

Stamp 1G Processing Times and Current Delays

Irish Immigration Service delivery processes Irish Residence Permit renewals and stamp-category changes, including applications connected to Stamp 1G permission.

Processing times depend on the type of application and the number of applications received. Irish Immigration Service Delivery has stated that certain online renewal categories take approximately 6 to 8 weeks from the date of the initial application.

Processing times can change. Applicants should check the latest Irish Immigration Service Delivery renewal updates before submitting an application.

Since 4 November 2024, people living in every county in Ireland have had to submit applications to renew their residence permission or change their immigration stamp through the ISD online renewal portal.

Applicants may submit an online renewal application up to 12 weeks before their current Irish Residence Permit card expires. Irish Immigration Service Delivery encourages eligible applicants to apply as early as possible within this period.

If an applicant submits a complete renewal application before their current Irish Residence Permit card expires, they may remain in Ireland on the conditions of their existing permission for up to 12 weeks after expiry while awaiting a decision and a new card.

This arrangement is subject to the applicant submitting the renewal before expiry and uploading the required supporting documents.

After approval, the Irish Immigration Service Delivery sends an application-completed email and posts the new Irish Residence Permit card to the address provided in the online application. Delivery may take up to a further two weeks after the registration renewal is completed.

Applicants should provide a complete and accurate postal address, including an Eircode and apartment number where relevant, so that the Irish Residence Permit card can be delivered successfully.

What Happens When Stamp 1G Expires?

Stamp 1G is a time-limited immigration permission. A person who wishes to remain in Ireland after their permission ends must secure another valid immigration permission before the current permission expires.

Graduates should review their options well before their Stamp 1G expiry date. Depending on their circumstances, these options may include applying for an employment permit, applying for a further Stamp 1G period where eligible, returning to study, or leaving Ireland.

A graduate who has an eligible job offer may apply for an appropriate employment permit, such as a General Employment Permit or a Critical Skills Employment Permit. Eligibility depends on the role, salary, employer, occupation, contract, and other requirements for the relevant permit.

A graduate with an NFQ Level 9 award or above may be eligible to apply for a further period of Stamp 1G permission of up to 12 months. They must show that they have taken appropriate steps to secure suitable graduate-level employment.

A person who wishes to return to education must meet the requirements for the relevant student immigration permission. The student-permission time limits also apply.

For a Level 8 graduate, the combined duration of Stamp 2 and Stamp 1G permission must be no more than seven years. For a Level 9-or-above graduate, the combined duration must be no more than 8 years.

A person should not remain in Ireland after their immigration permission expires unless they have submitted an eligible application to renew or change their permission through the required process.

An expired permission can affect a person’s legal residence and may affect future applications to the Irish Immigration Service.

The length of Stamp 1G permission depends on the graduate’s qualification level under the Third Level Graduate Programme.

A graduate with a National Framework of Qualifications Level 8 award may receive Stamp 1G permission for a duration of no more than 12 months.

A graduate with a National Framework of Qualifications Level 9 award or above may receive Stamp 1G permission for up to 24 months in total.

This includes eligible Level 9 master’s graduates and Level 10 doctoral graduates. The permission is granted for an initial 12 months, with a further period of up to 12 months available where the graduate continues to meet the requirements.

To apply for a further period, the graduate must show that they have taken appropriate steps to access suitable graduate-level employment.

Evidence may include:

• Proof of attendance at graduate-level job interviews
• Evidence of applications for suitable graduate-level roles
• Registration with graduate employment agencies

For graduates with an NFQ Level 9 award or above, the combined time spent on Stamp 2 student permission and Stamp 1G permission must be for a duration of no more than 8 years.

Stamp 1G is an immigration permission, not a visa. A graduate who qualifies for the second period must apply to renew their Stamp 1G registration before their existing permission expires.

If you are required to register your Irish immigration permission, you must register it with Immigration Service Delivery within 90 days of arriving in Ireland or receiving the relevant permission.

Registration records that you have permission to remain in Ireland, and allows the Irish Immigration Service to issue an Irish Residence Permit card.

Since 13 January 2025, Immigration Service Delivery has managed first-time immigration registration for people living in every county in Ireland.

First-time registration takes place in person at the Registration Office at 13–14 Burgh Quay, Dublin 2. Applicants must book an appointment through the ISD Digital Contact Centre before attending.

If you cannot secure an appointment within 90 days, the Irish Immigration Service Delivery states that it will not cancel your permission or require you to leave Ireland while you wait to register.

Keep evidence of your appointment booking. A confirmed appointment is sufficient to remain in Ireland until the date of that appointment.

Irish Residence Permit

After you successfully register, the Irish Immigration Service Delivery posts an Irish Residence Permit card to the address provided during registration.

