Published: June 2026 | Source: Department of Justice
The Department of Justice has published a new Non-EEA Family Reunification Policy, which introduces detailed accommodation requirements that applicants must satisfy before family members can be granted permission to join them in Ireland.
We wanted to share a summary of the new provisions relating to accommodation.
Key accommodation requirements
Under the new policy, sponsors must be able to demonstrate that they have suitable accommodation for the family members they wish to bring to Ireland. The accommodation must not be overcrowded.
The policy states that, at a minimum, accommodation should provide:
- One bedroom for the sponsor and their spouse or partner (where applicable);
- One additional bedroom for every two children; and
- Enough bedrooms so that children over the age of 10 of different sexes are not required to share a bedroom.
The policy includes several examples, such as requiring a three-bedroom home for a family with a son aged 5 and a daughter aged 13.
Exclusive use of the property
A significant new requirement concerns households with children.
Where children are included in the application, there must be no unrelated adults living in the property. As a result, the sponsor must rent or own the entire dwelling. The policy specifically states that renting only part of a property—for example through the Rent-a-Room scheme—will not satisfy the accommodation requirement.
Evidence required
If the accommodation is rented, sponsors will be expected to provide:
- Confirmation that the tenancy is registered with the Residential Tenancies Board (RTB);
- The RTB registration confirmation letter;
- A completed form signed by both the sponsor and the landlord confirming that the family members will be permitted to live in the property if the application succeeds.
For owner-occupied homes, sponsors must provide proof of ownership together with details of the property, including the number of bedrooms and current occupancy.
Timing
The policy states that proof of suitable accommodation is not required when the application is first submitted. Instead, the decision-maker may request it during the assessment process.
If the requested evidence is not provided within six months, the application may be refused.
The policy also provides that immigration officers may ask non-visa required family members to produce proof of suitable accommodation at the border. If it cannot be produced, they may be refused permission to enter the State.
Other accommodation-related provisions
The policy also states that sponsors:
- must not be living in homeless accommodation, State-funded emergency accommodation, IPAS accommodation, social housing or local authority housing;
- may also fail to meet the policy requirements if they are receiving housing supports such as the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP);
- may have their accommodation verified with local authorities or the RTB as part of the assessment process.
These accommodation provisions form part of a wider set of changes to Ireland’s family reunification policy published on 12 June 2026.
You can refer to the full policy in detail here: Family Reunification Policy
If you have any questions regarding family reunification, write to us using our contact form, provide all the details: www.mrci.ie/contact-us one of our caseworker will get back to you.
