Table of Contents
Last updated: July 2026
There’s no single application for Stamp 4 in Ireland. You qualify through one of several distinct routes: 21 months on a Critical Skills Employment Permit, 57 months on a General Employment Permit, being the family member of an Irish or EU citizen, holding refugee status, or the separate Long Term Residence scheme after 5 years.
What Stamp 4 Actually Gives You
Stamp 4 lets you work for any employer without needing an employment permit, set up your own business, and live in Ireland without being tied to a specific job or family sponsor’s ongoing presence, in most cases. Once you’re working without permit restrictions, it’s worth understanding how PAYE actually works, since your payroll setup doesn’t change even though your immigration status has.
It’s important to be clear on one thing: Stamp 4 isn’t permanent residence. It’s a time-limited permission that has to be renewed, though it typically carries a longer validity than earlier stamps. Long-term, some people eventually move on to Stamp 5, which is granted without any condition as to time.
The Routes, at a Glance
| Route | Qualifying period | Type |
|---|---|---|
| Critical Skills Employment Permit | 21 months | Employment-based |
| Researcher on a Hosting Agreement | 21 months | Employment-based |
| Non-Consultant Hospital Doctor (Multi-Site General Employment Permit) | 21 months | Employment-based |
| General Employment Permit | 57 months | Employment-based |
| Intra-Company Transfer | 57 months | Employment-based |
| Long Term Residence scheme | 60 months | Separate scheme |
| Spouse/civil partner of an Irish citizen | No fixed period; based on marriage/relationship | Family-based |
| De facto partner of an Irish citizen | 2 years of proven cohabitation | Family-based |
| Parent of an Irish citizen child | Case by case | Family-based |
| Family member of an EU/EEA/Swiss citizen (Stamp 4EUFAM) | Based on the EU citizen’s status | Family-based |
| Refugee or subsidiary protection status | Granted automatically with status | Protection-based |
| Non-EEA family member of a UK citizen (Stamp 4D) | Brexit-specific route | Family-based |
You need to fall into one of these categories. Simply having lived in Ireland for a long time, on its own, doesn’t qualify you unless it’s specifically through the Long Term Residence scheme.
Route 1: Through an Employment Permit
This is the most common route for people already working in Ireland, and it’s also where the most common misunderstanding sits. If you’re not yet on a permit, our Critical Skills Employment Permit guide covers the salary thresholds and occupation list this route depends on.
Critical Skills Employment Permit holders, Hosting Agreement researchers, and Non-Consultant Hospital Doctors on a Multi-Site General Employment Permit can apply for Stamp 4 after 21 months from the start of their employment, not the commonly quoted 2 years. General Employment Permit and Intra-Company Transfer holders qualify after 57 months, not a flat 5 years.
Common mistake: Waiting for the round number, 2 years or 5 years, before applying. Both real thresholds are a few months shorter than that. Applying at your actual eligible date gets you off employer-tied permission sooner.
These are described as “may be eligible” thresholds, meaning meeting the time period is necessary but not automatically sufficient; your permit needs to have been continuous and your immigration record clean. If your original permit application was refused or delayed, our guide to common reasons work permits get refused in Ireland is worth checking before you reapply, since the same issues can resurface at the Stamp 4 stage.
Route 2: Long Term Residence (a Separate Scheme)
Don’t confuse this with the employment permit routes above. Long Term Residence is its own scheme, based on 60 months (5 years) of legal residence in Ireland, calculated from the stamps in your passport and your IRP card history, not the raw dates on your employment permit. Any period without a valid stamp or IRP card doesn’t count.
- Carries a separate €500 permission fee, on top of the usual €300 IRP registration fee once approved
- If successful, your spouse or dependants may also qualify, provided they were legally resident in Ireland for the same 60-month period
- Processing has historically taken 6 to 8 months, and ISD has been working through a backlog into 2026, so budget for at least 6 months from a complete application
- Once approved, you still need to register in person to get your updated IRP card, at your local registration office or Burgh Quay in Dublin
Route 3: Through a Family Relationship
If you’re the spouse or civil partner of an Irish citizen, you can apply based on that relationship rather than a fixed time period, though the process examines the genuineness and duration of the relationship closely.
