Move To Ireland

When considering relocating to Ireland there are many factors that will determine if this is the right place for you, especially because the cost of living in Ireland is not likely to be cheaper than that of your current location.

Choosing to live in the countryside can help you stretch your dollars, but even so, the cost of moving to Ireland can set you back a pretty penny. Consider that, for those thinking to retire here from outside the EEA, Ireland has in place stringent requirements that stem from a desire of preventing newcomers from becoming a burden on the State.

This category of person moving to Ireland must show they are financially independent, with a minimum annual income of 50,000 euros per person (100,000 euros if filing jointly as a couple).

Other requirements for retirees moving to Ireland include having enough savings to cover the purchase of a home there, with the additional burden of pledging not to engage in employment or starting a business once they have relocated to Ireland.

Becoming a citizen makes moving to Ireland an easier prospect. Several paths to citizenship are already in place for which you may already qualify.

You can become an Irish citizen by descent if one or both of your parents (or grandparents) are Irish, irrespective of where you were born in the world. To claim your Irish citizenship, you must have your birth registered with the Foreign Births Registry.

Naturalization is another option, yet one better suited for individuals who have already moved to Ireland as it requires living there for five out of the last nine years to be eligible to apply. Of course, if you married an  Irish national (or formed part of a civil union), you would be eligible for naturalized citizenship but you would still have to initiate an application process after 3 years of residency in Ireland.

Ireland’s Citizen’s Information Board, the statutory body which supports the provision of information, advice and advocacy for the country’s public and social services, provides an in-depth explanation for obtaining Irish citizenship.