With Brexit Vote, an Irish Passport Just Got More Valuable: Here’s How to Get One

Getting an Irish passport is a big deal for U.S. workers and retirees after the Brexit vote changed the landscape for the U.K. and all the Eurozone countries.
By Brian O'Connell ,

Ireland was well on the way to becoming an international hot spot before the U.K. voted to leave the European, in the now historic June 23 Brexit vote.

Now that the vote is recorded, and the process gets underway to untangle the U.K. for the E.U., an Irish passport has become an "Emerald Ticket" for U.S. travelers and retirees, who view the country as a perfect landing spot in the age of Brexit.

That's the gist of a new report from International Living, which says an "Irish passport offers holders the benefits and flexibility of E.U. membership and is more desirable than ever, now that the U.K. has voted to leave the European Union."

The report states that any U.S. citizen visiting Ireland with a round-trip travel ticket "automatically gets 90 days to enjoy the green hills, flowered valleys, and rocky shores of Ireland. But for retirees hoping to settle in Ireland for longer than 90 days at a time, a longer-term visa--or an Irish passport--is required."

That passport has its advantages for U.S. citizens looking to call Ireland home or at least stay in the country a long time. Ireland, though, is a notoriously tough passport "get," as the nation can be fairly picky about who gets into the country and who does not. But it's worth the effort, experts say.

This from the International Living report: "Both the United States and Ireland allow for dual citizenship, so it's perfectly legal-and can be advantageous-to hold passports from both countries."

"With an Irish passport in hand, for instance, an American is no longer restricted by rules that typically limit a non-E.U. citizen's stay in Europe to 90 days," the report says. "Somebody traveling on an Irish passport can enjoy the privilege of coming and going freely."

So how do you get one?

Having a family tie to Ireland helps.

"Americans with Irish ancestry wanting to live and work in the U.K., can still look into getting an Irish passport," says Ian Wright, founder of MoverDB.com, an international moving and relocation comparison website. "If you have a parent born in Ireland you're automatically a citizen. However, even one Irish grandparent may be enough to get citizenship and a passport."

"Additionally, getting an Irish passport, may allow you to work in the U.K. after Brexit, since there are special arrangements between the two countries that go beyond normal E.U. rules," Wright says.

Aiming for actual residency is another way into Ireland, as well as other EU countries.

"Get residency in an E.U. country by starting a business or buying real estate," advises Andrew Henderson, managing partner at Nomad Capitalist, in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Henderson says the business or investment can be incredibly small in some cases. "That will get you residency, and if you choose wisely, citizenship in five years depending on the country. You'll have full travel rights in Europe during the five years, then an E.U. passport after that. Also, you don't even need the passport if you have residence rights, as you'll have freedom to travel across the E.U."

That should be the case, too, in the U.K. for the next two years - that's how long it could take for the U.K. to break free from the EU.

For Ireland only, you can also get into the country for an extended stay on a "Stamp O" passport.

According to the International Living report, Stamp O was introduced back in 2011 by the Irish National Immigration Service, which described the program "as a "low-level immigration permission that allows a person to remain lawfully in Ireland for a specific temporary and limited purpose."

Essentially, Stamp O offers U.S. citizens "permission to remain" for one year in Ireland, with a renewal option available. "To qualify, an applicant must show "self-sufficiency," which means a €50,000 annual income (around $55,000) plus a sizable lump sum to cover major, unexpected expenses, established on a case by case basis, the International Living report states. "Essentially, the amount required is at the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service's discretion, and it needs to be satisfied the applicant won't cost the Irish government anything."

Otherwise, you can get in to Ireland as a major investor, meaning you have to obtain an investor's visa, which calls for an outlay of between approximately $559,000 and $2.23 million, per person, which allows U.S. citizens (with deep pockets) to remain in Ireland for five years. Also, if you're married to an Irish citizen for three years, and have lived in Ireland for one year, that should qualify you for an Irish passport as well, International Living reports.

Getting into Ireland isn't easy, but it's doable. Right now, with so much uncertainty in the U.K., post-Brexit, the competition should deepen for an Irish passport.

So, get started now, as the gaze of U.S. workers and retirees turn from London toward Dublin, and the rest of the Emerald Isle.

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