Bankers Draft NI

My wife has just received her approval letter (dated 25/03/19). Applied in Nov 17, 2nd letter Oct 18.

As expected, she has been asked to submit the 950 Euro fee as a bankers draft, drawn on an Irish Bank. Unfortunately, the Ulster Bank, who issued her initial application draft, no longer issue Euro drafts to NI customers. I asked if I could receive one from an ROI branch, but as they’re separate organisations, apparently not - I would need to open an account in a ROI branch.

Our other accounts are with UK or foreign banks. I have a relative with a Danske Bank account, but this is technically not an ‘Irish bank’, even though it is located in NI and has branches across ROI! It’s such an old fashioned, parochial system.

Looking unlikely we will have my wife’s application returned within the 10 day period now. At least September 30 would be a lock in should she miss this ceremony.

Anyone in the same boat?

I remember someone said they emailed INIS and they said they could use postal orders as an alternative (even though on their website they said it's bank drafts only). They printed that email correspondence and submitted the postal order along with the email correspondence.

If you have a friend who lives in Republic of Ireland, give them the money and ask them to get a bank draft for you and send it by registered mail to your address in Northern Ireland. If you don't have any trustworthy friend, a solicitor will be happy to do that as well although that comes with a price.

Thanks for your reply. Unfortunately, I don’t have any friends in the ROI. Every Northern branch of an Irish Bank have refused to issue a Euro draft; the First Trust are hesitant but I don’t have an account with them in any case.

Have tried emailing INIS twice since the weekend - no response. They probably don’t know either.

I could get one from Danske, I think, but as it’s not an Irish Bank I’m hesitant to do so without INIS consent.

Very frustrated as will certainly miss the April ceremony now

Some people have just received their approval letter this week, so there's still time.

If you can travel to Dublin during the week I can surely meet you somewhere in the city centre and get a bank draft for you. You will need to be able to use the private messages (at least 20 posts?) function though.

Or you can have someone in the South to set up an ebay item listing, you can pay the money to him on ebay. There is around 100 euro transaction from ebay but the ebay policy protects both seller and buyer.

Finally, I would definitely call some immigration solicitors in Dublin and ask them whether they can buy a bank draft and send it to you. There's also going to be a fee but it's worth it.

I live in NI, i have done it last year with my lawayer's danske bank, they accepted it.

Thanks