Citizenship by Investment in Ireland

The Irish citizenship by investment program is no longer available, (the Immigrant Investor Programme closed to new applications on 15 February 2023); the main remaining route is a scheme in place since 2012. This is called the Start-Up Entrepreneur Program (STEP), and through it, applicants can obtain temporary residency. After meeting the legal stay periods, one can obtain permanent residency, respectively citizenship.

Below, our golden visa agents explain the contents of the new program and how you can adhere to Irish citizenship in 2026 through it.

What is the Start-Up Entrepreneur Program replacing the Irish citizenship by investment scheme?

The Start-up Entrepreneur scheme is an immigration scheme created for businesspersons seeking to implement their ideas in Ireland. The project was created for non-EEA individuals to start a high-potential business and live in Ireland with their families. This is
an entrepreneur visa that allows business people to start and run companies while living in Ireland.

This scheme is an alternative to the golden visa program (Immigrant Investor Programme, closed on 15 February 2023) that enabled non-EU and non-EEA citizens to secure permanent residency followed by citizenship in Ireland.

Eligibility criteria under the new Irish immigration program

The STEP program requires funding of at least EUR 50,000 and a proposal for a high-potential start-up in the innovation economy. However, if the proposal has more than one participant, the second and any subsequent partners must also demonstrate access to an additional EUR 30,000 each. A high potential
start-up is defined as a business that:

• introduces an innovative product or service to international markets;
• can create 10 jobs in Ireland;
• can generate a minimum of EUR 1 million in revenue within 3-4 years;
• has an experienced management team;
• is based and controlled in Ireland;
• is under 6 years old, in the case of a company.

Perhaps one of the most appealing traits of the new program is that it allows company re-domiciliation.

Our Irish golden visa agents can explain the main requirements of STEP for 2026. Alternatively, should you decide on other citizenship by investment countries, we have specialists in other areas of the world that offer passports directly through such programs.

STEP requirements for the applicants in 2026

In addition to being eligible to apply for the STEP program, the foreign investor must meet the following requisites to obtain permission:

• he/she must establish the business in accordance with the specifics outlined in the start-up plan;
• he/she must run the business full-time;
• he/she must not work for another company;
• he/she must not become a financial burden for the Irish government;
• he/she does not have any criminal convictions in any other jurisdiction.

If you plan to obtain a golden passport this way, please address our Irish advisors for details on these requirements.

Documents required to enter the STEP program

For the Irish startup visa application, investors must include the following:

• a startup proposal;
• a comprehensive business plan;
• recent audited financials (for existing enterprises relocating to Ireland);
• evidence of a EUR 50,000 investment or company loan;
• proof of the financing source;
• evidence of good character.

Even if this is not a visa leading to Irish citizenship by investment, one can still secure residency enabling he or she to obtain a passport in the end.

Access to Irish citizenship

Once the main applicant obtains a residence permit, he or she will be permitted to stay in Ireland for 2 years. Provided the start-up remains in place and following a viability assessment by the evaluation committee, the residence permission will be extended for another 3 years. Permission can then be renewed in 5-year time frames.

Immigrant investors must have been residents of Ireland for a total of 5 years (reckonable residence) in the 9 years before their application date, as well as for at least 12 months before the application date, to be eligible to apply for indirect Irish citizenship by investment in 2026. A person can still be deemed a resident of Ireland even if they occasionally travel abroad for leisure or business. However, residency is defined as an actual physical presence in the nation for eligibility for citizenship. To be deemed a resident of Ireland for a particular year, candidates must be physically present in Ireland for the majority of that year.

Even if the STEP program does not provide a straight road to Irish citizenship, one will be able to apply for citizenship through naturalization. This implies 5 years of reckonable residence within the last 9 years. If this period seems too long, our specialists can advise on other golden visa countries.

Tax facts when moving to Ireland

The corporate tax in Ireland is now levied at a rate of 12.5%, and the tax structure depends on your residency and domicile status. You won’t need to apply for Irish tax residency if you don’t intend to stay in Ireland for the duration of your residence permission. You will, however, be required to pay taxes on all income that you receive and accumulate in Ireland, including income from your investment. On the other hand, if you intend to become eligible for citizenship, you will need to become a tax resident and live in Ireland for a period of time that is at least 5 years.

Population statistics in Ireland

Ireland’s Central Statistics Office (CSO) has released its most recent population and migration estimates, which confirm that 125,300 people moved to the Republic in the 12-month period ending in April 2025 – a 16% decrease from the previous year, or 23,900 fewer. Even so, the net inward migration increased the population by 59,700, bringing the total to 5.46 million. According to the data, immigration has now surpassed 100,000 arrivals for the past 4 consecutive years.

Data shows that:

• 31,500 arrivals were Irish nationals;
• 25,300 were EU citizens;
• 4,900 were UK citizens;
•  63,600 were non-EU/UK nationals.

Additionally, emigration decreased by 6.2% to 65,600, with Irish passport holders once again making up the largest group to leave the country (35,000).

We can also help you apply for citizenship by investment in any other country you are interested in and which offer the possibility of buying a golden visa. Feel free to contact us for more information on how to obtain citizenship in Ireland, one of the best European countries to immigrate to.