De facto Relationship applications

Hi all,

Just to let all interested parties know that I have recently applied to the Dept of Justice the permission to remain based on my relationship with an Irish citizen.
I got my approval letter yesterday. I went through an immigration lawyer which I think helped as I got my approval 2 weeks after the application was submitted
My details are: Same-sex relationship with an Irish citizen living together for more than 2 years. I have been on the second year of a green card and I have only a few months to go until I will have enough months to apply for LTR and naturalisation as well.
Good luck to anyone wishing to apply.

Hi,

Congratulations!

What stamp did you get? My partner holds stamp 3 right now (dependant) as I was on stamp 4 when we applied. I got my citizenship a few weeks ago, and planning to change his status to stamp 4, but not sure if they go that way

I'll be getting a stamp 4, renewable every year.

GreenCardApplicant wrote:Hi all,

Just to let all interested parties know that I have recently applied to the Dept of Justice the permission to remain based on my relationship with an Irish citizen.
I got my approval letter yesterday. I went through an immigration lawyer which I think helped as I got my approval 2 weeks after the application was submitted
My details are: Same-gender relationship with an Irish citizen living together for more than 2 years. I have been on the second year of a green card and I have only a few months to go until I will have enough months to apply for LTR and naturalisation as well.
Good luck to anyone wishing to apply.

I've tried to find info on this but haven't had any luck. I thought it was just for Australians or something. Any help is appreciated.

Here is the details from the INIS website:

http://www.inis.gov.ie/en/INIS/Pages/WP07000278

This is all the info that is available. I made the application just like it states in this link, and I also used a lawyer. That was all. It was surprisingly quite simple.

Hello!

We are preparing documents to apply the de-facto visa now. Just wondering...

1) Will documents you submitted be returned after the decision made?

2) As a part of the proof of relationship, we will the utility bills (ESB/Internet with my bfs name, NTL with my name to the same address). Do all of these bills for 24 months need to be submitted?

We do have all but my boyfriend(Irish) said submitting such huge amount of the same kind of document could make annoyed the officer and pointless...In my opinion we do need them...but he thinks the best idea is showing 3-4 bills per year.

3) We have some pictures and letters which would support the existance of our relationship but they dont have the date on. Is it still good idea to enclose these kind of documents?

If someone know about this, or have opinion please let us know. Thanks.

fumo wrote:Hello!

We are preparing documents to apply the de-facto visa now. Just wondering...

1) Will documents you submitted be returned after the decision made?

2) As a part of the proof of relationship, we will the utility bills (ESB/Internet with my bfs name, NTL with my name to the same address). Do all of these bills for 24 months need to be submitted?

We do have all but my boyfriend(Irish) said submitting such huge amount of the same kind of document could make annoyed the officer and pointless...In my opinion we do need them...but he thinks the best idea is showing 3-4 bills per year.

3) We have some pictures and letters which would support the existance of our relationship but they dont have the date on. Is it still good idea to enclose these kind of documents?

If someone know about this, or have opinion please let us know. Thanks.

Hi,

We got all our documents back - except the registration card (GNIB) as it was expired Re bills: we sent 3 dated 2 years back (ESB, Eircom + bank statement on joint account) and the most recent ones (the same). Re photos: I don't think they are interested in them But why not to send it
We applied 2 years ago, situation could have changed...

Good luck!

strang3r wrote: Hi,

We got all our documents back - except the registration card (GNIB) as it was expired Re bills: we sent 3 dated 2 years back (ESB, Eircom + bank statement on joint account) and the most recent ones (the same). Re photos: I don't think they are interested in them But why not to send it
We applied 2 years ago, situation could have changed...

Good luck!

We did pretty much the same. I haven't collected our documents from our lawyer yet, so I don't know if we got it all back. If you are worried about not getting something back, then make a copy for yourself - just in case.

Hi, again. Thank you very much for people who replyed my post...Finally, I could have arranged my application somehow and posted last week.

Probably Im worried about this too much but just dont know what the procedure will be like about visa application here in Ireland so wish someone will help me little bit more ...

