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28 September 2026

New to Ireland on Stamp 2 or Stamp 1G (2026): Your First 30 Days - IRP Registration, PPSN, Banking and Common Travel Area Traps

New to Ireland on Stamp 2 or Stamp 1G (2026): Your First 30 Days - IRP Registration, PPSN, Banking and Common Travel Area Traps

By MigrantIQ / Naveed Jawaid

Your first month in Ireland as a non-EEA student (Stamp 2) or graduate (Stamp 1G) is mostly paperwork, and the order matters. This checklist deliberately quotes no fees or processing times; they change, and only the figures on the official sites on the day you apply count.

First, get your stamp straight

  • Stamp 2 is the student permission, with conditions on attendance and limited work rights. Read the conditions on your own permission, not a friend's.
  • Stamp 1G (Third Level Graduate Programme) lets eligible graduates of Irish higher education stay on to look for work. Immigration Service Delivery (ISD) says moving from Stamp 2 to Stamp 1G is requested online with supporting documents. Your permission length depends on your award level.

Already registered and switching to Stamp 1G? Skip to PPSN and banking.

Week 1: register your permission

Non-EEA nationals staying more than 90 days must register their immigration permission. Your landing stamp at the airport tells you the date by which to do it.

  • Where: Since 13 January 2025, first-time registration for every county happens at ISD's Burgh Quay Registration Office in Dublin, even if you study in Cork or Galway.
  • When to book: ISD says appointments are booked online only, only after you arrive, and booking is free. Create your ISD portal account as soon as you land. Stamp 2 applicants must wait until their course has started.
  • What to bring: your passport, the address form from your confirmation email, and printed copies of the documents your permission requires (for students, typically enrolment, fees paid, private medical insurance and evidence of funds). Electronic copies are not accepted, so print everything.
  • Payment: a registration fee is paid at the appointment. Check the current amount on irishimmigration.ie.
  • After: your Irish Residence Permit (IRP) card is posted to you. Make sure post actually reaches you at that address.

Renewals and stamp changes are done online. Put your permission end date in your calendar now.

Week 1-2: PPSN (only if you have a reason)

Your Personal Public Service Number is issued by the Department of Social Protection. According to MyWelfare:

  • You can only get a PPSN if you need one to access a public service - for example, starting a job so you can pay tax.
  • You do not need a PPSN if you are only looking for work. Applying "just in case" is not a valid reason.
  • You apply online through MyWelfare using a basic MyGovID account, give your reason, then attend an in-person appointment. Your number arrives by post after further checks.

Practical points:

  • With a job offer, ask the employer for a letter confirming it.
  • Once you start work, register the job with Revenue through myAccount. Until Revenue has your PPSN and job details, you may be taxed at emergency rates.

Week 1-3: opening a bank account

The classic first-month trap is circular: the bank wants proof of address, the landlord wants a bank account, and the employer wants both.

  • Ask each bank which documents it accepts as proof of address for a newcomer; a college or employer letter is worth asking about.
  • If your IRP card has not arrived, ask what will do in the meantime.
  • If you use an app-based account first, confirm your employer and landlord accept its IBAN.
  • Never pay a deposit to a landlord you have not met or verified.

The Common Travel Area traps

The Common Travel Area (CTA) covers Ireland, the UK, the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands. It gives Irish and British citizens special rights; it is not a free pass to the UK for non-EEA residents of Ireland.

  • Your IRP is not UK permission. If your nationality needs a UK visa, you need one to visit the UK, including Northern Ireland. The lack of routine checks on the land border does not change the rule.
  • UK ETA: gov.uk says non-visa nationals who live in Ireland do not need a UK Electronic Travel Authorisation when travelling to the UK from Ireland, Guernsey, Jersey or the Isle of Man. The exemption does not apply if you fly into the UK from outside the CTA, and you may be asked to prove you live in Ireland. Carry your IRP card.
  • Coming back: carry your passport and IRP whenever you travel, including from Britain.
  • Timing: avoid trips while a registration or stamp change is pending unless ISD has confirmed what you need to re-enter.

One free overview

After the official pages, it can help to see Ireland's main routes and planning notes in one place. For that, you can use a free Ireland country overview on MigrantIQ. Treat it as a starting map; the binding rules are always the ones published by Irish Immigration Service Delivery.

30-day checklist

  • [ ] Photo of your landing stamp and its registration date
  • [ ] ISD portal account created and Burgh Quay appointment booked
  • [ ] Printed documents, address form and payment ready
  • [ ] PPSN applied for only once you have a valid reason
  • [ ] Job registered with Revenue myAccount
  • [ ] Bank account with an IBAN your employer accepts
  • [ ] UK visa or ETA position checked before any trip north or across the Irish Sea

Disclaimer: This article is general information, not legal or immigration advice. Irish immigration rules, fees and procedures change. Always check the current requirements with Irish Immigration Service Delivery (irishimmigration.ie), the Department of Social Protection (MyWelfare) and, for UK travel, gov.uk before you act.

MigrantIQ / Naveed Jawaid