If you are from outside the EU, EEA, UK or Switzerland and staying in Ireland for more than 90 days, you must register your immigration permission with Immigration Service Delivery within 90 days of arriving. Since January 2025 every first-time registration in the country happens at one office: Burgh Quay in Dublin 2, by appointment only. You pay 300 euro, give your photo and fingerprints, your passport is stamped, and your IRP card arrives in the post.
After that first visit you should never need to queue again. Every renewal and every change of stamp is done online through the ISD renewals portal, from inside Ireland, in a window that opens 12 weeks before your card expires. The catch is that ISD sends no reminder letters, the queues for some stamps currently run to several months, and letting your permission expire before you apply puts you out of status. We keep clients on the right side of every one of those deadlines.
Made for people like you
New arrivals to Ireland
You have just landed on a work permit, study visa or family permission and need your first registration appointment at Burgh Quay.
IRP holders coming up to renewal
Your card expires in the next few months and you want the online renewal filed correctly, on time, with nothing missing.
Employment permit holders
Your Stamp 1 renewal is tied to your permit, and the permit must be in date before ISD will even look at the IRP application.
Families with children turning 16
Children register for the first time at 16, and the stamp they receive depends on their situation. We help you get it right.
Do you qualify?
Registration is not optional. Anyone aged 16 or over from outside the EU, EEA, UK and Switzerland who stays in Ireland beyond 90 days must register, and must keep that registration alive for as long as they remain.
You will need
- To be a non-EU, non-EEA, non-UK, non-Swiss national staying in Ireland for more than 90 days
- A landing stamp in your passport before you can book a first-time appointment on the ISD Customer Service Portal, which is always free
- To be physically in Ireland when you renew, ISD refuses renewal applications made from abroad
- A valid, in-date employment permit before filing a permit-linked Stamp 1 renewal
- Original documents at your first appointment, including private medical insurance where your stamp requires it
- To apply for renewal no earlier than 12 weeks before your card expires, and never after it
This does not apply if
- You are an EU, EEA, UK or Swiss citizen, you never register with ISD
- You are visiting Ireland for 90 days or less
- Your child is 15 or younger, children under 16 are not registered and hold no IRP card
- You hold Stamp 6 as a dual Irish citizen, there is no registration and no card for Stamp 6
First-time registration vs online renewal
First-time registration
In person- Where
- Burgh Quay, Dublin 2, for the whole country
- Booking
- Free appointment via the ISD portal, after arrival
- Fee
- €300 by credit or debit card, no cash
- Biometrics
- Photo and fingerprints taken on the day
- Card
- Posted within about 15 working days
Renewal or stamp change
Online only- Where
- ISD renewals portal, from inside Ireland
- Window
- From 12 weeks before expiry, not earlier
- Fee
- €300 paid by card during submission
- Biometrics
- None, digital scans and photos accepted
- Card
- Email confirmation first, card within up to 15 working days
How the journey works
- 01
Arrive and get your landing stamp
Day 1The immigration officer at the border stamps your passport with permission to enter. That landing stamp is the key that unlocks everything else, you cannot book a registration appointment without it.
- 02
Book your Burgh Quay appointment
Week 1Appointments are booked free on the ISD Customer Service Portal, with slots released on a rolling 90-day basis. A booked appointment inside your first 90 days keeps you legal until the appointment date, even if the slot itself falls later. Ignore third-party booking websites, they are scams.
- 03
Attend with your original documents
At the appointment ISD reviews your documents, takes your photo and fingerprints, stamps your passport with your permission and takes the 300 euro fee by card. No cash is accepted. Allow up to an hour for the visit.
- 04
Receive your IRP card by post
2-3 weeksThe card is posted to the address you gave, typically within about 15 working days. Check every detail on it the day it arrives, and remember you must notify any change of address through the Customer Service Portal, it is a legal requirement.
- 05
Renew online from 12 weeks out
Every 1-2 yrsAll renewals and stamp changes go through the ISD renewals portal. The window opens 12 weeks before your card expires, earlier applications are refused, and ISD sends no reminder letters. Your new permission runs from the old expiry date, so applying early costs you nothing.
- 06
Decision, confirmation email, new card
If ISD asks for more information you have 14 days to upload it through My Forms or the application is closed. On approval you get a confirmation email that acts as proof of your renewed permission, then the new card within up to 15 further working days. Passports are not re-stamped at renewal, the card supersedes the stamp.
What to gather
Start collecting these early. Weak or missing documents are the most common avoidable cause of delays and refusals.
Passport biometric page
In date. Permission can only issue up to your passport expiry.
Current IRP card
For renewals, a clear copy of both sides
Image of your signature
The online renewal portal asks you to upload a clear image of your signature on plain white paper. It is printed on your new IRP card, so keep one ready when you renew.
Landing stamp and entry visa
First-time applicants; visa-required nationals need the matching visa
Proof of address
Required at first registration
Private medical insurance
Where your stamp requires it. Travel insurance is not accepted for renewals.
Employment permit
Must be in date before a permit-linked Stamp 1 renewal is filed
Recent payslip
Dated within the last 3 months for Stamp 1 renewals
Employer letter
Proof of your new employment at first registration on a permit
Stamp-specific documents
For example proof of course completion for a Stamp 2 to 1G change
Sponsor documents
Your sponsor attends the first appointment if your permission depends on them
Every case is different. We confirm your exact list at consultation.
