Ireland spouse and partner visa (joining an Irish citizen)

Irish citizens are Category A sponsors under the Non-EEA Family Reunification Policy. They can be joined by a spouse or civil partner whose marriage or partnership is recognised in Irish law, or by a de facto partner with whom they have lived in a relationship akin to marriage for at least two years. Partners must be 18 or over, unrelated by family, and the relationship must be exclusive.

If the Irish sponsor already lived in Ireland when you married and you have not lived together since, you must document how and where you met and show several face-to-face meetings; online-only relationships are not accepted.

Provide the Irish sponsor’s passport or other proof of citizenship (if the sponsor lives abroad, a passport copy showing residence there), your apostilled marriage certificate with translation, civil status documents showing your family, 6 months of statements for both of you and the sponsor’s income evidence. De facto partners add proof of two years’ cohabitation such as joint tenancy, shared bills or correspondence at the same address.

From 12 June 2026 the Irish sponsor must have earned at least €75,000 gross in total over the three years before the application, not counting State benefits, with the expectation that this level continues. The earlier threshold was €40,000. Only the sponsor’s income is assessed, and no sponsor may have relied mainly on State supports for two years or more before applying.

Evidence for a sponsor living in Ireland is the Revenue employment detail summary for the past 3 years and 3 recent payslips, or Notices of Assessment for self-employment.

Register within 90 days at Burgh Quay and receive an IRP card with Stamp 4. You may work, study or run a business. Report divorce, separation or the death of the sponsor to ISD within 21 working days; after at least 3 years of relationship, 2 of them in Ireland, you may apply to keep a permission in your own right.

If your spouse is a citizen of another EU or EEA country or Switzerland living and working in Ireland, the EU Free Movement Directive applies instead of the national policy: the visa is free, short-stay refusals in this category can still be appealed, and after arrival you apply for a residence card, which can take up to six months to decide.

A refused join family visa can be appealed in writing; the appeal must reach ISD within 2 calendar months of the decision and should answer the refusal reasons with new documentary evidence. The appeals officer can confirm the refusal, grant the visa or set conditions; that decision is final, but you may apply again if circumstances change. Appeals are not possible where false or misleading documents were found.