New Pre-Clearance Process for De Facto Visa

[NervousNelly789]

Hi All,

I've just noticed that there's a new pre-clearance process for a De Facto Partnership visa. It seems like now you must fill out the form online, print it and submit it with all other documents including your passport (not a copy?) to an assigned visa processing center. Am I understanding this correctly? I feel very nervous giving up my passport.

Also, does anyone know what police clearance certificates are required coming from the US and UK?

Thank you so much- very grateful for any help!

[littlerr]

The preclearance scheme has been there for quite a while. It is just another form of visa, same as most of the Join Family visa types.

Why feeling nervous about submitting the passport? Virtually almost all types of visa applications around the world will require you to submit your passport as part of the application. Only a very small number of countries allow applicants to retain their passport for an extra fee (e.g. UK).

Police clearance certificates:
UK: https://www.acro.police.uk/Police-Certificates-Online
US: https://www.fbi.gov/services/cjis/ident ... ary-checks

[NervousNelly789]

Thanks so much, really grateful for your help.

It seems like the way the scheme works has recently changed- before Friday I believe you submitted your documents by post to Ireland without including your passport, but now it seems you submit your documents to an Immigration Centre and include your passport. Though I'm not positive about that as you need to complete an online form first, which I'm unable to do at the moment.

I'm already living overseas and feel nervous giving up my passport in case there's an emergency and I need to get home. Do you know if Ireland allows you to retain your passport for a fee as well?

Thanks also for the police certificates. I have those so I'm glad I'm on the right track. Any idea if local police certificates are required for the US as well?

Thanks very much!

[Vorona]

Passport is an identity document, and it's main purpose is to prove who you are. If you're refusing to provide your original valid passport you're effectively refusing to identify yourself.

If you think you will need to travel for an emergency, contact your local passport office or an embassy and ask for a second passport. Many countries allow to have two valid passports.

UK, despite offering visa processing without requiring a passport, will not issue a visa if passport is not provided.

[littlerr]

Thanks so much, really grateful for your help.

It seems like the way the scheme works has recently changed- before Friday I believe you submitted your documents by post to Ireland without including your passport, but now it seems you submit your documents to an Immigration Centre and include your passport. Though I'm not positive about that as you need to complete an online form first, which I'm unable to do at the moment.

I'm already living overseas and feel nervous giving up my passport in case there's an emergency and I need to get home. Do you know if Ireland allows you to retain your passport for a fee as well?

Thanks also for the police certificates. I have those so I'm glad I'm on the right track. Any idea if local police certificates are required for the US as well?

Thanks very much!

You would have to contact the Irish embassy in your country and check with them whether a certified copy of your passport will count during the application process. It's not something that I have heard before for other types of Irish visa applications, so most likely it would be no.

Yes you are right. The preclearance scheme has been changed since last week (mostly for the better). Previously you would need to apply for a preclearance letter which may take 6-12 months. Once you get the letter, some visa-required nationals may need to apply for a visa which will again take 3-6 months. This new process basically merges the two processes into one, so people will get either a preclearance letter or a visa sticker on their passport.

Actually, looking at some of the Embassy's visa processing times, it's not that bad. For example, In India, the preclearance visas take only 12 weeks to process.
https://www.dfa.ie/irish-embassy/india/ ... s-appeals/

[NervousNelly789]

Thanks so much- I think you're right that it looks like this new process expedites things. Thanks for taking the time to help!