British/Irish - Northern Ireland EEA route?

[mourneman]

I'm a British passport holder and my non EU partner came to the UK on a Tier 4 student visa. We met in England and started a relationship in 2013, moved into together in 2014 and had our first child in 2015. We are not married.

In 2016 she was granted limited Leave Outside The Rules (LOTR) under the 'Exceptional Circumstances' rules due to our child, which runs out later this year.

Since then we have moved to Northern Ireland, where I'm from, and had another child and plan to get married later this year.

I plan to just apply for FLR but understand there is another option via the EEA route if I obtain an Irish passport (which I'm entitled to) and relinquish my British passport. I then becone Irish (EU) living in the UK.

Speaking to a few people this seems a popular route for bringing a non EU wife into Northern Ireland but as we are not married yet and already in the UK any advice would be welcome.

[secret.simon]

Also see this long-running thread on the same topic.

[mourneman]

Many thanks I did see that but as relevant postings are nearly 2 years old hoping someone has more up to date information/experience

[chaoclive]

Many thanks I did see that but as relevant postings are nearly 2 years old hoping someone has more up to date information/experience

Nothing has changed since then.

If you want to use the EEA rules, you better get your skates on. This option will disappear if/when Brexit happens.