Census 2022 counted 13,412 US citizens living in Ireland, up 27.5% on 2016, plus another 30,044 people holding dual Irish and American citizenship. Americans come for tech and pharma jobs in Dublin, Cork and Galway, for university, to retire, or because a parent or grandparent was born here and an Irish passport is within reach. Ireland is English speaking, in the EU, and Dublin and Shannon both have US pre-clearance, so flying home is easy. The catch is that being American does not give you any right to live here, so the paperwork needs to be sorted before you pack.
| Quick facts | US to Ireland |
| Visa to enter | No, up to 90 days |
| Permission to stay beyond 90 days | Yes, needs a permit or scheme |
| US licence exchangeable | No |
| Double taxation agreement | Yes |
| Social security agreement | Yes (1993) |
| US citizens in Ireland (Census 2022) | 13,412 (plus 30,044 dual) |
Do you need a visa?
- Critical Skills Employment Permit for jobs on the critical skills list (from 1 March 2026 the minimum salary is 40,904 euro, or 68,911 euro for other eligible roles). Spouses and partners can join you and work on Stamp 1G without their own permit.
- General Employment Permit for most other jobs, minimum salary 36,605 euro from 1 March 2026, usually after a labour market needs test.
- Working Holiday Authorisation for US citizens who are enrolled in full time third level education or graduated within the last 12 months. It lets you live and work in Ireland for up to 12 months and you do not need a job offer first.
- Stamp 0 for retirees and people of independent means. You must show income of around 50,000 euro a year per person, hold private medical insurance, and you cannot work. Time on Stamp 0 does not count towards citizenship.
- Family routes if you are joining an Irish or EU citizen spouse or partner.
If you have an Irish born grandparent, look at the Foreign Births Register before anything else. Once registered you are an Irish citizen and none of the above applies.
Your driving licence
The US is not on the NDLS list of recognised states, so you cannot swap a US licence for an Irish one. You can drive on your US licence for up to 12 months as a visitor, but once you are resident you must go through the Irish process: pass the driver theory test, get a learner permit, complete Essential Driver Training and pass the driving test. The good news is that experienced foreign licence holders only need 6 EDT lessons instead of 12 and can skip the usual six month wait before the test.
Tax, pensions and money
Ireland and the US have a double taxation agreement, so income taxed in one country is generally credited in the other. As a US citizen you still file a US return every year, plus an FBAR if your foreign accounts exceed 10,000 dollars in total. Irish banks report US account holders to Revenue under FATCA, so be upfront about your citizenship when opening accounts.
There is a bilateral social security agreement in force since 1 September 1993. It lets you combine US Social Security credits with Irish PRSI contributions to qualify for a pension in either country, and US Social Security retirement benefits can be paid to you in Ireland.
Your US credit history does not transfer. Ireland's Central Credit Register only holds Irish borrowing, so you start from zero. Open an Irish bank account (you will need proof of an Irish address) and use a specialist transfer service rather than a bank wire for large dollar to euro transfers.
Healthcare
Once the HSE accepts you as ordinarily resident (living here or intending to live here for at least a year) you can use the public system. Public hospital inpatient charges were abolished in April 2023, but GP visits cost roughly 50 to 70 euro unless you qualify for a medical card or GP visit card on income grounds. Most Americans buy private health insurance from VHI, Laya or Irish Life Health for faster access. Buy it within 9 months of arriving: if you are 35 or older and wait longer, a Lifetime Community Rating loading is added to your premium.
Bringing your things and your pet
You can import your household goods free of duty and VAT under Transfer of Residence relief if you have lived outside the EU for at least 12 months and owned the items for at least 6 months. File form C&E 1076 with Revenue.
The US is a listed country for pet travel, so your dog or cat does not need a rabies blood test. It needs an ISO microchip, a valid rabies vaccination given after the chip, an EU animal health certificate endorsed by USDA APHIS, tapeworm treatment for dogs, and you must give the Department of Agriculture advance notice so a compliance check can be done on arrival.
First 30 days checklist
- Apply for a PPS number through MyWelfare.ie. You need it for work, tax and healthcare.
- Register your immigration permission and get your IRP card (300 euro) within 90 days if you are staying beyond a visit.
- Open an Irish bank account and tell your employer your PPS number so you are not on emergency tax.
- Register with a GP near where you live and decide on private health insurance.
- Get a Leap card for buses, Luas and DART.
