Non EEA Girlfriend

[RathJohn]

Hi All,

I am not 100% sure on what my options are for my non-EEA girlfriend to come and live in Ireland. I have been with her for a year now, and I visited her in her home country and other EU countries a few times. She is coming to Ireland soon on a holiday visa, and this will be her first visit here. Just going forward, I would like to know what are my options for her to come live here? People tell me just to marry her in her home country and then she can come, but we don't want to marry for this purpose, and would like to save this special day for when we are ready. Are there any options for a girlfriend to live here?

J........

[edro]

hi
if you're irish then the best is to apply from her home country
if you're europian working or studing there for less than one year apply for FMRS application if working more than one year eea1 application for you and eea2 for her, i'm living in England but i thing the law is quite similar.

[scrudu]

RathJohn: you need to provide more details, such as your citizenship and your girlfriend's.

Ireland does not recognise de-facto relationships (if this is what this relationship is), hence many people advising you about Marriage. I agree it is not a good idea to marry her simply to get her in the same country as you. Obviously if you are both ready for that step it's a different story.

Any details about what visa your girlfriend could hope to get fully depend on her citizenship, as the rules depend on whether this country is a "Visa Free" country in Ireland's eyes or not.

[RathJohn]

Scrudu: I am an Irish citizen, and my girlfriend is Ukrainian.

[scrudu]

RathJohn: The short answer to your question is no, there isn't really an option of getting your girlfriend to stay here with you without being married.

Your wife is from a country that requires a visa to enter Ireland which makes it harder. She will need a visa each time she visits Ireland, and this visa will not be extendible upon arriving here. It will be granted for a max of 3 months each time. She will need to leave the country before the end Date each time and return home (or to another country) and apply for a new Irish Visa to return here. This will continue on for as long as you are unmarried.

Another option for you may be for your girlfriend to apply for a Work Permit/Visa to come here, but given the current economic climate, unless her occupation is in a highly skilled area she's unlikely to get this at the moment.

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news. Should you decide to marry at a future date, there are plenty of posts on this forum which describe whether it's better to marry there or here, and the procedures you need to follow after marrying.

[RathJohn]

Scrudu: Thank you for your response. It is what I suspected. She holds a degree in Computer Science, and works as a telecommunications Technican in Ukraine, so we will try and check out the work permit option, but as you say, I wouldn't be too hopeful in the current economic climate.

[scrudu]

You're welcome. Check out details here: http://www.entemp.ie/labour/workpermits/

I'm not au fait with the differences between the work permits/visas but other people on the forum are. With a degree in CS, she may be able to get an IT job as there are still plenty of jobs in IT here.

Another possible option would be for her to study here and get a Study Visa instead. She could work up to a max of 20hrs a week alongside her course.

[nina2008]

RathJohn: She will need to leave the country before the end Date each time and return home (or to another country) and apply for a new Irish Visa to return here. This will continue on for as long as you are unmarried.

Hello, I´m almost in the same situation. I´m Venezuelan and my boyfriend is an Irish boy. We met each other in Spain and we have a long distance relationship for the last year and I´d been in Ireland a few times. I don´t need a tourist visa to be there for 3 months but we decided to live together before get married because we want to try first. So i would like to know if I go there by 3 months, how long do I need to be out of Ireland to go back again for another 3 months?.
I have my job here like a Human Resourse Manager and I have a 3 degree studies (Msc Business Management) but I know its not easy to get a job right now, so, i really dont know if can be 3 months in Ireland and 1 week in another non EU country and then back to Ireland.
I will really apreciate if you could help me too.

[esharknz]

Seems the rules on defacto relationships have changed recently:

http://www.inis.gov.ie/en/INIS/Pages/WP07000278

Still need to show two years etc

De Facto Relationships

All non-EEA nationals need permission to remain in the State. Permission to remain will be in the form of an endorsement in your passport confirming the conditions and period of time for which you have permission to remain in the State.

De Facto Relationships with an Irish National

Non EEA nationals who wish to remain the State and are in a de facto relationship with an Irish National must be in a position to provide evidence of a durable attested relationship of at least 2 years. The following documents must be provided to General Immigration, INIS, 13-14 Burgh Quay, Dublin 2
Copies of current passports of both parties.
Evidence of finances of both parties
Evidence of relationship of at least 2 years duration (i.e. tenancy agreement, utility bills, bank statements, etc)

Subject to the immigration status of the non EEA national permission to remain may granted. This permission will exempt the non EEA National form work permit condition.
The above is not an exhaustive list, and you may be asked for additional documentation in support of your application