Getting To Ireland For Indian Nationals

As both countries were former subjects of the United Kingdom, a common kinship between the two countries were forged with this common history. Most of the commonality is through socio-cultural ties through noted luminaries as Pandit Nehru, Eamon de Valera, Rabindaranath Tagore, W.B. Yeats, James Joyce and Annie Besant.

Through these common ties, many Indians and Irish people have traveled between the two independent states. With the increased economic growth of Ireland, many Indian professionals have made their way to the country either through business or employment. This has made many legal inroads regarding immigration and entry into Ireland by Indian citizens.

The first way that Indians have been able to immigrate to Ireland is through the Nationality and Citizenship Act of 1956. The law provides that an Irish citizen is an individual born on Irish soil or any individual whose parent or grandparent born in Ireland. The ascendant's birth needs to be properly registered with the Irish Consulate and the descendant is considered of Irish citizenry even if they were not born in Ireland. The long-standing ties between Ireland and India have given way for many Indian-born individuals of Irish descent to immigrate back to Ireland.

Another way that Indians are able to immigrate to Ireland is through marriage. Indian citizens that have been married to Irish citizens for at least three years or three years after any spouse is recognized to be of Irish ancestry, then Indians can file for post nuptial citizenship based on that union. Paper marriages though are frowned upon and subject to stiff penalties such as deportation and blacklisting.

The third way that Indians are able to immigrate to Ireland is through work permits. The first step though in this route is obtaining a job offer from a company based in Ireland. One way is for the employer to obtain a work permit for the Indian professional together with a letter of confirmation of employment. With the increased mobility and availability of information regarding employment overseas, finding work in a booming economy seeking skilled workers would be easy for many Indian professionals.

The fourth way is through the Irish Green Card System. This new system instituted in 2007 allows Indians and other nationals to apply for green cards for immigration to Ireland. The following are the requirements to qualify for the Irish Green Card System:

a)The applicant must have obtained an offer of job where the employer confirms that the individual would be employed for at least two (2) years;
b)The salary for the said employment must be at least sixty thousand Euros or more per year;
c)For foreign students seeking to enroll in tertiary level graduate programs in Irish universities, the applicant must have a valid student visa to allow extended stay and allowance for employment in Ireland under this system;

Aside from the normal ways to enter Ireland, such as a tourist or non-employment visa, the previously discussed processes are the recommended ways for Indians to immigrate to Ireland. It is important though that all the qualifications have been met and none of the disqualifications are present in order for the Indian national to be allowed to enter and live in Ireland.