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You’re finally making the move to Ireland, but now you need to navigate all of the tasks required to relocated to another country. Here is a checklist to help you get through them so you can start enjoying your new life in Ireland.
Download your free PDF of this Moving to Ireland Checklist
6 to 12 Months Before Departure
- Set up a moving calendar. If moving with family, post your calendar somewhere that everyone can see it.
- Start a relocation budget spreadsheet. Begin with a predicted budget using estimated costs and then add in your actual costs as you go.
- Plan when you are going to quit your current job. Consider the required notice periods in your employment contract.
- Commence immigration applications and obtain/renew your passport if required.
6 Months Before Departure
- Research for potential job opportunities and update your resume and LinkedIn Profile.
- Research and contact potential schools/child care.
- Once your immigration visa and work permits have been approved, book your flights.
- Book temporary accommodation in Ireland.
- Arrange transport from the airport to your accommodation. See here for transport options from each of the airports in Ireland. If you are going to have a lot of luggage, then consider booking a shuttle. Here’s some information about how to use Irish taxi services.
- Commence the process for relocating your pets.
- Book your moving company.
- Notify your children’s school/day care that you will be moving and arrange for any relevant information to be transferred.
- Arrange to collect medical, dental, prescription/medications, vaccinations records.
- Scan or take photos of important documents and non digital photos. Store them to a memory device as well as the cloud, e.g. Dropbox account.
- Begin sorting items and selling/giving away what you don’t want.
- Begin packing items that you won’t need before you move.
- If you have access to good cheap medical care, consider getting a check up at your doctor, dentist, and optician. This will allow you to resolve any potential medical issues so they don’t get in the way of your move.
- If you are planning on renting out your current home, then set up meetings with prospective property managers and get your property valued. Get feedback on any improvements that need to be done to the property to gain maximum rental returns. Schedule time to either do it yourself, or book someone else to do it for you.
3 Months Before Departure
- If you are selling your furniture (beds, fridge etc…) then consider either borrowing or hiring essential items to use up until your departure so you can sell your own items in advance.
- Depending on your work contract, resign from your existing job providing the required notice period. You need good references for future employment, so leave on good footing.
- Obtain financial and tax statements.
- Arrange to pay outstanding bills.
- Schedule time to farewell friends and family.
- Continue to sell unwanted items online.
- For smaller items, or those that haven’t sold online, schedule a garage sale or sell items at a car boot sale.
- Arrange travel insurance
- Arrange for Irish Health insurance
- Cancel the:
- Gas
- Electricity
- Oil
- Phone
- Mobile Phone – You may want to keep your connection until you arrive in Ireland, so ensure you have roaming set up so it works outside your home country. Once you arrive, you can purchase a prepay SIM card until you are able to make other arrangements. Just make sure your phone is SIM unlocked.
- Internet
- If you are planning to rent your home, then arrange the necessary insurances e.g. landlords insurance as well as rental property insurance. Remember to schedule your existing household insurance to end when the new insurance arrangements take over.
- Set up direct debit for any bill payments that need to occur while you’re away.
- Set up online banking and online access to any other accounts that you will need to keep open. Arrange to receive statements online to avoid issues with them getting lost in the mail.
- Open a bank account in Ireland.
- Fill any medication scripts that you will need.
- Arrange for regular deliveries to be cancelled prior to you departing e.g. newspaper, milk, magazine subscriptions etc…
- Claim unused points on club cards or points schemes and then cancel them if no longer needed.
- Go through all of the food stored in your pantry and begin eating your way through it.
1 Month Before Departure
- Buy some Euro so that you have local currency when you arrive.
- Notify your Bank and arrange for cash/travellers cheques/travel debit cards. You need to ensure that you have access to enough cash when you arrive in Ireland, especially if you have not been able to open a bank account before arriving.
- Get rid of unsold items via charity shops and freecycle websites (where you can offer your goods for free). At least it will go to someone who will reuse it, instead of the landfill.
- If you have arranged to rent your house out, then make sure that you arrange to have the household bills that they will be managing redirected to them, e.g. council rates, landlords insurance etc… Also, decide whether you will be doing the final property clean yourself or hiring someone to do it for you. Your real estate agent should have a qualified company they work with that they can recommend.
