Stamp 4

Stamp 4 allows residence and work in Ireland without an employment permit. It gives holders greater flexibility to change employer or sector, or to start a business, subject to the permission’s conditions.

We prepare Stamp 4 applications and renewals according to the route involved. Employment permit residence, family residence, long-term residence and other routes have different requirements, which determine the evidence and support needed.

What it allows

ISD states that Stamp 4 indicates permission to stay in Ireland for a specified period, subject to conditions. It also says the holder can take up employment and is not required to hold an Employment Permit.

Stamp 4 can also allow a person to establish and operate a business. Stamp 1G and many Stamp 1 permissions restrict these activities unless a permission letter says otherwise.

For workers coming from employment permits, Stamp 4 usually means the permission is no longer tied to one named employer. The person should still keep the record of how Stamp 4 was granted, because that basis may be relevant at renewal or citizenship stage.

Continuing obligations

Stamp 4 must be renewed before it expires. Holders should also keep their address, passport and registration details up to date.

Stamp 4 holders remain non-Irish nationals unless citizenship is separately granted. Travel, voting and EU free movement rights are governed by separate rules.

ISD says a Stamp 4 holder may work in a profession subject to the conditions of the relevant professional or other bodies. Any professional registration requirements still apply.

How you get it

ISD’s dedicated Stamp 4 upgrade page sets out the timing for employment permit and Hosting Agreement holders. It measures qualifying employment from commencement in the State, rather than simply from the date a permit was issued.

Workers on Stamp 1 or Stamp 1H may apply after completing 21 months of employment on the basis of a Critical Skills Employment Permit, a researcher Hosting Agreement, or a Multi-Site General Employment Permit as a Non-Consultant Hospital Doctor. The page specifies 57 months for General Employment Permit and Intra-Company Transfer employment, and says those categories cannot be substituted for the 21-month categories.

ISD determines commencement of employment through the Employment Detail Summary available from Revenue. A Stamp 4 upgrade application should include consistent Revenue, permit and IRP records.

Renewal

ISD says Stamp 4 permissions issued under the employment permit and Hosting Agreement upgrade basis are renewable every 2 years for some categories and every year for others. The exact renewal pattern depends on the category under which Stamp 4 was granted.

A renewal file should show the current passport, IRP card, address, continued residence and the basis of permission. Where the Stamp 4 came from an employment permit upgrade, the old permit and Revenue evidence should still be kept, even after the person is no longer tied to that permit.

Submit the renewal before expiry. A lapse in Stamp 4 can create a residence gap that needs to be addressed in later residence or citizenship applications.

Whether it counts towards citizenship

ISD states that Stamp 4 is reckonable residence when applying for citizenship by naturalisation. The Naturalisation Residency Calculator says an applicant must show 1,825 or 1,826 days of reckonable residence over the last 9 years, including 365 or 366 days immediately before applying.

Keep IRP cards, approval letters, renewal decisions and travel records to support the citizenship residence calculation.

Where things go wrong

Check the Stamp 4 upgrade date against the commencement of employment shown in Revenue records. Retain the documents establishing the original basis of Stamp 4, as they may be needed at renewal.

For Stamp 4 upgrades and renewals, we agree the scope of preparation after reviewing the permission history and the documents relevant to that route.

Common questions

Do I need an employment permit on Stamp 4?

ISD says Stamp 4 allows the holder to take up employment and they are not required to hold an Employment Permit. The permission still has an expiry date and must be renewed.

Does Stamp 4 make citizenship automatic?

No. Stamp 4 is reckonable residence, but citizenship by naturalisation is a separate application with its own residence calculation and document requirements.