VisaIreland requires eight years of qualifying residence for Stamp 5
Applicants should check the immigration basis for each period, document absences and keep current permission valid while waiting.
Official announcement date: not established (undated guidance)
Last verified against linked sources:
Edited and checked by the VisaWand editorial team
Check which years count before applying
Ireland’s Stamp 5 permission, known as Without Condition As To Time, is for people currently living legally in Ireland who can show 96 months on eligible permissions. Immigration Service Delivery uses passport stamps or Irish Residence Permit records to assess the qualifying period. Student Stamp 2 and 2A, Stamp 0, Stamp 4 EUFAM and certain intra-company transfer permissions are among the exclusions. Check the basis of each permission as well as its stamp number.
The official form requires a separate application for each applicant. It says an approval does not entitle another person or family member to enter or remain in Ireland. A household preparing more than one case should therefore make a separate record of each person’s permissions and dates. The family’s move-in date alone cannot establish when an individual reaches the required period.
Build the timeline from the actual permission dates
List eligible permissions from oldest to newest with the dates and passport page references requested. Count an overlap only once. Two qualifying permissions covering the same month contribute one month to the total. Keep the old cards and stamps alongside the table.
Record absences from Ireland against the relevant permission periods. Explain any missing information in the form’s additional information section. Its checklist asks for copies of all passport pages, any employment permits, employment evidence and address records. Check which documents apply to your history before submitting.
File the application and attach the evidence to the same case
The official portal guide uses the Customer Service Portal. From the dashboard, choose the query for Domestic Residence and Permissions, then the option to submit an application to that division and the Without Conditions As To Time topic. Upload the completed form and submit the query. Reopen that specific query to add the supporting files as directed. Check that each file is attached to the correct case. The guide shows submitted queries in the account. Save the reference there so you can find the submission again and check which documents have been uploaded.
The scheme page asks for a full colour passport copy, the current Irish Residence Permit and six months of bank statements. Keep the original passport. The page also offers a postal route, while the linked form tells applicants to upload. Use the documented online process if available and confirm the current submission instructions before relying on post.
Maintain existing permission while the application is pending
The scheme page currently reports processing delays and directs applicants to keep their current permission up to date throughout the assessment. Check your existing card’s expiry as soon as you submit. A Stamp 5 application and the renewal of a current permission are separate procedures. Preserve the application acknowledgement and any request for further residence evidence.
The general online renewal guide allows eligible people in Ireland to apply to renew their existing registration up to 12 weeks before expiry. It requires the applicant to be in Ireland when applying. If both procedures are running, identify which reference belongs to each so that correspondence and document requests go to the right case. The renewal portal uses the postal address you provide for the new card. Check it before submitting, as the renewal form cannot be edited after submission.
Register an approval and track the passport expiry
ISD’s stamp conditions explain that Stamp 5 is subject to other conditions and remains valid up to the passport expiry date. The approval letter sets out registration instructions. The registration checklist requests the permission letter, current passport details and the existing residence card for the online renewal or change process. Use the document dates to plan for any later registration renewal after replacing the passport.
The Irish registration fee regulation sets the standard certificate charge at €300, with listed exemptions. Check the amount and any exemption at registration. The fee concerns the registration certificate and should be kept separate from the initial permission application. No individual eligibility decision, processing date or fee exemption has been confirmed.
