Irish Visit Visa for Non-EU Spouse of British Citizen

[ado.machung]

Dear All,

I am a British Citizen, living with my Pakistani wife in Sri-Lanka.

We would like to visit Dublin in the summer and wanted to know the easiest way to apply for a 90 day visit visa.

As an EU National, is my spouse entitled to any preferred visa privileges ?

Also -

The online application site says i require :

Evidence that the EU Citizen spouse is exercising their EU Treaty Rights by being employed/self employed in the State or engaged in a valid vocational training programme or has sufficient financial resources and comprehensive sickness insurance cover.

..... non of which i can supply as neither of us have ever resided anywhere in Europe.

I also came across a requirement to supply evidence of funds and travel itinerary, which i was told, as a spouse of an EU National, she doesn't need to provide.

I understand that there is a difference between EU-Law and what is actually being practiced by various member states.
I would deeply appreciate any advice that is practically accepted, rather that what should be accepted - if that's possible.

Thank you,

Ado

[acme4242]

In Summary, the visa is free, and you only need to supply your marriage cert. and both passports. Your British Passport, and your wife's passport

You can read more about your Lawful rights as an EU citizen, and visa requirements for your wife here
http://eumovement.wordpress.com/2007/04 ... u-citizen/
and
http://acme.posterous.com/link-to-eu-we ... f-european


The Irish are very messy and unorganised when it comes to paperwork,
and they have many different website with different requirements, often wrong.

Another user on this forum had similar problems with the Irish Embassy, read
her solution here
http://www.immigrationboards.com/viewto ... highlight=
her story here
http://www.immigrationboards.com/viewto ... highlight=

She used another requirements list, also from the same INIS website found here
http://www.inis.gov.ie/en/INIS/VisaDoc2 ... hJan07.doc

[ado.machung]

Thanks for the info Acme4242.

Don't know how i missed all those posts after scanning through the entire Ireland section.

It's not just the Irish who don't have their act together.

My brother (with British wife) applied for a Schengen Visa at the Dutch Embassy in Colombo, even after acknowledging the EU law, they completely disregarded it and asked him to show all sorts of documentation and charged him a fee.

Alternatively, he withdrew his application, and applied successfully through the German Embassy.

Not to sound negative, but if I happen to encounter a similar circumstance at the Irish Consulate, where can i send an effective complaint ?

I say this because the lady who answered the inquiry line at the consulate said "Fill in the online application........and then we'll see!!"

[acme4242]

From http://eumovement.wordpress.com/2007/04 ... u-citizen/

For stays of less than 3 months, member states can not require you to submit

* bank statements
* pay slips
* letters from your employer or school
* letters of reference
* proof that you will return at the end of the trip
* airline tickets
* confirmed hotel bookings

Please immediately contact the EU’s Solvit group ( http://ec.europa.eu/solvit/ ) *link updated* if you are ever required to provide any of this.

from my personal experience, I got bullsh1te answers from the Irish Dept of Justice Officials.

It would not be appropriate to provide what would in effect be legal advice on the content of the website material submitted in your emails

The Irish visa authorities would then make a decision on the application. If you are not in agreement with any visa decision that might be made, there is an appeals system in place
http://www.inis.gov.ie/en/INIS/Pages/Ir ... nformation

I only got a solution, after going to a TD in Ireland (same as MP in England)

[Ben]

Quoting text from a blog is useless.

[acme4242]

http://ec.europa.eu/solvit/ is the EU official route to complain when your EU rights are abused, , but I have not heard any good results from them on this forum.

Personally, I only got a solution, after contacting a friend of the family in Ireland.

Please share your own experiences on getting your rights respected.

[ado.machung]

Please share your own experiences on getting your rights respected.

I'll apply this week and report back to the forum regardless of the outcome.

Thanks for your help.

I'd appreciate it if you would continue to advise me on any new developments.

Ado