The following provides a clear overview of the main financial thresholds and application requirements.

Financial Requirements

The core principle is that the sponsor must demonstrate the ability to support family members without relying on public funds. The income of a spouse or partner cannot be taken into account for the purposes of meeting the financial requirement, “only the sponsor’s individual income” is considered.

Category A

This category includes Irish citizens and persons who have been granted refugee status or subsidiary protection.

A minimum cumulative gross income of 40,000 euros over the previous three years is required when sponsoring a spouse or partner.

There is no waiting time for this application, they are eligible to submit an application for family reunification at any time.

Category B (highly skilled workers)

This category includes Investors with a permission under the IIP, Entrepreneurs with a permission under the STEP, CSEP holders, Researchers on Hosting Agreements, ISD-approved scholarship programme students, Intra-company transferees, PhD student permission holders, Full-time non-locum doctors in employment, and Ministers of Religion under the relevant Scheme)

There is no upfront financial requirement to sponsor a spouse, partner or minor children. However, the sponsor must still show evidence of employment and the ability to support dependants.

They are eligible to submit an application for family reunification at any time, except that Category B sponsors must wait two years before applying for dependent parents or dependent adult children.

Category C (for example, General Employment Permit holders)

This category includes General Employment Permit holders, Reactivation Employment Permit holders, and Stamp 4 holders.

A minimum gross income of 30,000 euros in the previous year is required to sponsor a spouse or partner.

Where children are included, the income must exceed the thresholds used under the Working Family Payment scheme. In practice, this is approximately 50,000 euros or more for one child, increasing depending on the number of children.

For Category C sponsors, a minimum residence period of 12 months is required before applying for family reunification with a spouse or minor children.

Updated Criteria for Dependent Family Members

Under the 2025 Policy Document, the definition of family members has been further restricted.

Particularly, children aged between 18 and 23 who are in full-time education are no longer considered part of the “nuclear family,” unlike under the 2016 policy framework.

To qualify as a dependent adult child, the applicant must demonstrate that they are dependent on the sponsor for their subsistence due to a serious medical or psychological condition that renders independent living unsustainable.

Adult Dependent Relatives

Applications involving parents or adult children are subject to significantly stricter requirements.

The sponsor must earn approximately 185 percent of the average annual income in Ireland for one dependent, and 250 percent for two dependents. In practical terms, this often means an income in excess of 90,000 euros per year.

In addition, the sponsor must demonstrate this level of income consistently over a three-year period and provide strong evidence of dependency, often supported by medical or care-related documentation.

Required Documentation

All applications must include:

• Proof of suitable and stable accommodation
• Evidence of the family relationship through official documentation
• Financial documentation such as payslips, tax records and employment contracts
• Proof of dependency where relevant

Applications must be submitted while the family member is outside Ireland.

The 2025 reform introduced a more structured and restrictive system based on three key elements: financial capacity, documentary evidence and limited eligibility for extended family members.

As a result, applicants must ensure careful financial planning and thorough preparation before submitting a family reunification application in Ireland.

If you would like legal advice on this or any other legal matter, please contact us here info@mcgrathmullan.ie or call us here +353 (0) 1 873 5012

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In Ireland, these rights are implemented through the European Communities (Free Movement of Persons) Regulations 2015, which grant residency rights to EU citizens and their families where the EU citizen is exercising free movement rights based on employment, self-employment, study, or financial self-sufficiency.

A Stamp 4 EUFAM residence card allows eligible family members to live and work in Ireland without the need for an employment permit.

Who can apply?

To qualify, you must be a family member of an EU/EEA citizen who is residing in Ireland and exercising EU Treaty rights. The application must be made within Ireland, and both you and the EU citizen must be physically present in the State.

Stamp 4 EUFAM is typically available to:

• Spouses or civil partners (qualifying family members)
• De facto partners who can demonstrate a durable relationship of at least two years (permitted family members)
• Dependent children of the EU citizen (not covered in this article)

Applications based on marriage or civil partnership

Applicants must provide evidence of a valid marriage certificate or registered civil partnership.

The EU/EEA national must be:

• Employed or self-employed in Ireland, or
• Pursuing a course of study, or
• Residing in Ireland with sufficient resources and health insurance.

Application form: https://www.irishimmigration.ie/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Form-EUTR1.pdf

Applications based on a de facto partnership

Applicants must show that they have been in a durable relationship for at least two years, with evidence of cohabitation and shared life together.

Examples of supporting documents include:

• Joint leases, bills, or bank accounts
• Correspondence addressed to both partners at the same address
• Photos, travel records, messages, and other evidence of the relationship

The EU/EEA national must also be exercising treaty rights in Ireland.

