Costs on bringing spouse to Ireland

[Cold]

I have another thread on the family members board, but thought that this board would be better suited for a more specific couple of questions on the general costs. We're trying to plan out how much everythin' is likely to cost when we start doin' everythin' so we know well in advance.

I'm 20 and Scottish, she's 18 and american.
***We plan on marrying sometime next year in the US (to avoid bringing her here just to send her back to apply for visas and then bring her back here yet again, to save plane ticket costs)
After I finish my first year in college next year, I'll ideally try to find a job and move to RoI. This is because with arbitrary border control limits on age, I can't bring her to Scotland as i'd like to until she's 21, and neither of us wnat to wait 3 pointless years if we can help it, so living together in Ireland until then seems the perfect solution.

Now the main things I'm wondering are:
What kind of income will I need to be making for the government to be happy I can sustain us both? People said that I can get any job at all, even working in some McDonalds, but others said I'd need around £105 a week after taxes and rent, which would mean I'd probably need to earn about £300 a week, which is well, well above minimum wage and far more than I'm likely to be able to ever earn w/ my (lack of) qualifications.
I've considered live-in jobs at hotels (as I'm working in one now in Scotland), but not sure how they'd handle her coming here in that situation.
Would she be allowed to work immediatly after arriving, as I've heard? If so, would that lighten the load of the income requirements?

The other main question is how much it would actually cost to bring her here. With all this red tape crap and these forms and visas costing increasingly high amounts at every new form we fill out, every form of visa other than tourist seems to be blatant extortion so we'll need to save up hard to cover it, but have no idea how much it'd cost.
How much would it likely cost for her visas and such to remain with me?

***A question she asked on the other post but hasn't been answered yet, and suits this board:
Marryin' in the US is goin' to cost a fortune as well either way, she's been wondering what exactly the laws are on marrying in Ireland. The main thing she's wonderin' is if she'd be forced to return home after the marriage and fill out the forms there, then return here (making it not worth the while with the plane costs), and if that's possible, if she could simply come over here if/when I find a job and get married, then stay in Ireland with me?

I know that's kinda long-winded, but we're havin' so much trouble findin' answers to these things as the rules change like every year, I'm jus' tryin' to make sure I'm specific.

Thanks for any help at all, folks.

[Trimax]

Hi there, I cant answer all your questions but I will tell you to the best of my knowledge what I can, but be aware that although i'm pretty sure im correct here, I may be wrong about some things, but ill do my best for ya!

I am Irish and my wife is Ukrainian, she will be coming here soon to live with me.

I suggest applying for a fiancee visa, as far as I know the UK has this system, unless its changed, she can come and marry you in Scotland, it will be alot cheaper!

Then yes, she has to apply for a visa to Ireland in USA unfortunatly, you can try call the USA embassy in UK and ask them if there is a way for her to apply there after your married but I dont know, anyway you will have to come to Ireland alone first to set up residence and get a job if she is to join you.

Now as far as you coming here from scotland I know thats no problem, she will be applying here for EUfam 4 stamp when she arrives with her D visa. the Garda officer will give her some time when you arrive at dublin airport, maybe 3 weeks, maybe 3 months its the decision of whoever you see at immigration in the airport. during this time you go get her stamp in the GNIB office in the city, they will tell you all of this anyway, that will give her a year, which she can then renew every year untill such time as she can apply for naturalisation and become a citizen of Ireland, unless you decide to return to Scotland in the meantime when she is 21.

Anyway, in Ireland when someone claims dependancy money for their spouse if they themselves are on the dole, they get around 80 euro extra a week for their spouse who isnt working or claiming anything. now if the Irish gov think 80 is enough for an adult a week, I would imagine thats what they want to see from you, so thats about 60 Pound a week after paying your rent that you need to show. Its my best guess but I know people whos non EU wife has gotten her visa even though the Irish person is on jobseekers allowance or similar payment.

Now in order for her to get a visa to come to Ireland you will need an address here first, and evidence to prove it, so you may have to come here alone and rent for a while before she applies.

you will also need a job here before she applies unless you have the right to claim jobseekers allowance here, im unsure about UK/Ireland situation in that area.

I will warn you that Jobs for unqualified people are scarce here at the moment, you Will easily be able to secure a job in something aweful like Door to door sales but its a self employed position and you need to do your own taxes etc. you may be lucky to get a job in a call center or local shop or Public house, but my suggestion is get anything you can for the moment, and worry about finding a better job later after she has gotten everything she needs to live here. You can try www.fas.ie and look in the jobseeker section, click 'find a job'for the listings. alternatively search google for jobs Ireland and you will find tons of sites with job listings.

After that, in order for her to be able to apply for a stamp 4 eufam ( Non EU spouse of an EU citizen) you will need proof of joint residence here, its stupid I know, but I suggest that as soon as she gets here you open a joint bank account with an Irish bank and order a statement to you address, and also put the utility bills in both your names, use this as evidence. Of course get her name on the rent ASAP . bring all this and your marriage licence and passports to GNIB (The Garda National Immigration Bureau) in dublin city, you can find the address on the web, and she will get her stamp to stay here.

They tend to go easier on Americans coming here so don''t worry too much. Its much more difficult for me as my wife is coming from Ukraine.

There was a recent change in legislation so I dont think she can work here for a certain period, Im sure if you ask here someone will tell you better, but as far as I know the Non EU wife of an Irish National can work here upon gaining the stamp 4, but the Non EU wife of an Eu citizen in Ireland cannot work, this will change soon I think as I hear there is a challenge in court to this ruling already, anyway ask about and im sure youll learn more about her rights to work.

Dont let all this get you down, its entirely possible, we all have to wade through reems of red tape when marrying a non eu person, but as you know its worth it for the right woman.

If your renting here look on www.Daft.ie for a place, dont want to be in dublin city as rent is sky high, the outlying area is best, but if you have anything in mind PM me and Ill let you know if its a good idea, because while most places in Dublin are great to live in, there are some areas which you best avoid, so check with a dublin person first before deciding on renting in a particular area is my best advice! trust me you dont want to begin your new marriage with your lovely wife in certain parts of dublin, you would be better off leaving your wife in USA! its not all bad, mostly its great actually but youve been warned


hope everything works out well for you both and you have a happy life together here and if you get a chance, let me know how its going, wish you all the best