The principles for immigration to Ireland from New Zealand are established based on the duration of stay. Thus, the law distinguishes between procedures for arrivals of up to/more than 90 days (for stays over 90 days additional immigration formalities are imposed, more exactly, to obtain residency in Ireland).
These 2 main categories of rules are very important, as there are significant differences. For instance, in the case of those who will opt for immigration to Ireland from New Zealand for short-term arrivals, it must be noted that there aren’t any visa obligations.
Immigration to Ireland without a visa for short-term stays is possible for certain nationalities, with which Ireland has a visa waiver agreement (New Zealand is included in this list). Otherwise, foreign nationals must apply for suitable visas, and our immigration lawyer in Ireland can provide all the necessary details.
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Yes, foreigners can opt to migrate to Ireland for a work holiday program, which combines the qualities of a work visa with the ones of a tourist visa. The program is designed for temporary residence and offers young foreigners the possibility to work, study/train and visit .
The work holiday program in Ireland is established for only 9 countries, one of which is New Zealand. Although the basic requirements imposed to applicants are generally similar, there may be differences from one country to another in matters such as the validity of the visa, the age limit accepted for the applicants and others. For New Zealanders, the following apply:
Since most of the foreigners who move to Ireland from New Zealand relocate for the purpose of employment, our immigration lawyer in Ireland will present other visa options. According to the Irish Department of Justice, foreigners who want to work here have to obtain an Employment Permit, which is issued by the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment (DETE).
First, foreign applicants must address DETE, who will analyze the application, after which the foreigner can apply for an employment visa. Regardless of the specific type of employment permit obtained, all foreigners must have a valid employment visa.
The legislation on immigration in Ireland states that foreigners are allowed to start the application process with 3 months prior to their arrival in the country. In general, the processing of the application takes around 8 weeks and once the visa is approved, the person can relocate to Ireland from New Zealand.
Immigration to Ireland from New Zealand can also be initiated on account of having close relatives living here. This can be the case of spouses, parents, children, partners, etc. The legal steps that can be concluded in this situation vary on the reason of stay and the quality of the person who is a family member and living in Ireland.
This person can be an individual who has obtained citizenship in Ireland, can be an EU national, or a non-EU national. When the person living in Ireland is a non-EU/non-EEA national, there is the possibility to apply for a Long Stay (Join Family) visa.
If the person living in Ireland has arrived here for employment as a non-EU/non-EEA (third national), their family members can apply to move to Ireland from New Zealand once the first person has been residing in Ireland for at least 1 year.
Immigration to Ireland from New Zealand is also possible for individuals who want to start a business/invest in this country. At the moment, one can relocate to Ireland from New Zealand under the Start-up Entrepreneur Programme (STEP). Other business/investment programs have been discontinued, therefore STEP remains the only available option.
The good news is that the requirements for this business program are rather accessible – for example, investors need to subscribe a capital of minimum EUR 50,000 in their Irish business (as opposed to other thresholds imposed by previous programs, ranging from EUR 500,000 to EUR 2 million).
Along with the capital requirements, the Irish immigration legislation stipulates that foreign businessmen must invest this sum in an innovative business idea. Among other requirements, the law mentions that the investor must work full-time in the new business and other types of employment are not permitted.
The business plans presented in the visa application, once accepted by the Irish officials, must be maintained throughout the entire duration of the visa, otherwise the person’s residence permit in Ireland can be revoked.
In certain situations, visa applications will be met by a negative response. The Irish authorities will justify their decision, therefore the applicant will be informed on the reason of the refusal. However, it must be noted that the Irish immigration law grants the right to appeal a visa refusal, but only in certain cases.
In Ireland the possibility to appeal a decision is limited to specific visa types. If this is allowed, the applicant can initiate an appeal in a period of maximum 2 months since the decision was issued. Please mind that if you want to immigrate to Ireland from New Zealand under the STEP visa, you will not have the right to appeal the decision.
According to the Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration, the refusal will be accompanied by the reasons that led to the negative decision and the said ruling is considered final, under the Irish law. Therefore, the Irish authorities will not further review the decision, nor will they grant an appeal.
Our immigration lawyers in Ireland can present the types of visas where appeals can be addressed to local authorities. We invite you to contact our immigration lawyer in Ireland for further information. You can also address us if you want more details on the ways in which you can acquire permanent residence in Ireland.
