Immigrant Investor Programme — existing approved cases only

The Government agreed to close the Immigrant Investor Programme (IIP) to further applications from 15 February 2023.

The closure of the Programme does not affect existing projects or individuals already approved under the programme.

The IIP offers four investment options for potential investors.

The enterprise may be a start-up established by the investor or an existing business

Real Estate Investment Fund (REIT)

philanthropic donation to a project which is of public benefit to the arts, sports, health, culture or education in Ireland.

Applicants to the IIP must be high net worth individuals with a personal wealth of at least €2 million.

: A minimum of €1 million invested in an Irish enterprise

A minimum of €1 million invested in an approved investment fund

A minimum investment of €2 million in any Irish REIT

A minimum €500,000 (or €400,000 where 5 or more applications are received)

You must pay the application fee of €1,500 by electronic fund transfer. This fee is non-refundable.

A – Your designated investment has remained in place for the required time period, i.e. a minimum of three years

After three years from the date of purchase, the investor may divest no more than 50% of the shares purchased for the IIP. Where an investor has divested shares during year three, the investor may, after four years from the date of purchase, divest no more than a further 25% of the shares purchased for the IIP. After five years from the date of purchase, no requirements on the retention of shares will apply to investors.

actual physical residence in Ireland is not a condition for renewal of your

investors and their family members to visit Ireland at least once per calendar year.

You must not become a financial burden on the Irish State

Residency status, on similar terms, to the principal applicant is also available for spouses/partners and minor children (i.e. children under 18 years of age) for whom the principal applicant and/or their spouse or partner has legal guardianship.

In certain cases, children between the ages of 18 and 24 will be considered for residence under the programme where:   They are unmarried and do not have a life partner They are financially dependent upon their parents (e.g. they are in full time education)

“Stamp 4” conditions permit foreign nationals to work, to study or to start their own businesses in Ireland.

All successful candidates and their nominated family members will be granted a residence

Your immigration permission is initially for two years

A letter will issue renewing your permission for a further 3 years

A letter will issue renewing your permission for a further 5 years

After this period, your investment in Ireland will be deemed completed for immigration purposes.

The Immigrant Investor Programme does not provide for preferential access to naturalisation for successful applicants. Successful applicants are free to apply for naturalisation in the normal manner under the provisions of the Irish Nationality and Citizenship Act 1956 (as amended). This legislation requires applicants for Irish naturalisation to be physically resident in Ireland for the 12 months prior to application and to be physically resident in Ireland for four of the preceding eight years, i.e. 5 years. Please note that only residence where you physically reside in Ireland is considered for the calculation of the minimum residency period in naturalisation applications. Investors and their family members who exercise their right not to reside in Ireland under the Immigrant Investor Programme will not fulfil the residency requirements for naturalisation.

No, the applicant’s immigration permission remains valid and will be renewable in the normal manner subject to the applicant meeting the requirements of the IIP.