Relocating to another country – and moving to Ireland in particular – can be one of the most exhilarating and daunting of life’s experiences.
Relocating to another country – and moving to Ireland in particular – can be one of the most exhilarating and daunting of life’s experiences.
As a result, before moving to Ireland, it’s always a good idea to find out as much as possible about the country you’ll soon be calling home.
If you’re relocating to Ireland – for personal or professional reasons – there are some essential things you’ll want to be aware of before making a move.
In this guide, we’ll tell you all the important things you need to know about how to move to Ireland.
In addition, we’ll also explain how to get your worldly possessions to Ireland safely and securely, without overpaying.
So, whether you’re moving to Ireland from the UK, America, Australia, or somewhere in between, here’s everything you need to know.
Ireland, or as it’s often known, Eire, is an island in the North Atlantic.
Neighbouring the United Kingdom, Ireland is the third-largest island in Europe and the top 20 largest islands in the world.
Famed for its stunning areas of outstanding natural beauty and its captivating greenery, Ireland is an excellent choice for those looking to relocate.
Language: English / Irish
Population: 6.8 million (North and South combined)
Capital City: Dublin
Largest City: Dublin
Currency: Euros (€)
Timezone: Irish Standard Time (IST, UTC+01:00)
Date Format: dd/mm/yyyy
Dialling Code: +353
Without a doubt, the island is geopolitically unique.
Northern Ireland is constitutionally part of the United Kingdom, and the Republic of Ireland is a sovereign state which covers over 80% of the island.
Uniquely, as a result of Brexit, Northern Ireland remains a part of the EU’s single market for goods while the rest of the UK left. Meanwhile, culturally, Ireland is a vibrant country with a diverse range of nationalities calling it home.
For a small island, Ireland certainly packs a big punch.
No matter what your passion, you’ll find it catered for in the Emerald Isle.
That is to say, after moving to Ireland, you’ll be kept busy with a variety of action-packed adventures, hikes, entertainment and culture.
TV fan? Visit all of the Game of Thrones filming locations throughout the island, including the iconic Dark Hedges.
Love hiking? Visit the stunning Mountains of Mourne, the inspiration for CS Lewis’s Narnia in the Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.
Got that sinking feeling? Visit the home of Titanic, a world-leading visitor attraction.
Adrenalin junkie? Visit the Cliffs of Moher, where you’ll enjoy breathtaking views.
History buff? You’ll love the Rock of Cashel, an iconic ecclesiastical site that is one of Ireland’s top attractions.
Fancy a picnic in the park? Belfast’s famous Botanic Gardens and Dublin’s Phoenix Park offer a scenic retreat from fast-paced city life.
Love the colour green? Enjoy world-renowned Irish St Patrick’s Day Celebrations, an extravaganza of events in every city, town and village throughout the country.
What it lacks in size, it more than makes up for in stature; Ireland is one of the fastest-growing economies in the world.
With a thriving economy, moving to Ireland is a great choice to enhance your career.
In addition to its booming economy, world-class education system and spectacular scenery, Ireland is known for its friendliness and a welcoming, fun-loving population.
As a small, compact country, you’ll find everything close at hand.
In other words, a Saturday morning could be spent hiking the mountain peaks, and by the afternoon, you could be enjoying the city’s lively coffee shops.
Understanding everything about how to move to Ireland can be exciting and daunting in equal measures.
Certainly, if you do your research, you can make the big move as hassle-free as possible.
Here are some of the main things you should know about before you move.
It’s not the most exciting of subjects but sorting out your immigration as early as possible should be your number one priority in the months before moving to Ireland.
In short, to enter Ireland to live and work permanently, you must have the correct visa.
If you are a member of a European country, you can live and work in Ireland without a visa.
If you’re from a non-EU country, you will need a visa.
The type of visa you need depends on the purpose and length of your stay in Ireland.
The main types of visa are:
For comprehensive Irish visa information, visit the Citizen’s Information website.
The cost of living in Ireland varies from city to city.
For example, Dublin is, for many things such as rent, food and alcohol, nearly twice the price as their equivalents in Belfast.
As a result of the higher living costs in some Irish cities, this is reflected in an increased salary.
Unsurprisingly, as one of the fastest-growing economies globally, there are many career opportunities in Ireland.
For example, the unemployment rate in Ireland is hovering around 5%.
Firstly, with a thriving tech industry that is home to Google, Facebook and Microsoft, IT careers and opportunities are significant.
Secondly, a growing tourist industry also means there’s a particular need for both skilled and casual hospitality workers.
Currently, the six main areas where the Irish economy has a skills shortage are:
Ireland has a global reputation for the quality of its education system.
