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Claiming Benefits Abroad
From Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection
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Last updated
If you leave Ireland to live or work in another country, you may be entitled to receive social security benefits in the country you are moving to.
If you move to live or work in a country covered by EU Regulations, this means that for social security benefits/services, you are entitled to be treated in the same way as the nationals in the EU member state/EEA country that you move to.
This means that you and your family are entitled to apply for any benefits or assistance available in the country in which you reside.
If you are applying for insurance-based payments, any contributions made in other EU member states/EEA countries should be taken into account.
If you need to claim benefits while living abroad you will be asked to provide information about your Irish social insurance contribution record.
You can use forms E104 and U1 when claiming sickness, maternity or unemployment benefits abroad.
The U1 is called a portable document and it provides details of your Irish social insurance record.
If you don’t bring your E104 or U1 with you, the country you have moved to will contact Irish authorities to get a record of your insurance contributions when you apply to them for benefits.
A request from another EU member state for your social insurance record will be prioritised by the department so that you don’t lose out on any benefits due to you when abroad.
If you are returning to Ireland from a country in the EU/EEA, you should bring an E104 and U1 form back with you as it will provide details of the insurance contributions you made in that country.
To request your Irish social insurance record please complete the form below and email it to EUGeneralQueries@welfare.ie or by post to the address below
International Records Section
Address:
Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection, McCarter's Road, Ardaravan
, Buncrana,
, F93 CH79
Phone number:
E104 and U1 Irish Social Insurance Records Forms
REQUEST FOR IRISH SOCIAL INSURANCE RECORDS FORMS
DownloadProcessing your application can take some time as the department may have to contact your recent employer/s before the forms can be issued.
