Moving to Ireland

Ireland draws Indian professionals, students and families for a cluster of reasons that no other European country offers in quite the same combination. It is the only majority English-speaking country in the European Union, which removes the language barrier that complicates settlement in France, Germany or the Netherlands. Dublin has become one of Europe’s most significant technology hubs, hosting the European headquarters of firms that employ thousands of Indian-origin engineers, product managers and data professionals — Google, Meta, LinkedIn and Microsoft cluster in Silicon Docks, Intel anchors a vast Leixlip campus, and Pfizer Cork has become a magnet for Indian quality and regulatory professionals. The Indian community in Ireland has grown to roughly fifty thousand and is now the fastest-growing demographic in the country, which means the practical infrastructure — grocery shops, temples and gurdwaras, weekend cricket leagues, dosa and biryani restaurants in Dublin 15 — has caught up with the arrivals.

Ireland’s Critical Skills Employment Permit and General Employment Permit schemes also create structured pathways for Indian professionals that are well understood and regularly used. For Indian students, Ireland’s universities — Trinity College Dublin, University College Dublin, University College Cork, NUI Galway — have seen substantial growth in Indian enrolment, and the post-study work permission route gives graduates a meaningful window to build a career within the EU. For families, Ireland’s EU membership means that once settled, movement across Europe is straightforward. The India–Ireland move is a gateway as much as a destination.

This page covers how the corridor works from an Indian origin. From here, choose the guide that fits your situation: household and personal, corporate and office, employee relocation, commercial cargo, or pets and vehicles.

The India–Ireland corridor in context

From India, Ireland is a sea-and-air corridor with distinct timing realities. Sea freight from Nhava Sheva (JNPT), Mundra, Chennai or Cochin reaches Dublin Port in roughly twenty-eight to thirty-five days, and almost every routing is transhipped — goods move on a feeder service to a North European hub at Rotterdam or Antwerp, then onto a short-sea vessel into Dublin. There is no direct main-line container service from India to Ireland; understanding the transhipment leg matters because it explains why the transit window is wider than a comparable India–UK or India–Continental Europe move. Air freight from Mumbai (BOM), Delhi (DEL), Bengaluru (BLR) or Chennai (MAA) reaches Dublin Airport (DUB) in nine to ten hours direct, and is used primarily for time-sensitive or high-value items rather than full household or commercial volumes. The two modes complement each other, and most planned moves use both in some form.

The Indian export side

A move from India to Ireland is an export from India as well as an import into Ireland. Household goods and commercial cargo leaving India on a long-term or permanent basis require a shipping bill filed through ICEGATE, India’s electronic customs portal, with Authorised Dealer (AD) bank coordination where foreign exchange aspects apply under FEMA. For commercial shipments, the GST LUT (Letter of Undertaking) regime allows zero-rated export without paying IGST upfront and then claiming refund, which is the standard route for business cargo. The export documentation prepared in India — commodity descriptions, values, inventory — forms the basis of the Irish import declaration, so accuracy at the Indian end matters. We prepare and manage the Indian export side alongside the Irish import clearance, keeping both consistent.

Ireland as an EU member — what it means for import

Ireland applies EU customs procedures for goods arriving from outside the bloc, and Revenue Ireland (the equivalent of HMRC) is the clearing authority. For household goods, the Transfer of Residence (TOR) relief is available to people establishing a new primary residence in Ireland, claimed through the AIS C&E1076 form — potentially eliminating or substantially reducing the import duties and the standard 23% Irish VAT on personal goods owned and used for a qualifying period. For commercial cargo, EU classification, duty rates and the 23% VAT on importation all apply, with VAT typically reclaimable for VAT-registered Irish businesses. We handle Irish customs clearance for both household and commercial shipments, with TOR guidance where it is relevant.

How a move from India to Ireland unfolds

1. Survey and quote. We assess your volume and situation — in person or by video — recommend the right freight combination, and return a clear quote with the Indian export and Irish import steps explained.
2. Indian export clearance. The ICEGATE shipping bill is filed at your gateway port, AD bank and GST LUT formalities completed where applicable, and export documentation prepared. Your goods are packed to export standard with a full inventory.
3. Freight to Ireland. The shipment travels on the booked routing — sea via a North European transhipment hub into Dublin, or direct air from BOM/DEL/BLR/MAA to DUB — with Irish customs documentation prepared during transit.
4. Irish customs and delivery. We manage Revenue Ireland clearance, including TOR relief via the AIS C&E1076 where applicable, and coordinate delivery and unpacking at your Irish address.

Choose the guide below that fits your type of move, or request a quote and a coordinator will point you to the right starting point.