Stamp 0 is Ireland's permission for people who will not work and will not draw on public funds: retirees and people of independent means. It is not in our visa catalogue as a scored route yet, so everything on this page about Stamp 0 comes from Ireland's Immigration Service Delivery and the comparisons come from our own data.
What Stamp 0 asks for
- An individual income of EUR 50,000 a year
- Independent proof of that income, certified by an Irish accountancy firm
- Access to a lump sum to cover sudden major expenses
- A D Reside visa first, if you are from a visa-required country
- An application for Stamp 0 made before you arrive in Ireland
The income test is per person. A couple should plan for each partner to meet it, or check with an Irish accountant how a shared income is presented, before booking anything.
The catch: no State benefits
Holders of a retirement permission cannot access Irish State benefits. Ireland also scores 65/100 on healthcare in our country data, below most of the European destinations we cover. Budget for private health cover from day one.
What retiring in Ireland costs
Ireland scores 35/100 on cost of living (higher means cheaper) and 88/100 on safety. Typical monthly budgets for one person:
- Dublin: $2,200–3,500 a month
- Cork: $1,400–2,000 a month
- Galway: $1,200–1,800 a month
- Limerick: $1,000–1,500 a month
Does your income go further somewhere else?
Transita checks your pension and savings against Ireland and the European passive-income visas at once. Answer 8 questions and your routes, documents and dates are set up for you. Free.
Build my workspaceHow Stamp 0 compares
If English is not a deal-breaker, the passive-income visas in Southern Europe ask for less money and come with a recorded path to permanent residence:
| Visa | Government fee | Processing | Money floor recorded | Published income floor | Permanent residence |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spain: Non-Lucrative Visa | $130 | 1–3 months | $32,000 | Not recorded | PR after 5 years |
| Portugal: D7 Passive Income Visa | $250 | 2–6 months | $11,000 | Not recorded | PR after 5 years |
| Italy: Elective Residence Visa | $125 | 1–3 months | Not recorded | EUR 31,000/yr (≈ $35,526/yr) | PR after 5 years |
| France: Long-Stay Visitor Visa | $107 | 1–2 months | Not recorded | Not recorded | PR after 5 years |
Ireland's investor route is no help right now: the Immigrant Investor Programme closed to new applications in February 2023. For the full field, see the best countries to retire in Europe.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Ireland have a retirement visa?
Yes. Ireland grants Stamp 0 permission to retirees and people of independent means. Nationals of visa-required countries first apply for a D Reside visa, and everyone applies for Stamp 0 before arriving in Ireland.
How much income do you need to retire in Ireland?
Ireland's Immigration Service Delivery asks for an individual income of EUR 50,000 a year, verified by an Irish accountancy firm, plus access to a lump sum to cover sudden major expenses.
Can you claim Irish State benefits on Stamp 0?
No. Holders of a retirement permission are not entitled to access State benefits while living in Ireland on it, so your income and private cover have to carry you.
Is Ireland's investor programme an alternative?
Not at the moment. The Immigrant Investor Programme closed to new applications in February 2023, and our catalogue keeps it only as a reference.
Which retirement visa in Europe is cheapest?
Among the routes we track, Portugal's D7 has the lowest money bar, followed by Spain's Non-Lucrative Visa. Ireland's EUR 50,000 per person is near the top of the range.
official sources: IIP · irishimmigration.ie·NLV · exteriores.gob.es·D7 · vistos.mne.gov.pt·Residenza Elettiva · consboston.esteri.it·VLS-TS visiteur · france-visas.gouv.fr