Ireland immigrant Investor Programme
Ireland is a beautiful and rich country in Western Europe known for its captivating landscape and cleansing air. Grasslands and pastures cover 80% of the island. It is surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean and located west of England. The official language of Ireland is English. Ireland is one of the fastest growing economies in Europe and it is also one of the wealthiest countries in the world. Its geographical location, low tax rate and membership to the EU and Eurozone attract many international companies that want to gain access to Europe and North America. Thousands of the world’s largest technology and innovation companies have established their European headquarters in Ireland, including Apple, Google, Huawei, Intel, Microsoft, Dell. After the ease on the immigrant policy, Ireland became more attractive to those who are seeking a higher quality life and better education for their children, as well as those intererested in the welcoming business environment and excellent investment opportunities.
The Programme
To facilitate further Irish economic development, the Irish Government introduced the Immigrant Investor Programme in 2012, and further enhanced the programme in 2016 to facilitate investors and business professionals from outside of the EU to avail themselves of the opportunities of investing and living in Ireland.
Enterprise Investment
The Immigrant Investor Programme facilitates non-EEA nationals and their families who commit to an approved investment in Ireland to acquire a secure residency status in Ireland. A minimum investment of €1,000,000, in either a single Irish enterprise or spread over a number of enterprises, must be held for a minimum of 3 years under the Programme.
Application Conditions
Applicant Requirements:
- All applicants are non-EEA nationals.
- The principal applicant is above the age of 18.
- Eligible family members are his/her spouse, children under the age of 18, and unmarried children aged between the ages of 18 and 24, given that they are financially dependent on the applicant.
Other Requirements:
- €1,000,000 to invest in an Irish Enterprise for 3 years.
- Supporting documents as evidence of net worth (minimum of €2 million or equivalent).
- All applicants have not been convicted of criminal offences in any jurisdiction.
- All applicants must be of good character.
Advantages of the Programme
- Low Barriers: No requirement on language, education, business background and physical examination.
- International Language: The only country in the Eurozone with English as its official language.
- Top-notch Education: Free compulsory education (in English) and free public university education with citizenship. Ireland is highly-educated and famous for its sophisticated education system.
- Food Safety: Ranked 1st with Canada for the safest food in the world. More than 50% of the milk powder and 25% of infant milk formula in the world is exported from Ireland. Ireland also has some of the world’s finest seafood from its unpolluted oceans.
- Clean Environment: Ireland, known as the “Emerald Isle”, is the least polluted country in the world.
- Safe Country And Friendly People: Ireland is 1 of the 7 neutral countries in the world and is a top-ranked country on the Global Peace Index and the Global Happy Planet Index. It is graded as the friendliest countries in the world and has one of the lowest crime rates in Europe.
- Low Tax Rate: Ireland has a low (12.5 percent) corporate tax rate, leading to its ranking as the “Best Country for Business” by Forbes in 2013 and has signed the Bilateral Tax Treaty with many countries.
- Family Immigration: All family members can get residence permits, which allow them to work, study and do business in Ireland.
- Citizenship: Investors can apply for naturalization after meeting the residence and other requirements.
- Low Risk: No need to invest money before approval.
- Quick Approval: approximately 6 months from application to residence.
- Minimum Residence Requirement: Only required to visit Ireland at least once per calendar year so you are not required to give up your business or job in your country of origin.