The de facto partner route has stricter conditions: you need to show at least 2 years of cohabitation, demonstrate a committed, monogamous relationship, and be aware that this permission can be lost if the relationship ends or your sponsor leaves Ireland. It typically starts with a 1-year initial permission rather than a longer grant, and if you’re outside Ireland, you’ll usually need a visa or pre-clearance before travelling.
If you’re the parent of an Irish citizen child, you can apply on that basis, though it’s assessed case by case rather than against a fixed formula. You’ll generally need your child’s Irish passport, birth certificate, and proof of address for both of you. If your family is settling in Ireland together, our guide to the Irish school system is a useful next read alongside this.
Route 4: Protection Status
If you’ve been granted refugee status or subsidiary protection, Stamp 4 is granted automatically alongside that status. You don’t apply for it separately.
Documents You’ll Generally Need
The specific list depends entirely on your route, but a few things come up across almost all of them:
- A valid passport, covering the full period you’re applying for
- Proof of your current address in Ireland
- Route-specific evidence: your marriage or civil partnership certificate for the spouse route, your child’s Irish passport and birth certificate for the parent route, or your employment permit history for the employment routes
- Your PPS number; if you don’t have one yet, sort this out first, since almost every step of registration assumes you already have it. Our PPS number guide covers how to apply.
Check the exact document list for your specific route on irishimmigration.ie before your appointment, since requirements can vary by route and change periodically.
The Fee
The standard registration fee is €300 per person, with exemptions for certain groups including children under 18 during the registration period. If you’re going through Long Term Residence specifically, add the separate €500 permission fee on top of the €300 registration fee.
A Route That No Longer Exists
Some older guides still describe a route to Irish residency through direct financial investment. That route, the Immigrant Investor Programme, was closed by the Department of Justice to all new applications from 15 February 2023. If you’re reading a checklist that still lists specific investment amounts as a live pathway to Stamp 4, it’s out of date.
How to Register Once You’re Approved
- Confirm your approval and gather your IRP card details.
- Book a registration appointment at your local immigration office, or at Burgh Quay Registration Office if you’re in Dublin.
- Bring your documents and pay the fee, unless you’re exempt.
- Collect your updated IRP card, which will show your new Stamp 4 permission and its expiry date.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Waiting for the “2 years” or “5 years” mark instead of the real 21-month or 57-month thresholds
- Confusing the employment permit routes with the separate Long Term Residence scheme, which has its own fee and calculation method
- Assuming an investment route to Stamp 4 is still open
- Not realising Stamp 4 itself needs renewal; it isn’t the same as Stamp 5
Frequently Asked Questions
How long do I need to work in Ireland before I can get Stamp 4?
It depends on your permit. Critical Skills Employment Permit holders and Hosting Agreement researchers can apply after 21 months. General Employment Permit holders need 57 months.
Is Stamp 4 the same as permanent residency?
Not exactly. Stamp 4 is a long-term but still time-limited permission that needs renewing. Stamp 5, granted without condition as to time, is closer to what people usually mean by permanent residency.
Can I still get Stamp 4 through investment in Ireland?
No. The Immigrant Investor Programme closed to new applications in February 2023 and hasn’t reopened.
Does Stamp 4 let me work for any employer?
Yes. Unlike Stamp 1, which ties you to the employer named on your permit, Stamp 4 lets you work for any employer, or run your own business, without needing a separate employment permit.
What to Do Now
- Work out which route actually applies to you from the table above, since the process, fee and documents differ completely between them.
- If you’re on an employment permit, check your actual months of continuous employment against the 21-month or 57-month threshold, rather than assuming the round-number version.
- If your route is Long Term Residence specifically, start gathering your postal application early, given the realistic 6-month-plus processing time.
Once you’re approved, our guide to reckonable residence for Irish citizenship explains how your Stamp 4 time counts towards naturalisation, and our documents checklist for your naturalisation application is worth bookmarking for when you’re ready to take that next step.
This is general information, not immigration advice. Given how much the right route depends on your specific situation, it’s worth getting advice from an immigration solicitor before you apply, especially for the family-based routes.
