Three months out is the point where a move to Ireland stops being an idea and becomes a project. The things you do now are the slow ones: immigration permissions, document gathering, money and the first honest look at what renting will cost. Get these right and the last month before you fly is mostly packing. This guide takes each area in turn, with the official sources you should be reading. Figures are correct as of September 2026.
Sort out your right to live and work
Whatever your route, read the Immigration Service Delivery page for your permission type now. It lists exactly what you must show the immigration officer at the airport and what you will need at your registration appointment later.
Gather and certify your documents
Irish offices are strict about originals. Collect the following and keep them together in hand luggage.
| Document | Why you need it |
| Passport valid for your whole stay | Everything; renew now if it expires within a year |
| Birth certificate (long form) and marriage certificate | Immigration registration for family members, some benefits, schools |
| Degree and professional certificates | Employment permits, regulated professions, university enrolment |
| Police clearance certificate | Required for some permissions and for jobs involving children or vulnerable adults |
| Employer reference and job offer or contract | Landlords, PPS number application, bank account |
| Six months of bank statements | Landlords, immigration officer, banks |
| Medical records, prescriptions and vaccination records | Registering with a GP, school enrolment |
| Driving licence and driving record | Licence exchange at the NDLS, car insurance quotes |
If any document is not in English or Irish, get a certified translation now. Ask your home country's authorities about apostilles for birth and marriage certificates if you may need them for immigration or citizenship later.
Understand what housing will cost
Rent is the biggest budget line and it is the one people underestimate most. The Daft.ie Rental Report for Q2 2026 puts the average rent for a two-bedroom apartment at €2,551 in Dublin and €2,204 nationwide; the RTB Rent Index for Q1 2026 shows new tenants paying a national average of €1,839, with Dublin City at €2,301, Galway City at €2,004 and Cork City at €1,903. Spend an evening on Daft.ie and MyHome.ie searching the areas near your workplace so you know what your money buys, then read our "Where to live" guides.
Plan for cash up front: a landlord can ask for a deposit of up to one month's rent plus one month's rent in advance, so budget two months' rent on signing, plus the cost of temporary accommodation while you search. Book that temporary place now for your first two to four weeks; short-term rentals in Dublin sell out.
Money, tax and insurance
- Open a euro account with a bank or fintech that accepts your current address, so you have a card that works on day one. You will open a traditional Irish account later, once you have a PPS number and proof of address.
- Tell your home tax authority when you are leaving. If you are a US citizen you will keep filing US returns and FBAR reports; see our Paperwork guides.
- Check whether your home pension can be transferred or must be left in place.
- Get travel insurance that covers you until you have Irish cover. EU citizens should bring their European Health Insurance Card, which covers necessary care until you are ordinarily resident.
- If you are over 34, note that the Health Insurance Authority's lifetime community rating rules give new residents a limited window to take out private health insurance without age loadings.
Driving, pets and children
Check now whether your driving licence can be exchanged. Licences from the EU/EEA and from Ireland's recognised states (including the UK, Australia, Canada's larger provinces, Japan, South Korea, South Africa, Switzerland, New Zealand and Taiwan) can be swapped for €65. Others cannot, and you will start from a learner permit and the driver theory test, so book study time. If you are bringing a dog or cat, it needs a microchip, a rabies vaccination given at least 21 days before travel and either an EU pet passport or an animal health certificate; check the Department of Agriculture's rules for your country of departure. Parents should look up schools near their target areas now and email them, because popular primary schools take applications well ahead of the September intake.
Create your online accounts
Two accounts save weeks later. Create a basic MyGovID account at mygovid.ie; it is how you apply for your PPS number on MyWelfare. Non-EEA nationals should also create an account on the ISD customer portal so that you can book your immigration registration appointment as soon as you land. Neither requires you to be in Ireland.
