Ireland

Ireland is a strategic country and excellent base to do business in UK, Europe and America. Ireland is a EU member country and also member of Schengen area. Besides these Ireland is an excellent foreign investment destination to form a company.

Ireland is NOT a member of UK and also NOT a member of Schengen countries.

 

Immigrant Investor Program

Ireland has a specific scheme for Non-EU and Non-EEA persons to obtain residence by means of establishing a business in Ireland. The minimum investment needed EUR 500’000 and more and following  eligibility procedure..

 

Qualifying investments

 

  • Endowment: €500,000 towards philanthropic projects in Ireland
  • Enterprise investment: €1,000,000 invested in an Irish Enterprise for 3 years
    Investment Funds: €1,000,000 invested in an approved fund.
  • Immigrant Investor Bond: €1 million invested in the bond at 0% interest rate
  • Real Estate Investment Trusts: A minimum investment of €2 million in any Irish REIT that is listed on the Irish Stock Exchange.  The €2 million investment may be spread across a number of different Irish REITs.
  • Mixed investment: Investment in a residential property of minimum value of€450,000 and a straight investment of €500,000 into the immigrant investor bond, giving a minimum investment of €950,000. The level of investment into the bond would no longer be linked to the value of the property purchased.

 

Conditions

 

  •  The minimum investment amount should be no less than EUR 500,000
  •  Prior “Business Permission” must be obtained from Ministry of Justice and Equality.
  •  Must create atleast 2 jobs in Ireland.
  •  Prior business experience and detailed business plans needed.
  •  Applicants should be able to prove sufficient income available for accommodation and living expenses.
  • No gainful occupation in Ireland allowed.

 

Processing time is 4-8 months. If the file is approved, investors and their family members will be issued Stamp 4 permanent settlement status, valid for 5 years.

 

Education discount for €50,000 will be issued to investors children under the scheme.

 

All applicants have to go through background checks, AML checks by INIS.

 

Citizenship

 

The Immigrant Investor Program (IIP) does not provide for preferential access to naturalization for successful applicants.  Irish legislation requires applicants for Irish naturalization to be physically resident in Ireland for the 12 months prior to application and to be physically resident in Ireland for four of the proceeding eight years, i.e. 5 years

 

Businesses

 

The formalities involved requires lot of work and it is not easy to get get business permission. To do business in Ireland, you can either setup a Private Limited Company (PRC) or Public Limited Company (PLC).

 

Ireland Private Limited Company

The PRC is popular among foreign investors as there are no minimum share capital, and it requires atleast 2 directors and a company secretary. Atleast one of the directors need to be an EEA national. Annual audits must be filed.

Ireland Public Limited Company

The Public Limited Company (PLC) requires minimum share capital of EUR 39,000 and atleast 25% of the the capital must be paid up and there are minimum of 7 shareholders required. Annual audits must be filed yearly.

Ireland levies 12.5% of corporate tax in profits.