Move to Ireland from UK with Non-EU Spouse

Dear IB users,

I have a situation that is rather specific with quite a bit of background so excuse the rambling and hopefully someone might be able to help....

My wife is Non EEA/EU and has just extended her LTR spouse visa a further 2.5 years.
I am a UK national.
She is on the 5 year route and August 2021 would have been the time to apply for her ILR in the UK.
However, I have just been made redundant here due to Brexit and funding complications.
On the plus side, I have however been offered a job in Ireland.... so this is where the new issue starts!

If we both move there, will they consider her time in the UK? Is there any agreement between the UK and Ireland, or as part of the CTA to recognise this?

Should she remain in the UK, and I work half and half between the UK and Ireland? Assuming I get paid in EUROS would this affect the ILR application in two years? and does it matter where your employer is physically situated? My bank accepts incoming EURO payments and just converts them to GBP automatically.

I have also applied for Irish Citizenship through the Grandparental route, so fingers crossed within a few months I should have an Irish passport too!

This way I guess I have to weight up the pros and cons of her applying for a spouse visa again in Ireland, but starting from scratch!

Any help appreciated!

Johnny

Johnnywoo wrote: ↑

Sat Jul 20, 2019 9:55 pm

If we both move there, will they consider her time in the UK? Is there any agreement between the UK and Ireland, or as part of the CTA to recognise this?

No. Although there is no absence threshold on spouse visa but its holder is expected to stay & settle in UK which is the purpose of visa. Usually for extension/ILR from spouse visa route there is a mandatory requirement of providing proof of cohabitation which can't be met with longer absence.
At the moment Ireland is not leaving EU so maybe there you get cheaper and easier way of getting EU spouse visa.