A free PDF guide — an income from €50,000 a year
A guide to Stamp0 in Ireland
Living in an English-speaking country of the European Union on your own means: no language exam, but a high income threshold and compulsory private insurance. We set out the requirements and the limits of the status.
- PDF in English
- Free of charge
- Verified on 12.08.2026
- Sent by email, WhatsApp or Telegram
Preliminary information is not a guarantee of approval. The decision rests with the Irish immigration service.
01 / The essentials first
What to know about the status before you count
Four things that decide the budget and the limits of life on Stamp 0.
- An English-speaking country with no language exam
School, doctors, the bank and the paperwork are all in English. For a family with children that removes the main barrier to moving.
- The income counts per person
The requirement is €50,000 a year per person, so a couple needs €100,000. It is one of the highest thresholds in Europe.
- Capital for the unexpected
Besides the income you evidence a reserve on the order of the price of a home in the country: the authorities want to see that you will manage without asking the state for help.
- Neither work nor state support
Stamp 0 gives no right to work in Ireland and opens no access to social payments or to the public health service.
02 / The income
What your family will have to evidence
The requirement counts for every adult, and half of it for a child.
03 / The family
How the requirement grows with the family
The threshold is per person, so for a couple it doubles.
The values were checked against the official material on 12.08.2026. Only the rows for which there is no official wording are marked separately.
| Criterion | OneA single applicant | A coupleThe applicant and a spouse |
|---|---|---|
| The income for a year | €50,000 | €100,000 |
| How it is counted | per person | per adult |
| The capitalA BRIDGES estimate | a reserve on the order of the price of a home | the same for the family |
| Work in Ireland | not permitted | not permitted to either |
| The public health service | not available | not available |
| The permission | 1 year | 1 year |
| Renewal | every year | every year |
- The income for a year
- €50,000
- €100,000
- How it is counted
- per person
- per adult
- The capitalA BRIDGES estimate
- a reserve on the order of the price of a home
- the same for the family
- Work in Ireland
- not permitted
- not permitted to either
- The public health service
- not available
- not available
- The permission
- 1 year
- 1 year
- Renewal
- every year
- every year
Besides the income a reserve capital is evidenced: the service checks that the family will manage without help from the state.
04 / The country
What the country looks like
Briefly about the country and about what sets the terms of the status.
- The essentials firstThe key facts of the programme: what decides the matter.
- A comparisonThe thresholds and the terms of the programme in one table.
- How the work runsThe process step by step — from the check to the documents.
- The analysisWhat is checked before the status is granted.
- The limitsWhat affects the timings, the costs and keeping the status.
- Your teamWho runs the case and what each specialist answers for.
05 / The order of work
How the process runs
Everything is built around the financial file: the income, the reserve and the insurance.
- The income and the capital are assessed
We count the requirement for everyone in the family and look at what evidences the reserve.
- The insurance and the housing
Private medical insurance is compulsory: the public system is closed to Stamp 0.
- The application to the department
The pack goes to the immigration service with the reasons set out and the full financial file.
- The decision
Consideration takes several months, and the service may ask for further documents.
- Entry and registration
Once it is granted, entry and registration with the immigration service are arranged.
- The yearly renewal
The permission runs 1 year and is renewed while the income holds. The whole process takes 3-6 months.
07 / The check
What the immigration service examines
The income for each person, the reserve capital, the insurance and the undertaking not to work.
- The income for each person
Regular income from abroad at the level of the requirement is evidenced for every adult.
- The reserve capital
Funds for the unexpected: the sum is comparable to the price of a home in the country.
- Private insurance
A policy covering treatment in Ireland: the status carries no access to the public health service.
- The undertaking not to work
The applicant confirms that they will not work and will not apply for social assistance.
The weak point of these applications is the insurance: the policy has to cover treatment in Ireland, not merely emergencies.
08 / The limits
What to take into account in advance
Five limits that make Stamp 0 the most demanding status in the set.
The threshold is high€50,000 per person
For a family the requirement multiplies: on income this is the most expensive status in the set.
You may not workNeither employment nor business
Stamp 0 is a status for living on your own means, with no right to work.
Private medicine onlyThe public service is closed
Insurance is compulsory and is a noticeable item of expense for a family.
Renewal every yearThe conditions are checked annually
A fall in income means a risk of not renewing the status.
The path to permanent residence is limitedStamp 0 accrues no time
Years on this status are usually not counted towards long-term residence.
09 / Your team
Who runs your case
The work is led by specialists who deal with the Irish immigration service.
The editorial record
The material was prepared and checked by
- First published
- 12 August 2026
- Last updated
- 12 August 2026
The official sources
- Immigration Service Delivery: Stamp 0Department of Justice, Ireland · checked 12.08.2026The terms of the permission for financially independent people, the income and insurance requirements.
- Registration and permissionsIrish Immigration Service · checked 12.08.2026How the permission is registered and renewed.
- Citizens Information: the types of permissionCitizens Information Board · checked 12.08.2026An explanation of the rights of a Stamp 0 holder and the limits of the status.
10 / Common questions
Questions about Stamp 0
How much income is needed?
€50,000 a year per person, so €100,000 for a couple. Besides the income a reserve capital is evidenced.
May I work?
No. Stamp 0 gives no right to employment or business in Ireland.
Is the public health service available?
No; private insurance is compulsory for the whole of the stay.
Is an English exam required?
No. The country is English-speaking, but no formal language test is required for the status.
How long is the permission granted for?
For 1 year, renewed annually while the conditions hold.
Does the status lead to permanent residence?
As a rule, no: years on Stamp 0 are usually not counted towards long-term residence.
Who is included in the application?
A spouse and minor children; the income requirement is counted for every adult.
How long does the process take?
3-6 months from the day the complete pack is filed.
Free of charge
Take the guide and an income calculation
We will send the PDF with the requirements and a preliminary calculation for your family.
- The income threshold for every member of the family
- What the reserve capital has to look like
- The requirements on private insurance
- What you may and may not do on Stamp 0