Application form: https://www.irishimmigration.ie/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Form-EUTR1A-v1123.pdf

Documentation and submission

• All documents must be submitted as photocopies, including colour copies of every page of your passport (even blank pages).
• Original documents will only be requested by the EU Treaty Rights Division if required.
• Applications must be submitted by registered post to:

EU Treaty Rights Division
Immigration Service Delivery
Department of Justice
13–14 Burgh Quay
Dublin 2, D02 XK70
Ireland

Processing times and outcome

• Decisions currently take up to six months.
• While awaiting a decision, applicants may be granted a temporary permission (Stamp 4 EUFam) that allows them to remain in Ireland.
• Successful applicants receive a residence card valid for five years, evidencing their right to reside and work in the State.
• After five years of residence in line with the Directive/Regulations, you may apply for permanent residency, confirmed by a Permanent Residence Card.

Contact us

For tailored advice on your eligibility and support with a Stamp 4 EUFAM application, please contact our Immigration Team at info@mcgrathmullan.ie or 01 873 5012.

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If you believe you have Italian ancestry and wish to explore the possibility of obtaining Italian citizenship, we are here to assist you every step of the way. From gathering the necessary documentation to navigating the application process, we provide expert guidance tailored to your individual needs.

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The case involved Mr. Voican, a dependent parent of an EU citizen working in Ireland. Mr. Voican applied for Disability Allowance (DA) but was denied by the Department of Social Protection (DSP). The DSP argued that although Mr. Voican was entitled to reside in Ireland due to his dependency on his working children, this dependency would cease once he received the DA.

The ECJ rejected this argument, concluding that a family member of an EU citizen, who has the right to reside as a dependent of that EU citizen, is also entitled to receive non-contributory social benefits such as Disability Allowance. The court’s decision reinforces the principle that the right to reside should not be contingent upon the denial of social benefits, thus providing stronger protections for the welfare of dependent family members of EU citizens.

If you would like more information on the above or would like our assistance with your own citizenship, please do not hesitate to contact our highly experienced team at 01 873 5012 or info@mcgrathmullan.ie and we would be glad to assist you.

EEA nationals who are exercising their EU free movement rights in another EU country have certain entitlements to family reunification under EU law, in particular the ‘Directive on the right of citizens of the Union and their family members to move and reside freely within the territory of the Member States’ (2004/38/EC) (“the Directive”). These are often referred to as ‘EU Treaty Rights’.

To qualify, an EEA national must be engaged in one of the following activities in another EU country:

• Employment or self-employment

• Study

• Involuntary unemployment

• Residing with sufficient resources

The family members of EEA nationals have the right to reside for up to three months in another EEA country with their EEA national family member without any conditions. If they wish to remain for longer than 3 months, they will need to apply for a residence card as the family member of an EEA national.

Under the Directive there are two categories of family members who will be entitled to apply for a residence card under the Directive:

1. Qualifying Family Member of an EEA National

This category includes:

• The spouse or civil partner of an EEA national;

• Direct descendants of an EEA national or of their spouse or civil partner, such as children or grandchildren (up to 21 years of age);

• Dependent direct descendants of an EEA national or of their spouse or civil partner, such as dependent children or grandchildren;

• Dependent direct relatives in the ascending line of an EEA national or of their spouse or civil partner, such as dependent parents or grandparents.

To apply for a residence card as a qualifying family member, both the EEA national and their family member must already be living in Ireland, and the EEA national must be exercising their EU free movement rights.

An application for a residence card as a qualifying family member is made using Form EUTR1. A temporary immigration permission may be granted while the application is under consideration.

2. Permitted Family Member of an EEA National

This category includes:

• The de-facto partner of an EEA national; or

• A family member of an EEA national who is not a qualifying family member and who, in the country from which they have come, were:

o Dependent on the EEA national; or

o A member of the household of the EEA national; or

o Require the personal care of the EEA national on the basis of serious health grounds.

As above, to apply for a residence card as a permitted family member both the EEA national and their family member must already be living in Ireland, and the EEA national must be exercising their EU free movement rights.

An application for a residence card as a permitted family member is made using Form EUTR1A. A temporary permission generally will not be issued until the Department of Justice has confirmed that the family member is a permitted family member.

As part of the residence card application various documents will need to be submitted, including:

• Evidence of identity;

• Evidence of the required relationship with the EEA national;

• In some cases, evidence of dependency or membership of the household of the EEA national; and

• Evidence that the EEA national is exercising or planning to exercise their EU free movement rights in Ireland.

If the residence card application is successful, the non-EEA family member will be given a residence card which will be valid for 5 years and can be renewed in future.

If you would like more information on the above or would like our assistance with your own EU treaty rights application, please do not hesitate to contact our highly experienced team of immigration professionals at 01 873 5012 or info@mcgrathmullan.ie and we would be glad to assist you.