The card records your immigration permission and the conditions under which you may legally live in Ireland. You should receive it within 10 working days after successful first-time registration.

An Irish Residence Permit card is not a national identity card. Keep it secure and ensure that the personal details and address connected to your registration remain accurate.

Applicants seeking Stamp 1G under the Third Level Graduate Programme must provide evidence that they have achieved the qualifying Irish award.

They must also hold a current Stamp 2 student immigration permission and a current Irish Residence Permit card when applying.

Documents may include:

• An academic parchment or degree scroll showing that you achieved the qualifying award
• An official letter from the awarding body confirming that you completed the course and achieved the qualifying award, where the parchment is not yet available
• A clear copy of the biometric page of your current valid passport
• A copy of your current Irish Residence Permit card showing your Stamp 2 student permission

Applicants should upload clear and readable digital copies of all documents required by the Irish Immigration Service Delivery. Incomplete applications may delay the decision process.

Medical Insurance

Non-EEA students must hold private medical insurance while living in Ireland for study. A student who is not covered by a college group insurance scheme must hold individual private medical insurance bought in Ireland.

For a first-year student relying on travel insurance, the policy must provide at least €25,000 cover for accident and €25,000 cover for illness and disease. It must also cover any period of hospitalisation.

The article should not state that this exact insurance requirement applies to every Stamp 1G graduate application unless the live ISD Stamp 1G application instructions require the applicant to upload insurance evidence.

The requirement is clearly stated in the current student-permission guidance.

Family-Member Route

Eligible spouses, civil partners, and de facto partners applying for Stamp 1G through family reunification should not use the graduate document list.

Their required documents depend on the family reunification route, their relationship to the sponsor, and the sponsor’s employment permit or researcher status.

The registration fee for Stamp 1G is €300 if the fee applies to your application.

The fee may apply when you register for the first time, renew your Irish Residence Permit card, or apply to change immigration stamp category. Certain applicants are exempt from the registration and renewal fee.

Irish Immigration Service Delivery processes online registration renewals and applications to change stamp category. Processing times depend on application volumes and the type of application submitted.

Irish Immigration Service Delivery has stated that certain online renewal categories take approximately 6 to 8 weeks from the date of the initial application. It has also been stated that no category should wait longer than 16 weeks.

Applicants may submit an online renewal or change-of-stamp application up to 12 weeks before their current Irish Residence Permit card expires.

Fee Exemptions

The €300 registration fee does not apply to every person. Exemptions may apply to people who:

• Have refugee status
• Have subsidiary protection status
• Have permission to remain under section 49 of the International Protection Act 2015
• Are aged from 16 to 18
• Live in Ireland on the basis of marriage to an Irish citizen
• Are family members of EU citizens
• Are Ukrainian citizens or certain foreign nationals who hold Temporary Protection permission

Whether an exemption applies depends on the basis of the person’s immigration permission. A graduate holding Stamp 1G should not assume that they are exempt from the fee.

Stamp 1G registration may be renewed where the holder continues to meet the requirements for the immigration-permission route under which it was granted.

For the family-member route, this may include eligible spouses, civil partners, and de facto partners of:

• Critical Skills Employment Permit holders
• General Employment Permit holders
• Intra-Corporate Transferee employment permit holders
• Researchers in Ireland on hosting agreements
• Certain Non-Consultant Hospital Doctors with Multi-Site General Employment Permits
• Certain reactivation employment permit holders

A family-member Stamp 1G holder must renew their immigration registration each year while they remain eligible.

The renewal depends on the ongoing family relationship, the sponsor’s qualifying permission or employment permit, and the applicable Irish family reunification rules.

Applications to renew an Irish Residence Permit card or change immigration stamp category must be submitted through the ISD online renewals portal.

Applicants may submit a renewal application up to 12 weeks before their current Irish Residence Permit card expires.

How to Renew Stamp 1G

To renew Stamp 1G, the applicant should:

1. Log in to the ISD online renewals portal
2. Select and complete the relevant Registration Renewal form
3. Upload clear copies of the current passport, current Irish Residence Permit card, and all route-specific supporting documents
4. Pay the registration fee if it applies
5. Submit the completed application before the current permission expires

After the Irish Immigration Service Delivery completes a successful renewal, it sends an email confirming the application is complete and posts the new Irish Residence Permit card to the address provided.

The card may take up to 15 business days to arrive after processing is complete.

Graduate Stamp 1G Extensions

Graduate Stamp 1G permission follows separate rules.

A graduate with an NFQ Level 8 award may receive permission for a duration of no more than 12 months. A graduate with an NFQ Level 9 award or above may seek a further period of up to 12 months after the initial period, where they meet the continuing eligibility requirements.