-----
1) A couple of days later after sending the application, I receive a "receipt of application" with reference number and stating it will be dealt with in chronogical order.

- Is that issued for everyone who made an application? or does this imply prosessing the application could take for while?

2) My current visa will expire in a couple of weeks. If I havent got any reply by that time probably I need to go GNIB anyways to ask the option to extend my permission to remain in Ireland until the decision being made.

Currently Im registered as a studnet (Stamp 2) and from non-visa required country.

- When I visit the office,

What should I expect to happen? Will my student visa be extended or get another kind of stamp? How long? and Do I need to pay the registaration fee?

What should I bring? The receipt will be enough or better to get ready another documents such as a letter from school, bank statement etc?

Am I better to be accompanied my boyfried as Im an applicant of De-facto visa?

-----
I know this type of visa is quite new and the information available is limted so any kind of advice or opinion based on immigration "common sense" would be very helpful for me. Thank you very much.

Based on our experience we were waiting for 1.5 year before we got the permission to stay - or whatever you call that paper when we applied my partner's GNIB card was expired by a couple of weeks, this was the reason why they didn't send it back at the first time. He was on stamp 1 (work permit) at the time we sent all paperwork.
Thus, when we got that letter after such long time of waiting, we were a little bit worried how to explain in GNIB that he didn't keep his "permission to stay" in order. But surprisingly, no questions were asked. One thing - they checked his medical insurance, but as he is on my policy - there were no questions.

I'm not sure about your case, as situation could have changed, but it's worth trying to go to GNIB with the letter you received and ask them to extend your stay in the country. Just bring the same papers your sent them and your partner They required my presence at the time they stamped my partner's passport

Hi Fumo,
As we went through a solicitor I cannot in absolute certainty say we received a confimation letter (aknowledgement of application), but I don't think we did. As far as I remember within 2 weeks we received the approval letter with no other communication from the Dept of Justice inbetween application & approval. So I'm afraid I have no idea how long it will be before your application is approved.
All I can say is that don't let your GNIB card expire, so go to the GNIB office with your letter form the Dept of Jutice and with whatever else you had to supply to get the Stamp 2 in the first place. It may help to bring your partner as well. Sometimes it's really easy to get through the GNIB office and sometimes it isn't - it really depends on the officer dealing with your request (unfortunately!!).
SO I'd say bring everything, be honest, calm and upfront and it should be fine. I would think you will have to pay the €150 for the renewal. I had to pay even with my approval letter from the Dept of Justice!
Good luck

GreenCardApplicant wrote:Hi all,

Just to let all interested parties know that I have recently applied to the Dept of Justice the permission to remain based on my relationship with an Irish citizen.
I got my approval letter yesterday. I went through an immigration lawyer which I think helped as I got my approval 2 weeks after the application was submitted
My details are: Same-gender relationship with an Irish citizen living together for more than 2 years. I have been on the second year of a green card and I have only a few months to go until I will have enough months to apply for LTR and naturalisation as well.
Good luck to anyone wishing to apply.

Do any of you know if this is only applicable if you are in a relationship with a Irish citizen, or can you apply for this if your partner is a Eu-national aswell.Been together with my partner for 8 years,he is the holder of a Belgiun passport!!!

Hi Heinrich,

As far as I understand this: http://www.inis.gov.ie/en/INIS/Pages/WP07000278 it does not look like you can use this particalur route. There might be other avenues open for partners of EU nationals. If nobody here can give you a definitive answer maybe you should ask a solicitor for sound advice.

Good luck!

Heinrich wrote: Do any of you know if this is only applicable if you are in a relationship with a Irish citizen, or can you apply for this if your partner is a Eu-national aswell.Been together with my partner for 8 years,he is the holder of a Belgiun passport!!!

My partner and I are non-EU and I was on Stamp 4 at the time we applied. The only difference is - departments what handle those application. Looks like for EU the processing time is much quicker than for non-EU

GreenCardApplicant wrote:Hi Heinrich,

As far as I understand this: http://www.inis.gov.ie/en/INIS/Pages/WP07000278 it does not look like you can use this particalur route. There might be other avenues open for partners of EU nationals. If nobody here can give you a definitive answer maybe you should ask a solicitor for sound advice.

