How to send money to Ireland in 2026: an instant transfer from the euro area and an international one in 1-3 business days
Money goes to Ireland in euros to a 22-character account opened with a photo ID and proof of address. A foreigner without an Irish permanent home pays tax on foreign income only on the part brought into the country. After the budget of 6 October 2026 children receive up to $470,000 (420,000 euros) tax-free from parents over a lifetime.
In 2026 money goes to Ireland in euros to an account at an Irish bank: from euro area countries an instant transfer arrives in seconds, from other countries a regular international transfer takes 1-3 business days. An account is opened with a photo ID and proof of address, and everyone legally living in the European Union has the right to a basic account. A gift of up to 3,000 euros a year from one person is not taxed, and a foreigner whose permanent home in law remains in another country pays tax on foreign income only on the part brought into Ireland.
Dollars are calculated at the rate of 1.1177 dollars per euro set by the European Central Bank on 7 October 2026 and rounded up.
| Route | Time and currency | What to prepare |
|---|---|---|
| instant transfer from the euro area | seconds, around the clock, in euros | a 22-character account number and the recipient's name as at the bank |
| regular euro transfer from Europe | up to 1 business day | the same account number and a payment purpose |
| international transfer from a country outside Europe | 1-3 business days, in euros or dollars | a payment purpose; for a large sum, documents on the source of the money |
| paying for a home | to the buyer's solicitor's account before the day of the deal | the purchase contract and statements for recent months |
| money for a student | before the visa application, to an account in the student's name | $12,000 (10,000 euros) for each year of study |
A 22-character number and proof of address for an Irish account
An Irish account number has 22 characters: the country code, two check digits, four letters of the bank code, six digits of the branch code and eight digits of the account itself. Ireland is in the euro area, so its banks receive instant euro transfers around the clock and charge no more for them than for a regular transfer. Before sending, the sender's bank checks the recipient's name against the account, so a mistake in the name shows up before the money leaves.
To open an account the bank asks for two documents: a passport or another photo ID and proof of address, such as a utility bill, a bank statement or a letter from a state body. For newcomers some banks accept documents with a foreign address. Since 18 September 2016 everyone legally living in the European Union who does not yet hold an account at an Irish bank has the right to a basic payment account: salary and benefits arrive on it, and it can be used to pay by card and send money.
For the tax office and state services you will need a Personal Public Service Number: it is issued at an employment office once you show an ID, an address and the reason you need the number. We will suggest the best way to send money to Ireland in the first weeks after the move: we will choose a route for your sum, prepare the documents for the bank and carry out the transfer through licensed partners through to crediting.
Income from abroad: tax only on what has arrived in Ireland
Ireland's main feature for someone moving there is tax on the remittance basis. A foreigner who lives in Ireland but whose permanent home in law remains in another country pays Irish tax on foreign interest, dividends, rent and capital gains only on the part brought into Ireland. This is how section 71 of the Taxes Consolidation Act 1997 works; Irish citizens have not been able to use this rule since 2010, and salary for work in Ireland is taxed in full.
So it matters which money you transfer. Savings built up before the move are capital, not income of the year, and are not taxed when transferred. Income received in the years of Irish residence is taxed when it arrives in Ireland. It is easier to keep these sums in separate accounts abroad and transfer from the right one. A manager will help split the transfers into capital and income and prepare the statements that confirm it.
You become an Irish tax resident after 183 days in the country in a tax year or 280 days over two consecutive years; a year in which you spent 30 days or fewer does not count. From 7 October 2026 capital gains tax is cut from 33% to 31%, a decision of the 2027 budget. All rates and allowances are on the taxes in Ireland page.
Gifts and help for family: 3,000 euros a year from each giver
In Ireland gift tax is paid by the recipient. A gift of up to 3,000 euros ($3,400) per calendar year from one giver is not taxed and does not count towards the threshold: parents, a grandmother and a friend can each give 3,000 euros in the same year. Anything above that adds up towards a lifetime threshold, and 33% tax is paid only on the excess.