For instance, a major international study revealed that young people in Ireland are the most educated in Europe.
Similarly, another study found that the Irish population were the fourth most-educated globally.
Impressively, over half (56%) of 25-34-year-olds have received further or higher education.
Dublin’s Trinity University is ranked joint-101st globally and is one of the most famous historical sites in Dublin.
Belfast’s Queen’s University is ranked 200th in the world.
You’ll be glad to know Ireland has a well-established, efficient healthcare system.
Many of the core Irish public health services are free of charge; however, there may be a fee in some cases.
However, you’ll be able to use the Irish healthcare system almost immediately, even without signing up.
All you have to do to get access to the wide range of health services is satisfy the HSE that you are ‘ordinarily resident in Ireland’ – which you should be able to prove through your visa.
Whether you’re staying in the Emerald Isle for a year or plan on moving to Ireland to live out the rest of your days, you’ll have ample choice between rented and owned accommodation.
Your choice of renting or buying depends on how long you’re planning to stay.
It will also depend on which part of the island you choose.
Dublin, unsurprisingly, is the most expensive part of Ireland to live in rented or owned housing.
Interestingly, an Irish Times report found that buying a property in Dublin could be nearly 42% cheaper than renting.
Ireland is a cultural hotbed of music, arts, folklore, literature and sport.
Irish culture has been defined from its Gaelic roots, with Gaelic Football and Hurling packing out stadiums every weekend.
The Irish language, while not used as frequently as English, is practised throughout school and home.
Like most European countries, Ireland is heavily influenced by Western food preferences, so expect to see all the usual McDonald’s, KFCs, Starbucks, etc.
But the island has a lot of fabulous food and drink on offer too.
Famous for Guinness, Irish stews and soda bread, Ireland has a wide variety of food that will tantalise your taste buds.
Irish Gaelic language is recognised as the first official language of Ireland, with up to 5% using it regularly.
However, the most commonly used language in Ireland is English.
Despite Brexit posing some significant immigration challenges, moving to Ireland from the UK is, thankfully, relatively straightforward.
If you’re a UK citizen and thinking about moving to Ireland from the UK, you do not need a visa or residency permit to live, study or work in Ireland.
That’s because of the Common Travel Area (CTA), which allows Irish and UK citizens to work, travel between and live freely in each other’s countries.
For the most up to date information on moving to Ireland from the UK, please click here.
Moving you and all of your earthly possessions to a new country is daunting.
But thankfully, there are quite a few options to choose from to make the process as hassle-free and cost-effective as possible.
It’s important to understand your options as some will be tailor-made for you while others might not suit your needs.
By sea, air and land, international removal services can transport your possessions to your new home country.
It’s worth remembering that costs can quickly mount, but it can be an ideal option if you’ve got large, bulky items like sofas and beds, or even your car, to move from one country to another.
In other words, if affordability is important to you, container shipping is usually the most affordable international removals option.
However, a real disadvantage of container shipping is waiting time; you could be waiting for up to two months for all of your possessions to arrive.
Typically though, sea freight – while slower – is cheaper than air freight.
Before booking either option, check if the company delivers belongings right to your door as some companies require you to set up transportation from ports, which of course can cost extra time and money.
My Baggage offers a convenient and affordable international moving service to Ireland.
And we can help you relocate to over 200 countries worldwide, across over 1,000 routes.
You’ll enjoy hassle-free door-to-door shipping, full online tracking and dedicated, unrivalled customer support.
When it comes to your possessions, we know you can feel a little apprehensive about handing them over to a removals driver.
That’s why at My Baggage, we’re proud of being a company you can trust with your most essential items.
When you move country, you want all of your possessions to arrive in your new location at the same time as you, not two months later.
At My Baggage, our fast, convenient, reliable and low-cost door-to-door shipping service reunites you faster with your most treasured possessions.
Tip: Consider selling your larger, bulkier items and buy replacements in your new country.
When you’re moving country, money is tight.
That’s why at My Baggage, we offer amazingly low rates on our international shipping services.
We’re so confident in our pricing that we also offer a price match tool if you happen to find a better price.
My Baggage isn’t just one of the most affordable options for international shipping.
Our straightforward, convenient service offers fantastic value for money.
We offer a massive 30kg/66lb weight allowance per item for as little as, for example, £116 per item from the US to Ireland.
Furthermore, you have the option to send as many items as you like with us.
My Baggage is ideal for suitcases and boxes of all of your most essential possessions you’d like to have with you in Ireland.
You can also send oversized items – such as sports equipment and musical instruments – with My Baggage.
