Are you planning to join your de facto partner in Ireland? We’re here to help make that possible.
Whether you come from a visa-required country or not, the application process can be complex — from applying for the Join Family (De Facto Irish) visa to securing preclearance before you travel.
At R&A Immigration Consultants, we specialize in managing visa and preclearance applications. We ensure all requirements are fully met so you can join your partner in Ireland smoothly and confidently.
Our De Facto Partner service covers:
Expert Guidance
Documentation Support
End-to-End Application Management
Call us on +353 89 970 9212, email info@ra.ie, or fill in the Free Online Enquiry Form. You can also request a call back, and we’ll get in touch at a time that suits you.
As a non-EEA/non-Swiss citizen, you may sponsor family members only if you are lawfully residing in Ireland under one of the following conditions:
Holding a valid employment permit
Residing under Stamp 4 or Stamp 5 permission
A researcher under a Hosting Agreement
A PhD student enrolled in an Irish-accredited programme
A minister of religion with Stamp 3 immigration status
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The timing depends on whether the sponsor falls under Category A or Category B:
Category A sponsors may bring family members immediately (subject to immigration approval) and include:
Critical Skills Employment Permit holders
Investors
Entrepreneurs and Business Permit holders
Researchers under Hosting Agreements
Intra-corporate transferees
PhD students
Scholarship students (under approved schemes)
Full-time non-locum doctors
Category B sponsors must reside in Ireland for at least 12 months before applying to sponsor family members. These include:
Non-Critical Skills Employment Permit holders
Stamp 4 holders not covered under more favourable schemes
Ministers of religion
Yes, sponsors must meet the terms of their own residency permission and, in many cases, demonstrate sufficient financial means. For example:
Dependent parent applications:
Minimum €60,000 net income per year for the past three years (if one parent)
Minimum €75,000 net income per year for the past three years (if both parents)
Spouse or civil partner applications:
Minimum €30,000 annual income
Category B sponsors must show at least €30,000 gross income over the two years prior to application
Higher income thresholds may apply if children are included
The process includes several steps:
Obtain approval from Immigration Service Delivery (ISD)
Determine whether the family member requires a visa
If a visa is needed, apply for a long-stay D Join Family visa
Upon approval, the family member may travel to Ireland
Once in Ireland, they must register with the local immigration office
Immigration permission stamps determine what a family member can do in Ireland:
Stamp 0 (typically for dependent parents): No right to work or access state-funded services; must have private health insurance
Stamp 4 (commonly for spouses of Critical Skills Employment Permit holders): May live, work, and study in Ireland without an employment permit
Other spouses/partners may require a separate work permit to take up employment