Family Reunification for Refugees: What Is Changing?

Important notice

If you can apply for family reunification now, do not delay. Applications submitted before 11pm on 11 June 2026 will be assessed under the current, more favourable rules.

The current rules before 12 June 2026

If you are currently granted refugee status or subsidiary protection in Ireland, you have the right to apply for family reunification. Under the International Protection Act 2015, which applies to applications made before 12 June 2026, you can apply as soon as you receive your Ministerial declaration confirming your protection status.

You must apply within 12 months of receiving that declaration. There is no waiting period, and there is no income or financial self-sufficiency requirement to sponsor your family.

Eligible family members include your spouse or civil partner, if the marriage or partnership pre-dated your protection application, and your children under 18 years of age.

If you are a minor granted protection, you can apply to bring your parents and unmarried siblings under 18.

The new rules from 12 June 2026

The International Protection Act 2026 introduces significant changes to family reunification for people granted refugee status or subsidiary protection. These changes apply to protection declarations granted on or after 12 June 2026.

1. A mandatory two-year waiting period

Under the new rules, you must wait two years from the date of your Ministerial declaration before you can apply for family reunification. This means you cannot start the application process until at least two years have passed since you were granted protection.

This was originally proposed as a three-year wait but was reduced to two years following significant cross-party criticism in the Dáil, European Court of Human Rights case law, and objections from UNHCR and NGOs.

2. Financial self-sufficiency requirement

You must demonstrate that you are financially self-sufficient before your application can be approved. This means you must show you have sufficient income to support the family members you wish to bring to Ireland.

The exact income thresholds will be set out in secondary regulations to be published by the Minister for Justice.

You must not be in receipt of certain social welfare payments at the time of application. You must also not have an outstanding debt to International Protection Accommodation Services, known as IPAS.

3. Expanded definition of family members

The new rules bring some improvements by widening who qualifies as an eligible family member.

In addition to spouses, civil partners and minor children, adult children who are financially dependent on you or who are living with a serious mental or physical disability may now be included.

Parents who are financially dependent on you or who are living with a serious mental or physical disability may also be included.

How this compares: then and now

Wait time: previously none, now two years.

Financial requirement: previously none, now self-sufficiency is required.

Eligible family members: previously limited, now slightly wider.

Application deadline: previously 12 months from declaration, new rules to be confirmed.

What should you do now?

If you have already been granted refugee status or subsidiary protection and you have not yet applied for family reunification, you should act immediately.

Applications submitted and received before 11pm on 11 June 2026 will be assessed under the current rules, which do not have a waiting period or income requirement.

You should contact an immigration solicitor or the Family Reunification Unit, Immigration Service Delivery, Department of Justice, as soon as possible.