GNIB card is being replaced with a new registration certificate called the Irish Residence Permit (IRP).

An Irish Residence Permit (IRP) indicates:

• That your immigration permission to stay in Ireland has been registered
• The type of immigration permission you have, ie stamp number

The IRP is not an identity card. It is a registration certificate. It is not valid for any reason except to certify that you are registered with immigration in Ireland. You must carry your IRP with you at all times and present it to an immigration officer or a member of An Garda Síochána (police) if requested. This includes whenever you leave or re-enter the country.  

The Irish Residence Permit (IRP) is a credit-card sized plastic card that displays basic information about you. This includes:

• Your name, photo, date of birth and registration number
• A brief description of your immigration permission, including your permission stamp number
• A microchip with a copy of your photo, fingerprints and personal details as above

The IRP does not give you any new rights or entitlements.

For example, an IRP does not allow you to travel to or live freely in other EU countries. All existing travel and immigration rules still apply.

It is your responsibility to check what you need to enter other countries before you travel.

If you are a non-EU/EEA and non-Swiss citizen and you wish to stay in Ireland for any reason for longer than 90 days, you must apply for immigration permission and (if successful) then register.

If your registration is successful, you will then be issued with an Irish Residence Permit (IRP). To register you must:

• Be a non-EU/EEA and non-Swiss national
• Be aged 16 or older
• Go to a registration office in-person

If you wish to stay in Ireland past the expiry date on your IRP, you must apply to extend your immigration permission and renew your registration. If successful, you will be given a new IRP. An IRP costs €300 per person every time you register and renew. You may also have to pay for a new IRP if your current card is lost or stolen.

The process for issuing Irish Residence Permits (IRP) is different if you register in Dublin or outside Dublin.

Registration in Dublin

If your register in Dublin, the immigration officer will arrange to send your IRP to you by post.

Make sure to confirm your exact address (including Eircode) before you leave the registration office.

Your IRP should arrive within 5 to 10 working days. If it does not arrive within 10 working days, contact us.

Registration outside Dublin

If your register outside Dublin, the immigration officer will arrange a date/time for you to return to the registration office to collect your IRP.

You cannot get an IRP during your first visit to a registration office outside Dublin because parts of the process are managed centrally.

You must return to the registration office to collect your IRP.

Change or update your details

Contact us to update your registration information if your personal details or circumstances change, for example:

• You change your home/postal address
• We made an error, eg we misspelled your name
• Other details change, eg you change your name/gender

In some cases, we may issue you with a new Irish Residence Permit (IRP). Contact us to update your registration details.

You must contact us if your Irish Residence Permit (IRP) or GNIB card is lost or stolen. You must also contact us if you were issued with a new IRP by post in Dublin, but it did not arrive after 10 working days. We will then investigate and (if necessary) prepare a replacement for you.

From 11 December 2017 the previous registration certificate known as the ‘GNIB card’ has been replaced by the new Irish Residence Permit (IRP).

The new IRP has exactly the same legal status as the old GNIB card. It does not give you any new rights or entitlements and your responsibilities stay the same.

Do not apply for a new IRP if you currently hold a valid GNIB card. Wait until your GNIB card expires (or is lost or stolen) and then apply as normal.

If successful, you will then be given a new IRP. Read more about replacing the GNIB card.