Your first weeks in Ireland: the registrations to do after landing

US citizens do not need a visa to enter Ireland, but anyone staying longer than a visit must register their immigration permission and carry an Irish Residence Permit (IRP). Almost everything else in your first weeks, from tax to banking, depends on getting a few documents in the right order. This guide follows what Immigration Service Delivery (ISD), Citizens Information, Revenue and the HSE say today.

Step 1: the landing stamp and the 90-day clock

Citizens Information explains that when you arrive and are allowed to enter, you get a landing stamp in your passport. That stamp gives you permission to stay and tells you that you must register with immigration within 90 days.

ISD sets the same rule for permissions it grants: once ISD grants you permission to stay, you must register it within 90 days. ISD adds that if you cannot get an appointment within that period, it will not cancel your permission or expect you to leave. Book as early as you can anyway.

Who can register without applying in writing first? Citizens Information says people arriving on a D (long stay) visa, and citizens of countries that do not need an entry visa, which includes the United States, can register without a prior written application if they are, for example:

• moving to Ireland with an employment permit
• an international student
• on a working holiday visa
• joining an Irish spouse or family member

If ISD has already sent you a decision letter, Citizens Information says to bring it with you to registration.

Step 2: book the registration appointment

Citizens Information says all first-time registration applicants must book through the ISD online customer portal for an appointment at the ISD Registration Office at Burgh Quay, Dublin. If you are 16 or over, you need your own portal account with your own email address.

Two practical points from the same page:

• You can create your portal account before you travel, then log in and book once you arrive.
• Appointments at Burgh Quay are normally available within 2 to 3 weeks.

The documents depend on your permission type, and ISD publishes the list for each one under its first-time registration requirements. Check that list against your own case before the appointment rather than relying on a general checklist.

Step 3: pay the fee and receive the IRP

Citizens Information states that the IRP fee is €300. It is free in specific cases, including people under 18, people resident based on marriage to an Irish citizen, and family members of an EU citizen.

After registration the IRP card is sent to you by post. Citizens Information says you must carry the card at all times and show it to an immigration officer or the Garda Síochána if asked, and you should tell ISD if you change your address or your name.

Renewal happens online. Citizens Information says you can use the online renewal system once you have less than 12 weeks left on your current permission.

Step 4: PPS number

The Personal Public Service (PPS) number is your identifier for public services. Citizens Information says you need it to register with Revenue when you start work, and that an employer should only ask for it when you actually take up the job, not during recruiting.

To get one, Citizens Information says you must show proof of identity, proof of address and, if you are not living in Ireland, why you need the number. For non-EU citizens, the identity document is your current passport.

Proof of address is where newcomers stall. The address document must show your name and address and be no older than 3 months. Citizens Information accepts, among others, official confirmation of your address from a third party such as a hotel or hostel manager, a school administrator, or your accommodation owner. If you stay with friends or relatives, an original household bill plus a note from the bill holder confirming you live there works.

You can apply online through MyWelfare.ie if you have a MyGovID account. Citizens Information says you then attend an in-person appointment at a PPS Number Allocation Centre, which you book as part of the application, and you must attend it to complete the process.

Step 5: Revenue myAccount and your first job

Revenue says that when you start your first job in Ireland you should notify Revenue as soon as possible, or you may pay Emergency Tax. You do this by registering for myAccount, then adding the job under PAYE Services using your employer's Tax Registration Number.

Once you register the job, Revenue issues a Revenue Payroll Notification to your employer, which it uses to calculate Income Tax and Universal Social Charge. Revenue notes that later jobs are registered by your employer.

Step 6: bank account

Citizens Information says that to open a bank account you must provide proof of identity and verify your address. Your passport and IRP cover identity and status; address proof again depends on housing. If you have no Irish account, Citizens Information describes a basic bank account, a current account that does not charge fees for everyday banking in the first year. Ask for the bank's fee information document before you sign up, which Citizens Information says the bank should give you.

Step 7: a GP

The HSE's Find a GP service lists practices across the country by location, so you can choose one near your new address. Register with a practice early so you are not searching when you are ill.

Step 8: the US side

Enroll in the State Department's Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) so the US Embassy in Dublin can reach you in an emergency. The embassy's services page also covers US passports and citizenship services. Your IRS filing obligations continue while you live in Ireland, so keep your Irish payslips and Revenue records.

A suggested order

1. Before flying: create your ISD customer portal account.
2. Day 1 to 3: book your Burgh Quay appointment; get written address confirmation from your accommodation.
3. Week 1: apply for a PPS number on MyWelfare.ie and book the in-person appointment.
4. Week 2 to 3: attend immigration registration, pay the IRP fee.
5. On starting work: register for Revenue myAccount and add your job.
6. Week 3 to 4: open a bank account; register with a GP.
7. Any time: STEP enrollment.

See the rest of our Ireland series for visas, housing and money.

Common questions

How long do I have to register with immigration in Ireland? ISD says you must register your permission within 90 days. If you cannot get an appointment in that time, ISD says it will not cancel your permission or expect you to leave.

How much does the Irish Residence Permit cost? Citizens Information states a fee of €300, with exemptions including people under 18, spouses of Irish citizens and family members of EU citizens.

Where do first-time registrations take place? Citizens Information says first-time applicants book through the ISD online customer portal for the ISD Registration Office at Burgh Quay, Dublin, with appointments normally within 2 to 3 weeks.

What happens if I start a job without telling Revenue? Revenue says you may pay Emergency Tax. Register for myAccount and add the job using your employer's Tax Registration Number.