Family Reunification in Ireland
Being separated from your family after fleeing your home country is one of the most difficult experiences a person can face. If you have been granted international protection in Ireland, you may have the right to bring certain family members to join you in Ireland. This process is known as family reunification under international protection, and it is governed by the International Protection Act 2015.
The rules are specific, and the timelines are strict, so understanding the process clearly before you apply gives you the best chance of a successful outcome. If you need help with your family reunification application, IAS is here to support you. Call us on +353 (0)61 518 025 or chat with us online to speak with one of our immigration advisers.
Family Reunification of International Protection Holders
From 12 June 2026, refugees and beneficiaries of subsidiary protection are no longer eligible to apply for family reunification under the Non-EEA Family Reunification Policy. You must instead apply through the separate procedure under section 205 of the International Protection Act 2026, unless the application concerns a relationship that formed after your entry to Ireland (in which case a minimum waiting period of two years from the date your international protection was granted applies, and this cannot be waived).
What Is Family Reunification Under International Protection?
Family reunification under the International Protection Act 2015 is a legal mechanism that provides certain close family members with permission to immigrate to Ireland and live with the holder of an international protection declaration. It is not a standard long-stay visa or join family visa. It is a dedicated route for those granted protection status in Ireland whose families remain abroad.
The policy recognises that the right to family life is a fundamental human right, and that people who have been forced to flee their homes should have a pathway to be reunited with their closest family members once their protection status has been established.
Page Contents
- Family Reunification of International Protection Holders
- Eligibility Criteria for Family Reunification
- Which Family Members Can Join Me?
- Documentation Required for a Family Reunification Application
- How to Apply for Family Reunification in Ireland
- Cost and Processing Time
- What Happens After You Apply?
- What If My Application Is Approved?
- What If My Application Is Refused?
- Can a Family Reunification Permission Be Withdrawn?
- Rights and Responsibilities of Family Members
- How Can IAS Help?
- Frequently Asked Questions
Eligibility Criteria for Family Reunification
You can apply for family reunification under the International Protection Act 2015 if you currently hold a valid declaration as one of the following:
- A Convention Refugee (recognised under the 1951 Refugee Convention)
- A Programme Refugee (admitted to Ireland as part of a resettlement programme)
- A Beneficiary of Subsidiary Protection (granted protection because you face a serious risk of harm in your country of origin but do not meet the full definition of a refugee)
You must be the holder of one of these declarations at the time you make your application. If your status has lapsed or been revoked, you will not be eligible to apply.
Unlike other family reunification routes in Ireland, there is no income or financial requirement for international protection holders applying under this route. You do not need to demonstrate a minimum salary or show that you can financially support your family members. This is a significant distinction from the standard Non-EEA Family Reunification Policy, which applies demanding financial thresholds.
Applications for family reunification must be submitted within 12 months of the date you received your declaration. This deadline is strict, and there is no provision for extensions in standard cases.
For example, if you received your declaration on 1 March 2025, your family reunification application must be submitted on or before 28 February 2026. Missing this window means you lose the right to apply through this route.
Given how tight this deadline is, it is important to begin preparing your application as soon as possible after receiving your declaration. Do not wait until the deadline is approaching. Contact the IAS at +353 (0)61 518 025 as early as possible so we can help you submit your application on time.
Which Family Members Can Join Me?
The family members who can join you depend on whether you are an adult or a minor.
If you are 18 or over and unmarried (or married), you can apply for the following family members to join you:
- Your husband or wife, provided you were married before you applied for refugee status in Ireland
- Your civil partner, provided your civil partnership was formalised before you applied for protection in Ireland
- Your child, if they are under 18 years of age and are not married
If you are under 18 and not married at the time of your application, you can apply for your parents and siblings to join you. Siblings included in the application must also be under 18 and unmarried.
The rules around the timing of the relationship are important. Family members whose relationship to you formed after you entered Ireland are not covered by the standard route.
Relationships that formed after your arrival may only be considered after a minimum waiting period of two years from the date your protection was granted, and only in specific circumstances.
If your situation does not fit neatly within these categories, or if you have family members who were separated from you during your journey to Ireland, take specialist advice before applying. IAS can assess your specific circumstances and advise you on your options.
Documentation Required for a Family Reunification Application
The initial application itself does not initially require extensive supporting paperwork. However, once the Family Reunification Unit has received your application, they will send you a family reunification questionnaire, and it is at that stage that you will be asked to provide original supporting documents.
