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Guidance

Living in Ireland

Information about moving to, living or retiring in Ireland 鈥� including visas, working, healthcare and driving.

From:
Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office
Published
14 May 2013
Last updated
26 February 2026 — See all updates

Getting help with living in Ireland听

Help from the Irish government听

For any questions about moving to or living in Ireland, you may be able to get help from the:听听

  • 听

  • 听

The UK government and the British Embassy in Dublin cannot give personalised advice on moving to, living or retiring in Ireland.听听

Professional help in country听

You can also get help from professionals in Ireland, including:听听

  • lawyers听

  • notaries听听

  • funeral directors听听

Help from the UK government听

Read the travel advice for Ireland to understand the risks you may face if you live in or visit Ireland. This includes the latest information on:听听

  • visas and entry requirements听听

  • laws and cultural differences听

  • safety and security听

Read our guidance on moving, living or retiring abroad.听

, including in an emergency.听听

Visas, residency and citizenship听听

Make sure you meet the entry requirements for Ireland before you travel.听听

Visas听听

British nationals do not need a visa to live, work or study in Ireland.听听

For more information, read guidance on:听听

  • the 听

  • 听

  • 听

Citizenship听听

Ireland recognises dual citizenship with the UK. This means that you do not have to give up (renounce) your British citizenship to become an Irish citizen.听听

To find out if you鈥檙e eligible for Irish citizenship, read guidance on .听

Residency if you moved to Ireland before 1 January 2021听

If you moved to Ireland before 1 January 2021, and have been legally living there since then, you and your family members have rights under the Withdrawal Agreement.听

Any non-European Economic Area (EEA) or non-Swiss family members or dependants living with you at that time should have replaced their Irish Resident鈥檚 Card with a Withdrawal Agreement card.听 听

Passports and travel听听

Read our guidance on moving, living or retiring abroad. This covers how to:听

  • apply for a British passport from abroad听

  • travel urgently without your British passport听听

Although Ireland is in the EU, it is not in the Schengen area.听

Always carry your passport and residency document when . If you鈥檙e asked to show your passport at border control, make sure you also show your residence document or other evidence of residence status. Your passport may be stamped if you do not.听听

European Entry/Exit System (EES)听

Under the new digital Entry/Exit System (EES) there are new rules for . Non-EU nationals will need to have their photo and fingerprints taken or verified at the border. This data will be stored in a digital record and used to monitor how long visitors have spent in the Schengen area.听

Ireland will not use the EES. British nationals resident in Ireland will have to register with the EES to travel to other EU countries.听听

For more information about the EES, read:听听

Healthcare in Ireland 听

Read our guidance on moving, living or retiring abroad. This covers how to:听

  • plan your healthcare听

  • take medicine abroad听听

To find out how to get medical treatment:听听

Working in Ireland听

Read our guidance on moving, living or retiring abroad. This covers working abroad, including documents you may need from the UK government.听

You do not need a work permit or visa to work in Ireland.听听

To apply for a job, you may need to provide a:听听

  • 听

  • 听听

If you live in Ireland and were regularly commuting to work in another鈥疎U鈥痮r country before 1 January 2021, read guidance for frontier workers.听

Recognition of qualifications听

If you want to work in Ireland, you may need to .听

Driving in Ireland听听

Read our guidance on moving, living or retiring abroad. This covers how to:听

  • drive abroad legally听

  • take your UK vehicle abroad听

  • get driving licence letters听听

The Irish provides information on driving in Ireland, including how to apply for an Irish driving licence.听

For more information, read guidance on:听听

Driving in Ireland using a foreign driving licence听听

If you鈥檙e resident in Ireland, you cannot drive with a foreign licence.听听

As a visitor, and before becoming a resident, you can drive in Ireland for up to 12 months using a driving licence issued in:听听

  • the UK听

  • Gibraltar听

  • Jersey听

  • Guernsey听

  • the Isle of Man听

You cannot replace or renew any of these licences if you live in Ireland.听听听

Exchanging your driving licence听听

If you鈥檙e resident in Ireland, you must . You must do this to drive legally in Ireland 鈥� an international driving permit is not a substitute for exchanging your licence.听听听

You鈥檒l need to:听听

The Irish National Driver鈥檚 Licence Service has .听

Disabled drivers听

You may be able to apply for an .听听

If you have a UK Blue Badge and live in Ireland, you must return it to the original UK issuing authority.听

Tax听听

Read our guidance on moving, living or retiring abroad. This covers tax, including paying UK tax and National Insurance.听听

The UK has a double taxation agreement with Ireland so that you do not pay tax on the same income in both countries.听

Contact the for any questions about double taxation relief. Read .听

Consider getting professional advice on paying tax in Ireland. To do this, .听

National Insurance听听

Check if you need to pay National Insurance if you鈥檙e going to work in the EU, Gibraltar, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, or Switzerland.听

Pensions听

Claiming your UK pension听

Read our guidance on moving, living or retiring abroad. This covers:听

  • how to claim your UK State Pension听

  • where the UK government pays an annual increase in the State Pension听听

Your UK state pension is calculated differently if you鈥檝e previously lived in Australia, Canada or New Zealand and now live in the EU.听听

Claiming an Irish pension听

Contact the Irish to find out whether you can .听

Benefits听听

Claiming UK benefits听听

Read our guidance on moving, living or retiring abroad. This covers claiming UK benefits abroad.听听听

You can also read guidance on benefits and pensions for UK nationals in the EU, EEA or Switzerland.听

