EU citizen moving to Ireland next year, questions about bringing my non-EU partner with me

Hello! I'm moving to Ireland next year most likely. I'm an EU citizen but my partner is not. We've been together for 5 years, we aren't married and we don't live together (we're 23 and 24 years old).
From what I've read, your partner of at least 2 years can apply for residency in Ireland, which can take up to 6 months or more and he can't work during that time. The other option would be to get married, but the processing time was even greater. So my questions are...
1. How do you prove you've been together for more than 2 years?
2. Is there any way to accelerate the processing time for his residency?
3. When can we make the request for him? I have to be there already working for him to process the request, but can he do it from our country or does he have to be in Ireland?
4. Has anyone been on a similar situation? What did you do?

Thank you!

Hi.

I think it's difficult if you have not lived together. Usually living together is the best way to prove the relationship is genuine. Getting married is a good option in that respect. Once you are married they should fast-track the application under EU rules.

Otherwise you have to build up a case based on things like dependence, e.g. you send him money regularly or share your incomes. You can show that you meet regularly through travel, have obtained visas to meet in the past, have done things like trips and family events together etc.

I was in a kinda similar situation and just decided to get married, it's the easiest option.

As for when, once you have a firm offer of work in Ireland you can apply for the visitor visa. You will just need to show that you have a confirmed offer of employment that you have accepted and are planning to move (e.g. you have a start date, confirmed salary/relocation assistance, you have applied to open a bank account in Ireland (which you can do from outside the country), have given your current employer notice) etc.

Please keep us informed as to your progress. The more information we share with each other the easier it is for all of us. I'm doing something similar, moving to Ireland and bringing my non-EU wife.

Don’t want to sound pessimistic but the fact that you are not married and don’t live together will be a big issue for INIS.

1. How do you prove you've been together for more than 2 years?

Receipts (restaurants, bars, cinema tickets, etc.), plane tickets, hotel bookings, photographs, etc. The more information you gather the better!

2. Is there any way to accelerate the processing time for his residency?

Unfortunately no, expect a very long and tedious process. Legally your partner has no ties to you (EU citizen) on your current circumstances so hard to make a good case for you.

3. When can we make the request for him? I have to be there already working for him to process the request, but can he do it from our country or does he have to be in Ireland?

What’s your partner nationality? If your partner is a non visa required national to Ireland then you can do it from Ireland.

4. Has anyone been on a similar situation? What did you do?

Others here in the forum had similar situation so follow their threads and try to look for other posts online. There are free legal clinics in Ireland that will offer you advise as well but you will need to be in the country first.