The short answer
- Who: the non-EU parent of an Irish citizen child who lives in Ireland.
- Four conditions: your child holds an Irish passport, you’re their biological parent, they’re under 18 and living here full time, and you’re involved in their upbringing, emotionally and financially.
- How: renew online if you have a permission, register if you arrived on a parent visa, or send Form ICCA if you don’t.
- If approved: Stamp 4, for six months to three years. You can work, and it counts towards citizenship.
Check your route
Parent route finder
Whether you can apply, which way, and what to send.
What to send
From ISD’s parent of an Irish citizen child pages and Form ICCA. Nothing you enter is sent or saved. A solicitor or the Legal Aid Board can advise on your own case.
The conditions
| ISD looks for | What it means |
|---|---|
| Your child’s Irish passport | Your child must hold one before you apply |
| You’re the parent | You’re named on the birth certificate as a biological parent. ISD may ask for a DNA test anyway |
| Your child lives here | Full time, in Ireland |
| Your child is under 18 | Or over 18 with a disability that makes independent living impossible |
| You’re involved | In their upbringing, emotionally and financially, and substantially involved in their care |
ISD decides every case on its own facts. Your character and conduct count too: the form asks about convictions and family law court orders, and ISD gets reports from the Gardaí.
DNA tests
If ISD asks for evidence that you’re the child’s biological parent, the test must be done by Ormond Quay Paternity Services, the company approved by the Department of Justice. Tell ISD’s Parent of an Irish Citizen Child section the time and place, because an ISD officer has to attend. You pay for the test, and tests from other providers aren’t accepted.
How to apply
| Your situation | What to do |
|---|---|
| A registered permission (Stamp 1, 2, 3 or 4) | Renew online as the parent of an Irish citizen child, with the €300 fee |
| Just arrived on a ‘D’ Reside Parent of an Irish Citizen Child visa, or a Join Family stamp at the border | Book a registration appointment and bring your child |
| A visitor, no valid permission, or refused | Fill in Form ICCA and send it on the Customer Service Portal. You must be in Ireland |
| IBC/05 permission (child born here before 2005) | Renew at your local immigration office |
A solicitor, legal representative or support organisation can apply for you, if you write to ISD giving your consent.
What to send with Form ICCA
- the photo page of your passport;
- your child’s birth certificate and Irish passport;
- two proofs your child lives here: an immunisation record, or a letter from their doctor, school or crèche;
- two proofs you live here: a tenancy agreement or RTB registration, utility, bank or phone bills in your name, or letters from a Government department;
- two proofs of your role in your child’s life: letters from their school, crèche or doctor about meetings, drop-offs or appointments, access or maintenance orders and payments, a letter from a social worker or public health nurse, or a statutory declaration from the other parent;
- two proofs of your relationship with the other parent before the birth: a marriage certificate, evidence you lived or travelled together, or dated messages.
Renewing online needs less: your passport and IRP card, your child’s Irish passport and birth certificate, and proof of your address and your child’s.
After you apply
- Approved: Stamp 4 for six months to three years, depending on your case. Register it at Burgh Quay, then renew online, uploading your permission letter.
- Refused: there’s no appeal, but you can apply again at any time. Read the reasons carefully. If you have no other permission, ISD may write to say it intends to deport you.
- Revocation: ISD can take the permission back if you break its conditions, give false information or don’t register it.
Common mix-ups
Common questions
Can I stay in Ireland because my child is an Irish citizen?
You may be able to. ISD can give permission to the parent of an Irish citizen child if the child holds an Irish passport, lives here full time and is under 18, you're their biological parent, and you're involved in their upbringing emotionally and financially. Each case is decided on its own facts.
Does my child need an Irish passport first?
Yes. ISD's first condition is that your child holds an Irish passport. If your child was born in Ireland on or after 1 January 2005, check first whether they're an Irish citizen.
I'm not named on my child's birth certificate. Can I still apply?
ISD may ask for DNA evidence of your biological link. It must come from Ormond Quay Paternity Services, the company approved by the Department of Justice, with an ISD officer present, and you pay for it. Tests from other providers aren't accepted.
How do I apply?
It depends on your situation. With a registered permission (Stamp 1, 2, 3 or 4), renew online as the parent of an Irish citizen child. If you arrived on a parent visa or got a Join Family stamp at the border, book a registration appointment and bring your child. If you're a visitor, have no permission or were refused, send Form ICCA on the Customer Service Portal from inside Ireland.
What permission do I get?
Stamp 4, for between six months and three years depending on your case. It lets you work without an employment permit, and counts towards citizenship. You register it, then renew online.
What if I'm refused?
There's no appeal, but you can apply again at any time, paying attention to the reasons given. If you have no other permission, ISD may write to say it intends to deport you.
Does this permission cover my partner or other children?
No. A permission as the parent of an Irish citizen child doesn't give any other family member the right to come to or live in Ireland.
My child was born in Ireland before 2005 and I have IBC/05 permission. How do I renew?
Renew at your local immigration office with your passport, your IRP card and proof that you've lived here continuously, such as utility bills.
My child is an EU citizen but not Irish. Does this apply?
No. Parents of children from other EU countries apply under EU Treaty Rights instead.
Sources
All sources checked on 4 Oct 2026.
- The parent of an Irish citizen childImmigration Service Delivery
- Form ICCA, application for permission to remain as the parent of an Irish citizen child (August 2025)Immigration Service Delivery
- Irish born child renewals (IBC/05)Immigration Service Delivery