Where the 90 days come from
There are two layers:
- The law. The Immigration Act 2004 says that a non-national must register “as soon as may be”, giving a registration officer their details and producing a valid passport.
- ISD’s instruction. Immigration Service Delivery (ISD) tells you to register within 90 days of arriving, and your landing stamp gives the same instruction.
Your landing stamp sets a second date: the date your permission to stay ends, up to 3 months after you arrive. If you came on a long-stay ‘D’ visa, ISD asks you to register before that date.
See your 90 days
Enter the date you arrived, and the date on your stamp if you have it. If you’ve booked, add the dates to check your booking covers you.
90-day calendar
Your 90 days on a real calendar, and the date that matters.
Worked out in your browser: nothing you enter is sent to us or saved. We count the day you arrive as day 1. Guidance only, not legal advice.
How to count
- Day 1 is the day you arrive. That’s the cautious reading, so day 90 is 89 days later.
- Example: arrive on 2 October 2026, and day 90 is 30 December 2026.
- Your stamp can come first. The officer can give you less than 3 months. If the date on your stamp is earlier than day 90, that’s your date.
- Book early anyway. Slots are released on a rolling 90-day basis and fill quickly, so the safest day to book is the day you arrive.
What the deadline asks: book, not attend
You don’t have to have attended your appointment within 90 days. You have to have booked it. ISD says that if no appointment is free within your 90 days, a booking made within 90 days of arriving is enough to stay until the appointment date.
- You can only book after you arrive, on ISD’s Customer Service Portal.
- Booking is free. Anyone selling appointments isn’t ISD.
- You can move to an earlier slot at any time through the reschedule option.
More on the wait itself, including travel and work: what if my 90 days run out before my appointment?
Everything about the appointment itself is in how to register for your first IRP.
Who doesn’t need to register
The Act’s registration rules don’t apply to:
- children under 16, who register for the first time once they turn 16,
- people born in Ireland,
- people who aren’t resident and have been in Ireland no more than 3 months since they last arrived, such as visitors, and
- some seafarers whose ship is in port.
EU, EEA, Swiss and UK citizens don’t register with ISD.
After you register, the duties continue
Registering isn’t a one-off. The Act also asks you to keep your details up to date:
- Any change to the details you gave: report it within 7 days.
- A change of address: report it within 48 hours of moving. ISD asks for this through its Customer Service Portal, with proof of your new address, for example a utility bill or tenancy agreement from the last 3 months.
- Away from home for more than a month: give your current address, and say when you’re back.
If you miss the deadline
Not complying with the registration requirements is an offence under the Act, with a fine of up to €3,000, up to 12 months in prison, or both. Being in Ireland after your permission has ended also means being here unlawfully. ISD’s stamps page adds that someone who seeks to register beyond a reasonable time may be refused and issued with an intention to deport notification.
Common mix-ups
Common questions
Is the 90-day deadline in the law?
Not as a number. The Immigration Act 2004 says you must register "as soon as may be". The 90 days is ISD's instruction, and it's what your landing stamp tells you to do.
Does the day I arrive count as day 1?
We count it that way, which is the cautious reading, so day 90 is 89 days after you arrive. If you're close to the line, book earlier rather than later.
What if my landing stamp's date is before day 90?
Go by the earlier date. Your stamp only lets you stay up to the date on it, and with a long-stay 'D' visa ISD asks you to register before it expires.
Do I have to be registered within 90 days, or just booked?
Booked. ISD says that if no appointment is free within 90 days, a booking made within 90 days of arriving is enough to stay until the appointment date.
Who doesn't need to register?
The registration rules don't apply to children under 16, people born in Ireland, people who aren't resident and have been here no more than 3 months since they last arrived, and some seafarers. EU, EEA, Swiss and UK citizens don't register with ISD.
What happens if I miss the deadline?
Not complying with the registration requirements is an offence under the Immigration Act 2004, with a fine of up to €3,000, up to 12 months in prison, or both. In practice, contact ISD through its Customer Service Portal and get independent advice straight away.
What do I have to do after registering?
Keep your details up to date. The Act asks you to report changes within 7 days, a change of address within 48 hours, and your current address if you're away from home for more than a month. ISD asks for address changes through its Customer Service Portal.
My child is turning 16. When do they register?
As soon as they turn 16. Under-16s don't register, and ISD says they should apply to register for the first time once they reach 16.
Sources
All sources checked on 2 Oct 2026.
- Immigration permission stamps (registering within 90 days, and beyond a reasonable time)Immigration Service Delivery
- Immigration Act 2004, section 9 (registration), section 13 (penalties) and section 5Law Reform Commission, Revised Acts
- Information on registering your immigration permission for the first timeImmigration Service Delivery
- Frequently asked questions for registrationImmigration Service Delivery
- Entry for non-EU, non-EEA, non-Swiss and non-UK nationals (at the border)Immigration Service Delivery