- Notify change of address with anything that requires it.
- Consider getting a redirect service set up for your mail to be sent to your new address. If you don’t initially have one, consider getting it redirected to a trusted family member or friend that you feel comfortable with opening your mail for you. They can send on any important documents via email or post.
- Finish packing and make an inventory for the moving company (also required by customs).
- Finalise what you will be taking with you in your suitcases. Consider the changes in season that may occur while you are waiting for your goods to be shipped.
- Set up email alerts on the Irish property websites in preparation for your rental property search when you arrive in Ireland.
- When purchasing items online don’t forget to change your delivery address in your account. Log into your account and change your address settings.
Download a free PDF of this Moving to Ireland Checklist
Laura Casali
Hi Colleen,
We are relocating to Ireland from Germany, but do t have the time to research which are is the best and most afford for us to live in, which schools would work for the kids, etc. Do you know of a company whom I could work with who would be able to give me ideas and help me with the whole planning process?
Thanks so much!
All the best,
Laura
Colleen
Hi, I can’t personally recommend any, but if you type ‘relocation services Ireland’ into Google, there are companies such as Settle In and IrishRelo. If you are moving for employment, then your employer may have a contract with a relocation service.
Kate Gorman
Hi, we are moving from the UK to ireland in a couple of months. We’re planning to rent a truck and take all our belongings over ourselves. Is there any specific documentation we need to do this or can we just book the ferry and go on our way?
Colleen
Now the Brexit transition has ended, please refer to the rules on shipping your personal items into Ireland from outside of the EU on the Citizens website. This includes the link to the Transfer of Residence form.
Chris Hanson
My brother-in-law is an Irish citizen but has lived in the UK since he was 20. He is now 88 and is moving back to Ireland to live with a brother in Monaghan. Most of the possesions he needs will fit in his car which he is taking with him. It’s quite a long journey, so I will be driving him. I know that he has to re-register his car, get an NCT and swap his driving licence (his is an UK one) but can I just bring him over and sort things out then or does he have to inform customs at the port that he is re-locating.
Colleen
Due to Brexit the process has changed. Please see the latest guidance on importing cars into Ireland on the Irish citizens website.
Colin
Hi, I currently have a number of prescriptions each month
What is the charge in Ireland for each one, does private insurance cover the cost of prescriptions?
Thanks Colin
Megan de Vries
Hi Colleen. My boyfriend and I live in South Africa. I am an Austrian citizen by decent. We would like to move to Ireland, as we are worried about the language barrier in other European countries, this could make it hard for us to find work. Would having an EU passport make this easier for both of us to relocate together?
Colleen
Having an EU passport would allow you to more easily move to Ireland because of the EU Treaty Rights.
Dorilinda Hamm
My husband and I are looking to move to Ireland within the next 2 years. The information located on this page has been very helpful with our preparation.
JOSEPH E MURPHY
Hi Colleen. This is a great resource. Like Gregory, the other poster, I am a dual US/IRL citizen starting to collect information about moving to Ireland and the PPS number info, Irish drivers license details would be helpful. If you have any insight a fellow Irish would be much obliged.
Cheers,
Joe
Colleen
Hi Joseph,
Have you read my posts on Applying for a Personal Public Service Number (PPSN) and Driver Licensing in Ireland?
Let me know if this is the kind of information that you are after.
Gregory Pleshaw
Hello making good progress use of your sure found this list on a Google search. Im a dual citizen with the US and Ireland but I’ve never lived in Ireland. I have an Irish passport, but the check list I’m looking for is the one that talks about the documents such as PPS card and Irish drivers license that one needs when arriving to the country and also issues of national health and how to find a doctor and such things once one is in the country. Your site is vast – does a document like this already exist here ?
Colleen
Actually I don’t have a list for when you arrive. That is a really great idea. I’m going to be working on updating and refreshing the content later in the year, so I will definitely create one. Thanks for your comments.
Edit: I have now created a checklist for Arriving in Ireland.