Any exceptions to joint address?

[markrigz]

Hi,

My non EEA girlfriend will arrive here this Fall to study for one year, then intends to find employment and stay in the country afterwards. Considering ways for her to be allowed permission to stay in the country after her studies, we thought, since we are getting married in November, that being married to an Irish national would suffice. But we have hit a stumbling block regarding the "Joint Address" clause.
Because of my studies and her career, we have never stayed together for more than a few months and even then would find it difficult to prove "joint address". Our relationship consists of a lot of back and forth traveling. We will be staying together for the summer, in Vietnam, if that is of any use.

Long story short, is there any exceptions to the "Joint Address" clause when trying to gain permission to stay in the country via marriage to an Irish national?

Any help will be much appreciated.

[markrigz]

Anyone can help us? We can't afford to wait anymore to be together....

[vmac307]

@markrigz once you are married there is no need to prove "Joint Address"

You can collect the marriage certificate the same day you marry each other and with that and your passports go to INIS to apply for a Stamp 4 for your wife. If she's in the country legally (which I assume she will by then since she’s coming to study) no other documents are needed.

One thing - you need to register your marriage 3 months before the intended date.

[markrigz]

Thanks! Did you or anyone go down that route recently? We just want to be sure because we still see the required "Evidence of your joint address" on INIS website:

• Your original marriage/civil partnership certificate
  Your original passport
  Your Irish spouse’s/civil partner’s original passport
  Evidence of your joint address

Probably it was a recent change. We are scratching our heads trying to find a way. Since we met in 2014, we've had many travels together and we spent most weekends and holidays together when we could. We had our names on hotel and apartment bookings, and she can possibly use my permanent address as her mailing address, so could they help?

When she had the chance to go to Ireland to study we were so happy because finally we could be together. But if we can't change her stamp, we would have to wait another 1 year with travels back and forth to be together for good, and that's just excruciating.

Any help would be really, really appreciated.

[vmac307]

Do not worry, once you are married to change her stamp from Student Stamp to Stamp 4 is just a matter of hours at INIS. I applied in 2013 this way and had no issues.

Are you planning to live together once you are married here in Ireland? Because the documents you have listed above need to be provided once you are married and go to INIS with her, I assume you will be living together right?

Evidence of joint address could be a tenancy agreement, Virgin Media/Sky bill, gas bill, electricity bill, joint bank account, etc.

[markrigz]

Yeah, we will, after her school year ends. So at the time of application we'll still be living apart and commute to see each other every weekends. Don't know how INIS will see that, though.