Good luck!

Hey,
Yes, you are right.I phoned them this morning to enquire about this, and the lady told me I can go through the EU Treaty channel actually.
So might give it a try...dont really know if this will actually be worth it, because I already applied for Long Term residency in 2007 aswell as citizenship in 2007.One of them should actually come through soon(lets hope).But thanks for your reply.

Good luck

Hi! Its Fumo again. Now Im writing just to say thanks for the valuable (and quick!) advice over my application to GreenCardApplicant and Strang3r.
I received a letter next day of my last post and it stated my case was approved Thanks a mil!

You are very welcome Fumo

My partner is Dutch, but has been living in Ireland for 12 years. I'm American, and we have been in a relationship for 2 years now. I am currently on a Stamp 1A for trainee accountants, but I hate the job and things aren't going well. My stamp expires at the end of August, and we are afraid I might have to leave.

So, from what I gathered from the posts above, we should be able to apply for permission to remain the basis of our 2 year relationship through the EU route. Has anyone tried this yet? What documents are needed? We've only been on the same lease for about 7 months, but we have emails that date back 2 years and I should have the ticket stubs from my my first 2 trips here, plus spending a summer in the Netherlands while waiting for the Stamp 1A. I also have a good relationship with her parents and have visited her family in the Netherlands as well. Of course, there are photos too.

Any advice would be much appreciated. In regards to seeking help from a lawyer, what do they charge for this kind of work? Could someone recommend a lawyer?

Many thanks.

kabuki wrote:My partner is Dutch, but has been living in Ireland for 12 years. I'm American, and we have been in a relationship for 2 years now. I am currently on a Stamp 1A for trainee accountants, but I hate the job and things aren't going well. My stamp expires at the end of August, and we are afraid I might have to leave.

So, from what I gathered from the posts above, we should be able to apply for permission to remain the basis of our 2 year relationship through the EU route. Has anyone tried this yet? What documents are needed? We've only been on the same lease for about 7 months, but we have emails that date back 2 years and I should have the ticket stubs from my my first 2 trips here, plus spending a summer in the Netherlands while waiting for the Stamp 1A. I also have a good relationship with her parents and have visited her family in the Netherlands as well. Of course, there are photos too.

Any advice would be much appreciated. In regards to seeking help from a lawyer, what do they charge for this kind of work? Could someone recommend a lawyer?

Many thanks.

Greencard got me in touch with a very good immigration solicitor who is helping me at the moment. A good recommendation for a solicitor in this town is priceless as I've had some pretty bad experience with the lot here in Ireland. I'll pm the contact details if ya want.
How long have you been in Ireland?

sovtek wrote: Greencard got me in touch with a very good immigration solicitor who is helping me at the moment. A good recommendation for a solicitor in this town is priceless as I've had some pretty bad experience with the lot here in Ireland. I'll pm the contact details if ya want.
How long have you been in Ireland?

Thanks. I'd really appreciate that pm. I've been in Ireland working in the Stamp 1A for a year. I was here as a visitor for 3 months in the preceding year, as well as for 1 month. So, I haven't been here very long.

Also, if you have an estimate of fees the solicitor charges, please include that in the pm. Thanks.

Hi, does anyone know of a good immigration lawyer to use in Ireland for the de facto application.It seems that everyone has a different story and no clear answers.I have just arrived in Ireland and planning to stay with my partner of 6 years.We have all the docs.

Have you been living together for two years previously?

I'm not promoting myself or my consultancy but an immigration consultant is generally half the price of an immigration solicitor and does exactly the same service especially for a an appplication like this.

Best of luck with your application.

Regards,

Leinster Immigration

Hi,thanks for the replies.My partner and I have been together for 6 years now and he was on a life partner visa with me as his sponsor in South Africa for 4 years.He has the visa in his passport, but we decided to come back to Ireland.I would like to get the stamp 4 in my passport,how do I go about it?

Hi,

So you are South African and what is your husbands nationality?