From the moment you wave goodbye to your suitcases and boxes, you’ll be able to keep up to date with their journey.
If you opt-in for text and email notifications, we’ll provide you with regular updates on where your items are right now and when they’ll arrive to meet you in Ireland.
In addition, we also provide full online tracking for every shipment, which you can access anytime in your My Baggage account.
Our Customer Support is legendary – check out all of our independent 5-star reviews – and we’re just a phone call, email or live chat away from helping you with any problems.
Nobody likes waiting around for their possessions.
As a result, we prioritise getting your items to your new Irish home as quickly and safely as possible.
Don’t worry about arranging transportation from ports; My Bagage collects from your doorstep and delivers to your doorstep in your new home country.
My Baggage offers a new approach to transporting oversized items such as bicycles, musical instruments, and sporting equipment to Ireland.
Shipping your oversized items to Ireland with My Baggage is the most cost-effective, hassle-free way to get your possessions from A – B without breaking the bank.
In addition, My Baggage can often be much more cost-effective than hiring an entire international removals company for just a few items.
Airline baggage can be expensive; there’s no doubt about it.
Certainly, we’ve all been caught out before with excessive charges.
Add in the demoralising journey of dragging around suitcases through airports and train stations on your way to Ireland.
But what if you could enjoy a hassle-free, hands-free and stress-free journey to Ireland?
Say hello to My Baggage.
We’ll move everything over, so all you have to focus on in the airport is whether you grab a coffee from Starbucks or Costa.
Shipping your excess baggage to Ireland with My Baggage also makes that dreaded, tedious wait for the appearance of your suitcase at the airport’s luggage carousel a thing of the past.
Are you coming to Ireland to further your education?
If so, you’re in luck!
Most importantly, the My Baggage team comprises former students and recent graduates, so we understand that money is tight for you.
As a result, My Baggage is here to make your big move to the Emerald Isle as easy as possible.
Our prices are student-budget friendly, and you can send as many items as you like with us; we offer a massive 30kg/66lbs weight allowance per box or suitcase.
With door-to-door collection and delivery to every campus in Ireland, our fast transit times and Express services will reunite you quickly with all your belongings.
Find out what other students who use My Baggage think; they’re our greatest advocates.
When shipping to Ireland, all goods must be cleared through customs.
Please provide your eircode in your address to help ensure deliveries take place without issue.
Irish customs will request a charge of roughly 20 Euro for a personal effects clearance fee to be paid when going through customs.
However, this will usually be collected directly by the courier.
We recommend allowing an extra 1-2 days in case of delay due to increased processing times.
If you need to cancel or change your booking for any reason, we will offer you full credit on your My Baggage account or a full refund if you select our Super Flexi fare.
For information regarding the current Covid-19 outbreak, please click here.
My Baggage specialises in shipping personal effects all over the world.
However, for security and customs reasons, certain items are considered prohibited.
Therefore, as a general rule, you can be sure that the following items are prohibited:
We also recommend that you do your research into what may be prohibited from entry into your destination country before booking your shipment, as import allowances differ worldwide.
Certain items may be specifically restricted from entry into Ireland by customs and/or quarantine.
For a comprehensive list of what you can and cannot bring into Ireland, click here.
In addition, some items can be carried with My Baggage, but that may not be covered under our compensation cover.
Proceeding will be at your own risk.
If you decide to send any non-compensation items with My Baggage, please ensure they are packaged appropriately, with internal packaging for fragile items.
Find out more about My Baggage’s prohibited and non-compensation items.
When shipping your belongings to Ireland with My Baggage, we recommend using either suitcases or strong cardboard boxes.
Alternatively, you can use a mixture of both.
We advise against using fragile or expensive suitcases, as our compensation cover does not cover them.
We also recommend that you tape over any handles, etc., to protect them.
With boxes, it’s always best to invest in a new, sturdy, double-walled (or even triple-walled) cardboard box as they are most durable and suitable for transit.
Shipping your belongings to Ireland with My Baggage is effortless.
Our easy to use online booking system is available 24/7 and takes just a few short moments to complete.
Simply start by obtaining a quote straight from our website.
Once you’ve booked, we’ll send you some shipping labels to print and attach to your items.
After that, you can sit back and relax as we take care of everything else for you.
It really is that easy.
My Baggage offers convenient and affordable shipping services for absolutely everyone, whether you’re a business user, a holidaymaker, an ex-pat or, of course, relocating.
No matter your reason, absolutely anyone can take advantage of our competitive prices and excellent services.
Many savvy business users regularly avail of our low cost and convenient shipping services to relocate their employees worldwide.
So, what are you waiting for?
