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Permissions, Stamps and Conditions

A non-EEA national who has been granted permission to live, work or study in Ireland through the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) must register with INIS if resident in Dublin, or your local Garda immigration officer if you are living outside Dublin. You are issued with a Certificate of Registration in the form of an Irish Residence Permit Card and a residence stamp on your passport. There are several types of stamps with each one indicating what level of activity you are entitled to perform and the length of time you are permitted to remain in Ireland.  (It is important to note that significant time spent outside Ireland might impact on the ability to renew your immigration permission). 

The Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) has full details on stamps and those relating to employment.

The categories of residence stamps are below.

Stamp 0

Issued to self-sufficient persons permitted to remain for a specific, temporary and limited purpose – e.g., people retiring or  living in Ireland with independent means; visiting academics, a service provider sent to Ireland by an overseas company to  carry out a particular task for a limited time. Also issued to non-EU elderly dependents.

Stamp 1

Issued to those with employment permits, business permission, working holiday. Sometimes issued to people on a  discretionary basis allowing them to work without a work permit.

  • Stamp 1A Issued to accountancy students for the purpose of full-time training.
  • Stamp 1G Issued to those on the ‘Graduate Scheme’ – who are allowed to work full-time for the length of their permission. Also issued  to spouses and civil and de facto partners of critical skills employment permit holders.

Stamp 2

Issued to students registered on a full-time course of study in an educational institution recognised by the Department of  Education. Students with this permission are entitled to work 20 hours per week during term time and full-time during  school holidays.

  • Stamp 2A Issued to students who are not entitled to work – e.g. short-term courses or secondary school.

Stamp 3

Issued to non-EEA spouse/dependent of employment permit holders, people staying in the State for medical treatment or granted permission to visit in exceptional humanitarian circumstances, non-EEA Ministers of Religion and Members of  Religious Orders and Lay Volunteers, and tourists. People with this residency permission are not entitled to work.

Stamp 4

Issued to spouses/parents/dependants of Irish nationals, those with refugee status, those granted leave to remain in the  State, those granted residency based on parentage of an Irish child, those who have completed 5 years on work permits,  those who have completed 2 years on a Green card permit, those granted long-term residency and in limited cases to others  granted residency. Holders of this stamp have access to employment without the need for an employment permit.

  • Stamp 4 EU Fam Issued to the non-EEA spouse or dependants of EU workers in Ireland. The holder can access employment without the need  for an employment permit.
  • Stamp 4S Issued to people who have been granted permission under the Special Student Scheme 2018/19. The holder can access  employment or set up their own business without the need for an employment permit.

Stamp 5

Issued to persons with unlimited residency permission. This permission is also called ‘Without Condition as to Time  Endorsement’ and can be granted after 8 years legal residency in Ireland.

Stamp 6

Issued to persons with dual citizenship (Irish and another nationality). Also known as ‘Without Condition Endorsement’.

Source Crosscare Migrant Project A guide to the rights of migrants in Ireland.

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