Your initial written application should include the following information:
- Your full name
- Your Person ID number (this is the reference number assigned to you during the international protection process)
- Your current address in Ireland
- For each family member you are applying for:
- Full name
- Relationship to you (for example, spouse, child, parent)
- Date of birth
- Nationality
- Current address
Once you receive the questionnaire, you will be required to submit original documents that prove the family relationships you have claimed. These may include:
- Your international protection declaration letter
- Marriage certificate (for spousal applications), which must be original or certified
- Birth certificates for any children or siblings being included in the application
- Evidence of the civil partnership (where applicable)
- Any identity documents, such as passports or national identity cards, for the family members concerned
All documents that are not in English or Irish must be accompanied by a certified translation. Translations must be provided by a qualified, professional translator.
Do not submit uncertified or informal translations, as these will not be accepted.
If any documents have been lost, damaged, or were never issued (which is common for people who have fled conflict or persecution), you should explain the circumstances clearly in writing and provide whatever alternative evidence is available.
The Family Reunification Unit does have discretion in how it handles incomplete document situations, but you must be honest about what is and is not available.
Accuracy and honesty are essential throughout this process. Submitting false or misleading documents is grounds for refusing your application and may result in the withdrawal of any permission already granted.
How to Apply for Family Reunification in Ireland
The application must be made in writing and sent by post to the Family Reunification Unit. There is no online application form for this route.
The address to send your application to is:
Join Family Immigration Service Delivery
Department of Justice,
Home Affairs and Migration
13-14 Burgh Quay
Dublin 2
D02 XK70
Ireland
Submit your initial application letter containing all the personal details listed above. Keep a copy of everything you send. It is advisable to send your application by recorded post so that you have evidence of the date of submission. This is important given the 12-month deadline.
Once the Family Reunification Unit receives your application and confirms it is complete, they will send you the questionnaire. You then have 28 days to complete and return the questionnaire along with the required original documents. This 28-day window should be treated as a hard deadline. If you need more time or are having difficulty gathering documents, contact the Family Reunification Unit as early as possible.
The Family Reunification Unit does not provide status updates by email and does not have a public office. All contact must be by email or post only.
Cost and Processing Time
There is no application fee for family reunification under the International Protection Act 2015.
Processing times can vary considerably and are not published by the Family Reunification Unit as a standard timeframe. The complexity of individual cases, the volume of applications being processed, and the time taken to verify documents all affect how long a decision takes.
Applicants should be prepared for the process to take several months.
To avoid unnecessary delays, ensure your initial application is complete and accurate, respond promptly to the questionnaire within the 28-day window, and provide all requested documents in the correct format and, where required, with certified translations.
What Happens After You Apply?
After you submit your initial application letter, the Family Reunification Unit will review it and, once satisfied that it is complete, send you the family reunification questionnaire. You must return this within 28 days.
A caseworker will then review your application. You may be asked to provide additional information or clarification at any point during this review. Respond to any such requests promptly and fully.
When the review is complete, the Family Reunification Unit will write to you with its decision. There is no formal interview stage in this process; the decision is made based on the written application and the documents submitted.
What If My Application Is Approved?
If your application is approved, the Family Reunification Unit will issue you a grant letter. This letter contains all the information your family members will need to come to Ireland, including:
- How to obtain travel documents if your family members do not hold valid passports or travel papers
- How to obtain visas for your family members to travel to Ireland (where applicable, depending on their nationality)
- How your family members should register with the Garda National Immigration Bureau (GNIB) or the Immigration Service Delivery Registration Office on arrival in Ireland
Read the grant letter carefully and follow all the instructions it contains. Your family members must arrive in Ireland by the date specified in the grant letter. Failure to arrive by this date may result in the permission being withdrawn.
On arrival in Ireland, your family members will need to register their immigration permission. This registration gives them a formal immigration status in Ireland and enables them to access the rights that come with that status, including the right to work and to access services.
What If My Application Is Refused?
If your application is not approved, you will receive a written notification explaining the reasons for the refusal. Read this letter carefully and keep it, as the reasons given will be important if you are considering any next steps.
A refusal under this route does not mean that reunification is permanently impossible, but the options available will depend on the specific reasons for the refusal and your circumstances at the time.
Taking legal advice promptly after a refusal gives you the best understanding of what options remain open to you.
