Guide · First-week admin in Ireland

Bank accounts, PPS numbers and the admin your first week in Ireland actually needs.

Q: What is a PPS number and how do I get one?

A Personal Public Service (PPS) number is Ireland's tax and social-services identifier. You apply through MyWelfare with proof of address, ID and a reason for needing one (typically employment or opening a bank account). Processing takes a few weeks — start early.

Q: What is Revenue myAccount and do I need it?

Revenue myAccount is your online interface with the Irish tax authority. Once you have a PPS number and are registered for employment, you'll use it to manage tax credits, review payslips, and handle year-end matters. Employers cannot run PAYE cleanly without it.

Q: What proof of address do banks typically want?

A recent utility bill, tenancy agreement, employer letter or official State letter in your name at an Irish address. New arrivals often hit a chicken-and-egg loop here; the sequence matters, and we run it carefully as part of Personal Relocation and Family Settle engagements.

Q: How do rent, deposit and standing orders work in Ireland?

Rents are usually paid monthly by direct debit or standing order after a one-month deposit and one month up front. There is no widespread US-style credit-score system; landlords rely on references, employment letters and, sometimes, upfront payments.

Q: Does SettleDone open accounts on our behalf?

No — accounts are opened in your name with the bank. We coordinate the order of operations, ensure documents are ready, and remove the loops that most often stall new arrivals.

Every arriving household hits the same loops in the same order. Get the sequence right and the first week clears in days, not weeks.

Book a Discovery Call Arrival and settling in

SettleDone coordinates the sequence and readies documents. Bank accounts, PPS numbers and Revenue registrations are always in your name; we do not act as a legal or financial adviser.

Sequence

The order that actually works.

1 · Address you can prove
Short-stay Airbnbs rarely count as proof of address. A signed tenancy — even short-term — or an official employer letter tied to a real address is usually the unlock for everything else.
2 · PPS number
Apply via MyWelfare with ID, proof of address and reason. Book the appointment as early as legally possible; downstream steps stall without a PPS.
3 · Bank account
A digital account first (fast, from-anywhere onboarding), then a pillar-bank current account once documents are complete. This gets salary, rent and bills flowing.
4 · Revenue myAccount
Register once you have a PPS and an employer. Assign tax credits to the right employment so your first payslip is not overtaxed via emergency-tax rules.
5 · Household admin
Utilities, broadband, TV licence, mobile numbers, GP registration, health insurance and school enrolment. Sequencing matters more than any single item.

Skip the loops

A coordinated arrival gets first-week admin done in days.

Book a Discovery Call

From arrival to fully set up.

Common questions

Banking, PPS and first-week admin — frequently asked.

A few digital-first providers allow account opening from abroad; most Irish pillar banks require in-person or address-verified onboarding after arrival. In practice most families open a digital account first for salary and rent, then a pillar-bank account once residency documents are in hand.

Next step

Land ready to open every door, in order.

A complimentary 30-minute Discovery Call. No obligation. A clear recommendation of the right next step.

Book a Discovery Call See our programmes

Bank accounts, PPS numbers and the admin your first week in Ireland actually needs.

1 · Address you can prove

2 · PPS number

3 · Bank account

4 · Revenue myAccount

5 · Household admin

From arrival to fully set up.

Discovery Call

Personal Relocation

Family Relocation

Can I open an Irish bank account before I arrive?

What is a PPS number and how do I get one?

What is Revenue myAccount and do I need it?

What proof of address do banks typically want?

How do rent, deposit and standing orders work in Ireland?

Does SettleDone open accounts on our behalf?