What a landing stamp is
When you arrive in Ireland by air or sea from outside the State, you present yourself to an immigration officer. If they let you in, they put a stamp in your passport. In the Immigration Act 2004 this is your permission: it authorises you to land and be in Ireland.
- How long: up to the date written on it. The officer decides, up to a maximum of 3 months.
- Conditions: the officer can attach conditions about how long you stay and about working or doing business. You have to keep to them.
- Not automatic: even with a valid visa, the officer can refuse you if they’re not satisfied with your documents or explanations. If you’re refused, you’re returned to where you travelled from.
Check your stamp
Tell the checker how you arrived, your visa and your plans. It shows what your stamp means, and the date that matters for you.
Landing stamp checker
What your stamp means for you, and the date that matters.
Worked out in your browser: nothing you enter is sent to us or saved. Guidance only, not legal advice.
Why it matters
- It’s your permission to be here. The Act says that being in Ireland other than in line with your permission makes you unlawfully present.
- You can’t register without it. ISD uses the stamp to confirm the date you entered, and won’t complete a registration without it.
- It has to match. Your landing stamp, and your visa if you need one, must match the permission you’re registering.
- It starts your clock. If you’re staying to live, work or study, you book your registration within 90 days of arriving, and before your stamp runs out.
‘C’ visa, ‘D’ visa or no visa
| What it’s for | What your stamp means | |
|---|---|---|
| Short-stay ‘C’ visa | Visits of less than 90 days | Leave before your stamp expires. |
| Long-stay ‘D’ visa | Coming to live, work or study | Staying longer than 3 months? Register before your stamp expires. |
| No visa needed | Either | The stamp still sets your date. Staying to live here? Book your registration. |
If you need a visa, the visa has to match what you’re here to do: to register to live in Ireland you need the entry visa that matches that permission, not a short-stay visa.
At the border: what to have with you
At a minimum, ISD says to have:
- your passport,
- your visa, if you need one, and
- your boarding card.
It can also help to have a travel itinerary, proof of funds, health insurance for your stay, your accommodation details, and any invitations or letters that explain why you’re coming.
Arriving through Northern Ireland
If you come in over the land border from Northern Ireland, you get your stamp afterwards: report to an immigration officer at the Dundalk Immigration Office, Dublin Airport or Port, or a Garda immigration office:
- within 30 days of arriving, or
- within 7 days if you’re coming to work or do business.
Without that stamp, you can’t register.
Common mix-ups
Common questions
What is a landing stamp?
It's the permission an immigration officer places in your passport when you arrive in Ireland. It lets you stay up to the date shown on it, and can carry conditions, for example on working.
How long does a landing stamp last?
It's up to the immigration officer, to a maximum of 3 months. Check the date on your stamp rather than assuming 90 days.
Why do I need a landing stamp to register?
ISD uses it to confirm the date you entered Ireland, and your landing stamp (and visa, if you need one) must match the permission you're registering. Registration can't be completed without it.
What's the difference between a 'C' and a 'D' visa for the stamp?
A short-stay 'C' visa is for visits of less than 90 days, and you must leave before your landing stamp expires. With a long-stay 'D' visa, if you're staying longer than 3 months, you register your permission before your stamp expires.
I came in over the land border from Northern Ireland. What do I do?
Report to an immigration officer at the Dundalk Immigration Office, Dublin Airport or Port, or a Garda immigration office within 30 days of arriving, or within 7 days if you're coming to work or do business. You need the landing stamp to register.
Can I be refused entry even with a visa?
Yes. The immigration officer decides whether to give you permission to land, and can refuse if they're not satisfied with your documents or explanations. If you're refused, you're returned to where you travelled from.
What happens if I stay past the date on my stamp?
Being in Ireland outside the terms of your permission means being there unlawfully. If you're staying to live here, book your registration in time; if you're visiting, leave by the date on your stamp.
What should I have with me at the border?
At least your passport, your visa if you need one, and your boarding card. A travel itinerary, proof of funds, health insurance, accommodation details and any invitation letters can also help.
Sources
All sources checked on 2 Oct 2026.
- Entry for non-EU, non-EEA, non-Swiss and non-UK nationals (at the border)Immigration Service Delivery
- Immigration Act 2004, sections 4 and 5 (permission to land and unlawful presence)Law Reform Commission, Revised Acts
- Frequently asked questions for registration (landing stamp and visa at registration)Immigration Service Delivery
- Coming to visit Ireland (short stay 'C' visa)Immigration Service Delivery
- Information on registering your immigration permission for the first timeImmigration Service Delivery