What it costs
| Item | Cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| First-time registration | €300 | Per person aged 18 or over, paid by credit or debit card at the appointment. No cash. |
| Online renewal or stamp change | €300 | Paid by card during submission. Returned if the renewal is refused. |
| Under-18s | Waived | Everyone under 18 at the time of registration is exempt, for all stamp categories. |
| Other exempt categories | Waived | Includes spouses and civil partners of Irish citizens, refugees, subsidiary protection and several Stamp 4 categories. |
| Our consultation | Fixed fee | Agreed up front at booking, no surprises. |
Be careful with the fee-waived box on the renewal form. Claiming an exemption in error when a fee was actually due leads to refusal. Fees are set by ISD and can change; we confirm the current figures before you pay anything.
How long it takes
Guide figures from current official processing information. Individual cases vary.
Stamp 1 and 1H renewals
~6 weeks
In July 2026 ISD was deciding Stamp 1 renewals submitted around six weeks earlier. Times are published weekly.
Stamp 4 renewals
~18 weeks
Currently the slowest queue, with students around 13 to 14 weeks and Stamp 1G around 12. File the day your window opens.
Card delivery
Up to 15 days
Working days, by post, after your appointment or after renewal approval.
Grace after expiry
12 weeks max
Only if you applied before your card expired with complete documents. You keep working on your existing conditions meanwhile.
Why applications get refused
Most refusals are preventable. These are the patterns we see and design out of every application.
Applying to renew from outside Ireland
The online renewal includes a declaration that you are in the State. Applications made from abroad are refused, full stop.
Avoid it: File the renewal before you travel, or wait until you are back in Ireland. Never submit from an airport departure lounge abroad.
No in-date employment permit behind a Stamp 1 renewal
A permit-linked Stamp 1 renewal is refused unless a valid, in-date employment permit already exists when you apply. The IRP follows the permit, not the other way around.
Avoid it: Renew the employment permit with DETE first, then file the IRP renewal with the new permit attached.
Letting the card expire before applying
If your permission expired before you applied, you are out of permission and may not remain or work. The 12-week grace period only protects people who applied before expiry.
Avoid it: Diary the date 12 weeks before expiry. ISD sends no reminder letters, so the calendar entry is on you, and on us if you are our client.
Wrong insurance or an expired passport
Travel insurance is not sufficient for renewals where private medical insurance is required, and cash-back policies are not accepted. A passport close to expiry also caps how long your permission can run.
Avoid it: Renew your passport before the IRP application and buy proper private medical insurance, not a travel policy.
Claiming a fee waiver in error
Submitting the renewal as fee-waived when a 300 euro fee was actually due results in refusal, even if everything else is perfect.
Avoid it: Check the official fee table for your exact stamp and situation before you submit. De facto partners of Irish citizens, for example, do pay.
Missing the 14-day additional-information deadline
If ISD requests more documents and you do not upload them through My Forms within 14 days, the application is closed and you must start again.
Avoid it: Watch the email account linked to your portal profile daily while the renewal is pending, and reply within days, not weeks.
Common questions
What is the difference between the IRP card and my permission?+
The permission is your underlying legal right to be in Ireland, defined by your stamp. The card is just the physical evidence of it. That is why a confirmation email can prove a renewed permission before the plastic arrives, and why passports are no longer re-stamped at renewal, the card supersedes the stamp.
How long do online renewals take right now?+
As of July 2026 ISD was working through Stamp 1 renewals in about 6 weeks, Stamp 1G in about 12, student stamps in 13 to 14, Stamp 4 in about 18, and most other categories in about 11. The figures are published weekly on the ISD renewal page, so check them the week you file.
What happens if my card expires while ISD is still processing?+
If you applied before expiry with complete documents, including a valid permit where one is needed, you may remain and continue working on your existing conditions for up to 12 weeks after the card expires. ISD has published a notice to employers confirming exactly this, which you can show at work.
Can I travel while my renewal is pending?+
You can, but plan carefully. ISD will not expedite a renewal for travel. If you are a visa-required national and leave mid-renewal, you need a new D entry visa from an Irish embassy to come back. Non-visa-required nationals should carry proof of the submitted renewal. And remember you cannot file the renewal itself from abroad.
Does my child need an IRP card?+
Not before 16. Children aged 15 and younger are not registered and hold no card. At 16 they register for the first time, booking their own portal appointment with a guardian attending, and the fee is waived for under-18s. Since 26 November 2025, children of employment permit holders register on Stamp 1G at 16, which gives them the right to work without a permit.
Do children under 16 need re-entry visas to travel?+
Currently no. The re-entry visa requirement for under-16s is suspended, so a child returning with a parent or legal guardian who holds an in-date Irish permission does not need one. Check your airline's own document policy before flying, and note emergency re-entry visas are still available through the portal if something unusual arises.
I never registered, or my registration lapsed. How bad is it?+
Serious, but usually fixable if you act fast. Once your permission has expired you may not remain or work, and someone who tries to register long after the 90-day mark can be refused and issued a notification of intention to deport. The sooner you regularise the situation, the more options you have, so talk to us before writing to ISD.
How much time can I spend outside Ireland with an IRP?+
ISD's guidance is not to spend more than 90 days outside Ireland in a rolling year. Long absences can undermine renewals and later applications like citizenship. Also remember you are legally required to notify any change of home address through the Customer Service Portal.
Grounded in official sources
Ready to talk through your next step?
Book a consultation with our team and leave with a clear, personal plan grounded in the official rules.
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