For gifts from 7 October 2026 the threshold for a child receiving gifts from parents rose to 420,000 euros ($470,000), up from 400,000 euros. For brothers, sisters, nephews, nieces and grandchildren the threshold is 44,000 euros ($50,000), and for everyone else 22,000 euros ($25,000). A return is filed once gifts reach 80% of the threshold, so large help to children in Ireland is better sent with a deed of gift and counted in the calculation straight away.
Buying a home in Ireland: money through a solicitor and 1% stamp duty
Foreigners buy homes in Ireland on the same terms as citizens. On signing the contract the buyer pays a 10% deposit, the balance arrives on the day of the deal, and all the money goes through the buyer's solicitor's account: the solicitor checks the source of funds, pays the price to the seller and files the stamp duty return. So the money for the purchase must be in an Irish account before the contract is signed.
Stamp duty on a home is 1% up to 1 million euros ($1.2 million), 2% on the next 500,000 euros and 6% on the part of the price above 1.5 million euros ($1.7 million). On a flat at 400,000 euros ($450,000) the duty is 4,000 euros ($4,500), and the deposit at contract is 40,000 euros ($45,000).
Write to a manager when you plan the deal: they will tell you on which day to send the deposit and which statements to prepare for the solicitor.
How much you send: an Irish bank's questions at each level
Checked on 8 October 2026.
| Amount | What the bank will ask | Which document |
|---|---|---|
| up to $10,000 | the payment purpose and the link with the recipient | a lease, a tuition invoice or a letter from a relative |
| $10,000-100,000 | where the money comes from and why it is going to Ireland | a 6-month statement and a document on the source: a sale, income, dividends |
| over $100,000 | the whole path of the money over several years | a source of funds package and the contract the transfer is for |
At each level the bank matches the payment purpose with the documents. How to put a package together so that both the sender's bank and the Irish bank accept it is in the article on proof of source of funds. For a sum from $100,000 the transfer is prepared as a capital move: the order of steps is on the capital relocation page, and a manager will choose a route for your sum and sending country.
Study in Ireland: 10,000 euros in the student's account
A student from a country outside the European Union needs access to 10,000 euros ($12,000) for a year of living plus tuition for a visa for a course longer than eight months. For a course shorter than eight months the calculation is 833 euros ($940) a month, but no more than 6,665 euros ($7,500). Each following year of study again needs 10,000 euros, the student's own or a sponsor's.
The immigration service asks for an explanation of a large deposit shortly before the statement, so money for a student is sent a few months before the application and with a clear payment purpose.
We will help you send money to Ireland
Mistakes cost more than fees: income of the year sent together with savings and taxed, large help to children sent without regard to the gift threshold, a home deposit that arrives after the contract is signed, and a student's money credited a week before the statement. We will help you avoid them: we will split the transfers into capital and income, choose the transfer route and the order of steps before the move, gather the documents on the source of the money and pay for the home exactly on time.
Details and terms are with a manager in the chat: much depends on the sum, the purpose of the transfer and your tax status in Ireland.
Onward from an Irish account: the United Kingdom, Spain, Portugal
From Ireland money most often goes to the United Kingdom: the Irish bank exchanges euros into pounds at its own rate, and the money arrives within a day. To Spain and Portugal euros go by instant transfer in seconds. For a payment outside the European Union the Irish bank will ask in advance for the purpose of the payment; rules for large sums are in the article on sending a large sum abroad.
Sending money to neighbouring countries
- How to send money to the United Kingdom
- How to send money to France
- How to send money to Guernsey
- How to send money to Portugal
- How to send money to Germany
- How to send money to Jersey
Other countries and the procedure for moving capital are in the capital relocation section.
FAQ
How many characters are in an Irish account number?
How much can be given tax-free in Ireland in a year?
What is the threshold for gifts from parents to children in Ireland from October 2026?
Does a foreigner in Ireland pay tax on transferring their savings?
How much does a home buyer in Ireland pay on top of the price?
How much money does a student need for an Irish visa?
We will suggest the best way to send your money
We will choose a transfer method for your amount and country, prepare the documents on the origin of the money for the bank, make the transfer through licensed partners and follow it until the money is credited. Ask your question in the chat - the manager will suggest the best terms and the cost. The legal side with banks and government bodies is handled by Murblz specialists and locally licensed partners.
Details and cost are with the manager in the chat. Describe your situation and we will reply right away.
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