IAS can review your refusal letter, advise on whether the decision appears well-founded, and help you assess whether any alternative route to family reunification exists in your situation. Contact us on +353 (0)61 518 025.
Can a Family Reunification Permission Be Withdrawn?
Yes. A family reunification permission that has already been granted can be withdrawn in the following circumstances:
- Your family members do not enter Ireland by the date specified in the grant letter
- You no longer hold a declaration as a refugee or beneficiary of subsidiary protection (for example, if your status has been revoked)
- You are no longer permitted to remain in Ireland
- You provide false or misleading information or documents at any stage of the process
- Withdrawal is required in the interest of national security or public policy
If a permission is withdrawn, the family member concerned loses their immigration status in Ireland. It is therefore essential to be truthful throughout the process and to ensure that your family members travel within the timeframe set out in the grant letter.
Rights and Responsibilities of Family Members
Once family members arrive in Ireland and register their immigration permission, they are entitled to certain rights. These include the right to reside in Ireland lawfully, the right to work without needing a separate employment permit, access to education, and access to public services on the same basis as other legal residents.
Family members who have been reunited under this route will typically be granted a Stamp 4 immigration permission, which allows them to work and study freely in Ireland. Stamp 4 is one of the broadest permissions available in the Irish immigration system and provides a solid foundation for building a life in Ireland.
Family members must comply with Irish law and immigration rules. Their permission to remain is linked to the sponsor’s protection status. If circumstances change significantly on either side, this can affect the permission. It is important for both the sponsor and their family members to keep their immigration status in order and to seek advice if their circumstances change.
The right to apply for Irish citizenship by naturalisation becomes available after five years of lawful, continuous residence in Ireland, subject to meeting the other eligibility criteria at that time.
How Can IAS Help?
The family reunification process for international protection holders is time-sensitive and detail-oriented. Missing the 12-month application deadline, submitting incomplete documents, or failing to respond to the questionnaire within 28 days can all lead to delays or an unsuccessful outcome.
IAS works with refugees, programme refugees, and beneficiaries of subsidiary protection to help them bring their families to Ireland. We can help you understand whether you are eligible, prepare your initial application letter, gather and organise the required documents, respond to the questionnaire within the required timeframe, and advise you on what to do if your application is refused or if your circumstances are complex.
We understand how important this process is and how much is at stake. Our advisers approach every case with care and professionalism. To speak with us about your family reunification application, call +353 (0)61 518 025 today or get in touch online.
Legal Disclaimer
The information provided is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. While we make every effort to ensure accuracy, the law may change, and the information may not reflect the most current legal developments. No warranty is given regarding the accuracy or completeness of the information, and we do not accept liability in such cases. We recommend consulting with a qualified lawyer at Immigration Advice Service before making any decisions based on the content provided.
Last modified on September 17th, 2026 at 1:35 pm
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Frequently Asked Questions
To apply for family reunification under the International Protection Act 2015, you must hold a current declaration as a Convention Refugee, Programme Refugee, or Beneficiary of Subsidiary Protection. Your application must be submitted within 12 months of receiving your declaration.
The family members you can include are limited to your spouse or civil partner (provided the relationship existed before you applied for protection), your unmarried minor children, and if you are yourself an unaccompanied minor, your parents and unmarried minor siblings. There is no financial threshold requirement for this route.
An asylum seeker is a person who has applied for international protection in Ireland but whose application has not yet been decided. They do not yet have a formal protection status. A person under international protection is someone whose application has been accepted and who has been granted one of the recognised statuses: refugee status, programme refugee status, or subsidiary protection.
Family reunification under the International Protection Act 2015 is only available to those who have already been granted protection status, not to those whose applications are still pending.
Family reunification is widely recognised as a fundamental right under international human rights law, including the European Convention on Human Rights, and as connected to the right to family life. Ireland’s International Protection Act 2015 gives legislative expression to this right for those granted protection status.
However, the right is not unconditional, and it is subject to eligibility requirements, a 12-month deadline, and limited categories of family members who can be included. Applications that do not meet the statutory requirements can be refused.
If the person who has received international protection is under 18 and unmarried, they can apply for their parents and their unmarried minor siblings to join them, rather than a spouse or children. This reflects the particular vulnerability of unaccompanied minors and the importance of restoring family unity around the child’s parents.
For adult applicants, the eligible family members are the spouse or civil partner and unmarried minor children. The 12-month deadline and the general application process are the same for both adults and minors.
