Your Ireland Relocation Timeline: What Actually Happens Month by Month

T-6 months — Decide the shape of the move

Six months out, you're not booking flights. You're answering three questions: who is moving, on what visa route, and to which part of Ireland. Every downstream decision — schools, tax residency, housing budget, shipping — depends on the answers.

This is also when you engage regulated advisors on both sides of the Atlantic. Irish immigration counsel for the visa route (Critical Skills, Stamp 4 spouse, Stamp 0, business permission). A US tax advisor who understands Irish residency rules. If you're a founder, an Irish company formation advisor. SettleDone doesn't give this advice — but we coordinate the intake so nobody starts work in the wrong order.

T-5 months — Lock the visa route

Employment permits (Critical Skills, General) are the fastest route for professionals. Stamp 0 fits retirees. Stamp 4 covers Irish-national and spousal cases. Founder routes (Start-up Entrepreneur Programme, business permission) run on a longer clock than most people assume — six to nine months is realistic.

Book biometric appointments in the US the moment your route is chosen. Slots disappear fast, especially at the New York and Washington DC embassies.

T-4 months — Housing shortlist, not lease

Dublin's rental market moves in days, not weeks. Signing a lease from abroad four months out means paying double rent for months. Instead, this is when you narrow to two or three areas: Dublin 4/6 for South-Dublin family life, Dublin 3/8 for value, Blackrock or Malahide for coastal-village feel, Kildare or Wicklow for house-and-garden budgets.

Book a scouting trip for month T-2 or T-3. The people who arrive without one usually accept the first property they see because they've run out of time.

T-3 months — Schools, if you have children

Irish schools broadly split into fee-paying, non-fee-paying with a Catholic or multi-denominational ethos, Educate Together, and Gaelscoileanna (Irish-language). Fee-paying south Dublin schools maintain waiting lists that opened three years ago — realistically you're accepting whichever school has a seat in your child's year group.

This is the month to email admissions offices, not to make a decision. Ask two questions in every email: is there a place in September, and what documents do you need before you'll hold it?

T-2 months — The scouting trip

A well-run scouting trip is four days. Day one: two neighborhoods, in person, at the times you'd actually be there (weekday morning, Saturday afternoon). Day two: property viewings — book six, expect three. Day three: schools and, if you're a founder, a coworking or office viewing. Day four: buffer for anything that came up.

Bring the paperwork Irish landlords ask for: employment contract or offer letter, three months of US bank statements, a reference from your current landlord, and a photocopy of your passport. Landlords rent to the applicant with the cleanest file, not the highest offer.

T-1 month — Book the immovables

Flights. A shipper (Allied, Crown, or a local Dublin operator — get three quotes). Pet import paperwork if applicable — the process is straightforward but must start at least three weeks before travel. A short-let for the first two to four weeks on arrival, so you're not making rushed decisions from a hotel with kids.

This is also the week to notify your US financial institutions of the move. Most brokerages restrict non-US-resident accounts, and you want to know before you land — not after.

Week of arrival — The correct sequence

There is one order that works, and it is boring:

1. Register your address (utility bill in your name, or letting agent confirmation).
2. Apply for PPSN (Personal Public Service Number) — book online, appointment usually within 2–3 weeks.
3. Open an Irish bank account (AIB, Bank of Ireland, or Revolut for speed) — most now allow app-based opening, but a physical branch visit is still often required within 30 days.
4. Register with Revenue (MyAccount) once your PPSN is issued.
5. Register with a GP — a Medical Card or Health Insurance decision needs to be made in the first month, not the first year.

First 30 days — The admin sprint

Convert your US driver's license before day 30 if you can — some US states qualify for a direct exchange with the National Driver Licence Service, others require the full test. Register with a GP even if you're healthy. If you have children, complete school enrollment paperwork in person — most schools require it.

Do not sign anything long-term this month. Not a car lease, not a gym membership, not a phone contract longer than 12 months. The first month is for information gathering, not commitments.

Days 30–90 — Actually settling

This is when Ireland starts feeling like home instead of an assignment. The right time to switch to a long-term lease, to make the school decision permanent, to file your first Revenue return if you have US income to declare.

It's also when the mistakes surface. The bank that wouldn't accept your US employer letter. The tax filing you didn't realize was due. Have a review call with your advisors at day 60. Not day 180.

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