Claiming Irish benefits听听

You may be entitled to some Irish benefits if you鈥檙e considered 鈥榟abitually resident鈥� in Ireland.听

To find out if you鈥檙e eligible and how to claim, read about:听听

  • 听

  • 听

Buying and renting property in Ireland听听

Read our guidance on moving, living or retiring abroad. This covers buying and renting property abroad.听听

Read Citizens Information guidance on .听

Contact a if you鈥檙e considering buying property or land.听听

Voting in Ireland听

UK elections听

Read our guidance on moving, living or retiring abroad. This covers voting in UK elections and registering as an overseas voter.听听

Irish elections听听

You can if you鈥檙e old enough.听听

You cannot vote in European elections unless you hold citizenship of an EU country.听

Studying in Ireland听

You do not need a visa to study in Ireland.听听

For more information, read guidance on:听听

You can also contact:听听

  • your higher education provider in the UK or Ireland听

  • the 听听

  • the 听

Children听

Read our guidance on moving, living or retiring abroad. This covers moving abroad with children, including:听听

  • getting permission to take your child abroad听听

  • claiming UK Child Benefit abroad听

  • child maintenance payments if a parent lives abroad听听

Schools and education听

The European Commission provides information about the .听听

All children aged 6 to 16 must attend school or home school in Ireland.听听

For more information, read the Irish government鈥檚 guidance on:听听

  • 听

  • 听

  • 听听

Childcare听听

The is responsible for childcare services in Ireland.听

Read guidance on .听听

Births, deaths, marriages and civil partnerships听

Births听听

If your child is born in Ireland, .听听

Read our guidance on moving, living or retiring abroad. This covers how to:听听

  • register the birth with the UK authorities to get a UK birth certificate听听

  • apply for your child鈥檚 first British passport听听

Deaths听听

Read our guidance on moving, living or retiring abroad. This covers:听听

  • what to do after someone dies abroad听

  • how to register the death with the UK authorities听听

If someone dies in Ireland, read guidance on:听

Marriages and civil partnerships听听

Read our guidance on moving, living or retiring abroad. This covers how to get married or get a civil partnership abroad.听听

The Irish government provides information on .听听

Divorce and separation听

Read our guidance on moving, living or retiring abroad. This covers how to get a divorce or end a civil partnership.听听

Citizens Information offers guidance on .听听

Consider taking legal advice from a .听

Documents for British people in Ireland听

Read our guidance on documents for British people abroad. This covers:听听听

  • legalising and certifying UK documents听听

  • marriage and civil partnership documents听

  • affirmations and affidavits听听

  • witnessing signatures听

Lawyers and notaries听听

To find a lawyer or notary in Ireland, read guidance on professional services if you鈥檙e abroad.听听

Pets听

听If you want to bring your pet with you to Ireland, read guidance on:听听

Returning to the UK听听

Read returning to the UK permanently. This includes information on bringing family members back to the UK, tax and access to services.听

Read Citizens Information guidance on .听

Disclaimer听听

We provide this information as a guide only.听 For definitive information, contact the Irish authorities.听听

Read our consular information disclaimer.

Updates to this page

Published 14 May 2013
Last updated 26 February 2026 Show all updates

  1. This guide was reviewed for accuracy and there are no significant updates.

  2. Added new information about dual citizens travelling to the UK ('Passports and travel' section).

  3. Rewrote guide to make it easier to read and understand.

  4. Coronavirus section deleted

  5. Extension for non-EEA family members of UK nationals residing in Ireland before 30 June 2022 to apply for a residence document under the Withdrawal Agreement (https://www.irishimmigration.ie/extension-of-date-for-non-eea-family-members-of-uk-nationals-residing-in-ireland-before-the-end-of-the-transition-period-on-31-december-2020-to-apply-for-a-residence-document-under-the-withdrawal-agre/).

  6. Guide reviewed and updated with new information, including in the sections on driving and pets.

  7. Coronavirus section updated with a link to guidance on vaccines

  8. Updated as the transition period ends

  9. Passports and travel section updated to include information on passport validity and entry requirements when travelling to other European countries from January 2021

  10. Brexit update: includes further details on passport validity if the UK leaves the EU with a deal.

  11. Brexit update: new information about exchanging UK driving licences and motor insurance in the 麓driving section.麓 Updates in the 麓visa and residency麓 and 麓working in Ireland麓 section.

  12. EU Exit update: added information on travel in EU, EEA and EFTA countries in the event of a no deal exit.

  13. EU Exit update: added in new information in passports and travel and returning to the UK sections

  14. EU Exit update: updated information on EU Exit in healthcare, visas and residency, driving and working sections

  15. We have updated the contact details you need to apply for an S1 form.

  16. EU Exit update: updated the Common Travel Area guidance and advice on driving in Ireland

  17. EU Exit update: Updated information on passports. You must use the checker tool to see if your passport is still valid for your trip.

  18. EU Exit update: Latest message from the British Ambassador to Ireland on the Common Travel Area added to the EU Exit section

  19. EU Exit update - Updated information on access to healthcare

  20. EU exit update - updated information on pensions and passports

  21. EU Exit update: We have added information about the Common Travel Area under the Visas and Residency and Working in Ireland sections.

  22. EU exit update: Added in link to information about the Common Travel Area and citizens rights.

  23. EU Exit update: New information in residency and visa section on draft withdrawal agreement in principle between the UK and EU. Plus information on travelling with pets in Europe in pet section.

  24. All content has been revised to ensure it's accurate and up to date.

  25. First published.

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