Can an Irish National Move to Belfast and apply for a Family Visa while still working in Ireland?

Hi all,

I have a quick question, Irish national here married to a non-europeans partner. I'm living and born in Republic of Ireland.

Join Family visas are currently taking over 16 months to process in Ireland, which is very hard to be away from your partner for that long.

Is it possible for an Irish national to move to Belfast, apply for a join family visa, while continuing to work in Ireland?

It's a tricky question, but desperate times call for desperate measures sadly.

Would appreciate any advice!

Are you expecting to apply for a UK visa for your partner?

alterhase58 wrote: ↑

Wed Oct 23, 2024 10:30 pm

Are you expecting to apply for a UK visa for your partner?

OP has opened a new thread asking the same question in a different format.


https://www.immigrationboards.com/topic351354.html

alterhase58 wrote: ↑

Wed Oct 23, 2024 10:30 pm

Are you expecting to apply for a UK visa for your partner?

Yes, if possible.

But is it possible if I continue working for a Republic of Ireland company? Or would I have to transfer to a UK company?

Ticktack wrote: ↑

Thu Oct 24, 2024 8:45 am

alterhase58 wrote: ↑

Wed Oct 23, 2024 10:30 pm

Are you expecting to apply for a UK visa for your partner?

OP has opened a new thread asking the same question in a different format.


https://www.immigrationboards.com/topic351354.html

Actually a different question, but kind of a similar topic. I'm weighing up all possibilities of what is the best and quickest way of being with my partner. The waiting time for an Irish Join Family visa is becoming ridiculous, the website hasn't even updated since May.

There's no way of knowing where you stand.

I'm wondering is it possible to live in Belfast, while working remotely for an Irish company, and my partner applying for a UK visa to join me in Belfast. Is this scenario possible?

My company has UK offices, so I could try to transfer if needs be, but I'm just looking to find out what is possible.

Alternatively, If I move to Belfast, and transfer my employment to my companies UK offices, could my partner apply for a UK Family Visa?

The UK also has a priority service that people can pay for quicker processing, Ireland you just have to wait at least 16 months which is very stressful.

I appreciate all of your help over both threads that I started!

https://www.gov.uk/uk-family-visa/partner-spouse

Looks possible if you can satisfy the sponsor requirements under UK immigration rules.

Suggest you have a look at the link above.
Not an expert on family visas so others need to confirm.

As a Irish citizen you can move to UK (Northern Ireland) and have immediate settled status under the common travel area rules. With settled status you can sponsor under family visa rules.

Nothing to stop you living in the North and working in the South or vice versa although have to sort out tax liabilities. Lots of people have done this. Living closer to border may help with commuting.

Living in the North will still qualify for Irish citizenship in three years as spouse of Irish Citizen which potentially avoids the ILR application costs and if stay for 5 years then spouse is eligible to apply for British citizenship once has settled status (Irish citizenship will achieve that).

Only issue could have is that UK could refuse if looking like trying to circumvent Irish immigration applications. Would need to establish a bona fide residence in North to avoid that.

If you meet the criteria for a UK family visa then applying with the priority service seems like the quickest route.

I've been tracking the Ireland visa decisions page too and noticed the dates haven't changed for a while. Just a note, the date presented online is the oldest application being processed. Here's the statement from the Minister of Justice.

"I can advise the Deputy, that the date published on the above page is the oldest date of application currently being processed under a given category. However, it should be noted that the Visa team continue to process and make decisions on applications received after the published processing date. If a particular application takes longer to consider this may result in the published processing date remaining unchanged."

cfla22 wrote: ↑

Wed Oct 30, 2024 2:58 pm

If you meet the criteria for a UK family visa then applying with the priority service seems like the quickest route.

I've been tracking the Ireland visa decisions page too and noticed the dates haven't changed for a while. Just a note, the date presented online is the oldest application being processed. Here's the statement from the Minister of Justice.

"I can advise the Deputy, that the date published on the above page is the oldest date of application currently being processed under a given category. However, it should be noted that the Visa team continue to process and make decisions on applications received after the published processing date. If a particular application takes longer to consider this may result in the published processing date remaining unchanged."

Yes the minister has repeatedly said this in the Dail, however I don't believe it's true.

Just last week she was questioned about visa processing times:

She said that in 2023 they received 1,084 applications that involved Irish Nationals, and in 2023 only 123 of those applications have received an answer. But yet the date on the website is July 13th, 2023.

That would have to mean that the other 961 unprocessed applications were received after July 13th, so about 9/10ths of all applications were received after July 13th. Seems quite farfetched to me.

The answer she gave also states that there are still cases from 2021 and 2022 awaiting a decision.

https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/qu ... B0%5D=visa