Republic of Ireland · investor · Leads to settlement
Immigrant Investor Programme (IIP — closed)
By Sam Parks · Last reviewed:
Historic golden-visa equivalent; closed to new applications from 15 February 2023.
- Processing time
- Not applicable.
- Government fees
- Not applicable.
- Typical duration
- Closed to new applicants.
- Sponsorship required
- No
- Leads to permanent residency
- Yes
In short
As of 8 July 2026, the Immigrant Investor Programme (IIP — closed) for Republic of Ireland is an unsponsored Ireland immigration route. Sources: official Republic of Ireland government pages, reviewed 10 September 2026.
Cite this: https://visaatlas.org/visas/ireland/iip-closed#answer
What is the Immigrant Investor Programme (IIP — closed) in Republic of Ireland?
Immigrant Investor Programme (IIP — closed) is an unsponsored Ireland route. Indicative government fees are Not applicable; indicative processing time is Not applicable; typical duration is Closed to new applicants. This route can lead to permanent residence.
Verified against Immigration Service Delivery on 22 June 2026.
Overview
Ireland's Immigrant Investor Programme (IIP) was the state's residence-by-investment route. It closed to new applications on 15 February 2023. Existing holders continue under the terms of their original grants. Former investors now typically route through STEP or Critical Skills permits.
Eligibility
Typical criteria
- ✓Route is closed to new applications from 15 February 2023.Immigration Service Delivery (Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration) ↗
- ✓Pre-closure routes required one of: €1m Enterprise Investment for 3 years, €1m Investment Fund participation, €2m REIT investment, or €500,000 Endowment to an approved public-benefit project.Immigration Service Delivery (Department of Justice) ↗
- ✓Existing grantees retain their residence and renewal rights under the original terms; approximately 1,500 primary applicants were approved over the programme lifetime.
Common blockers
- !Route closed to new applicants — no appeal or grandfathering for unsubmitted files.
- !Historic applicants needed to demonstrate net worth of at least €2m and lawful source of funds.Immigration Service Delivery (Department of Justice) ↗
Typical evidence
- ·Existing holders renewing their Stamp 4 continue to evidence ongoing investment or endowment terms.Immigration Service Delivery (Department of Justice) ↗
Application pathway
Route closed
Ireland no longer accepts new IIP applications. Consider STEP or business-led routes instead.
For existing holders — renew Stamp 4
IIP investors renew Stamp 4 at registration expiry, evidencing continued investment or endowment where applicable.
Alternative Irish investor routes
STEP (Start-up Entrepreneur Programme) remains open for founders with €50,000+ HPSU-endorsed business plans.
After approval: prepare for your next step
For Immigrant Investor Programme (IIP — closed), use the actual decision and the issuing authority’s instructions to establish what has been granted. A successful application, permission to enter, permission to work and a residence document are not interchangeable.
- 1. Check the decision. Confirm the name, passport, status granted, start date and any next action. Resolve an error with the authority before relying on the document for travel or employment.
- 2. Establish the travel step. Read any entry window, activation, collection or in-country registration instruction. For an extension or change of status, do not assume leaving the country is required or safe while a further step remains pending.
- 3. Confirm what you may do. Check whether employment, self-employment, remote work or study is permitted under the status granted. Do not infer unrestricted work rights from the absence of an employer sponsor.
- 4. Organise the household. Check each accompanying person’s permission separately, then arrange healthcare, accommodation, access to money and the relevant local registrations. A tax number or bank account does not by itself prove a right to work.
- 5. Keep the ongoing conditions visible. Record the actual expiry, renewal process, permitted absences and any duty to report changes. An initial grant does not automatically establish permanent residence or citizenship.
Plan the practical side of your stay
Once you have checked the official route, you can prepare for day-to-day life in Ireland. These optional services are separate from the application and do not establish visa eligibility.
Official application links
Where to actually go next
These are the official pages to use for this route. Open them before preparing documents: the forms, fees, appointment systems, and sponsor steps can change without warning.
- Official guidanceApplicantReview closed IIP guidance ↗
Use this official page to confirm that new IIP applications are closed and to follow any instructions for existing cases.
Immigration Service Delivery · verified
Fees and processing time
Indicative government fees: Not applicable.. The issuing authority does not publish a central processing time for this route, so plan against comparable cases. Both change over time, so the dedicated pages below carry the itemised breakdown and the current official figures.
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Related routes
Start-up Entrepreneur Programme (STEP)
Residence programme for founders establishing a High Potential Start-Up in Ireland.
Critical Skills Employment Permit
An Irish employment permit for qualifying skilled job offers: compare the listed-occupation and higher-remuneration branches, then plan family permission and the later Stamp 4 application.
General Employment Permit
Sponsored employment permit for eligible roles that meet the General Employment Permit conditions, including the applicable salary, occupation, employer and labour-market checks.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Irish IIP open?+
No. The Immigrant Investor Programme closed to new applications on 15 February 2023. Prospective investor migrants to Ireland now typically use STEP (for genuine start-ups) or look at comparable routes in other jurisdictions.
What happens to investors already on the IIP?+
Existing grantees continue on Stamp 4 under the original terms of their approval. Renewal remains available so long as the investment or endowment conditions are honoured. The Minister for Justice may still consider naturalisation after the standard 5-year reckonable residence period.
What are the alternatives to the closed Irish IIP?+
Ireland's remaining business-led residence routes are the Start-up Entrepreneur Programme (STEP) for genuine high-potential start-ups with €50,000 funding, and the Critical Skills Employment Permit for skilled workers on qualifying Irish salaries. Other EU jurisdictions still operate golden-visa-style routes — Portugal D7/D8 and Spain's digital-nomad visa, though Spain's property-based golden visa also closed in April 2025.
Why did Ireland close the Immigrant Investor Programme?+
The government announced the closure on 14 February 2023, and the programme shut to new applications the following day. Ministers pointed to concerns repeatedly raised by international bodies — including the Council of Europe and the European Commission — about the security, money-laundering, and tax risks attached to residence-by-investment schemes across the EU. Applications already lodged before the deadline continued to be processed; no new files have been accepted since.
Need tailored advice?
We do not provide legal advice. For an application that depends on your exact circumstances, consult a regulator-listed immigration advisor.
Find a regulated advisor in IrelandHow we verified this
We check every figure on this page against the primary government source, record the date it was last checked, and re-check it on a regular schedule. Rules change, so always confirm time-sensitive details with the official source before you rely on them. Visa Atlas is an information-only publication and does not give legal advice.
Primary source: Immigration Service Delivery
Last checked: 22 June 2026