Visa Types for foreign GF ?

dsab

Hi Guys/Gals,

I am in a "long disctance" relationship with a woman from another part of the world for the last 2.5 years. Now she finally managed to finish her master, and we would like to live in Ireland together.

Are there any other ways to start up together then getting married ?

In some Countries you can get a cohabitation-visa for the first year. Is there somethig like that in Ireland ?

We don`t wanna get married straight away, but it seems as if this country (as many others) force their people to marry straight away if they wanna be with someone from outiside the EU ?

Any ideas which other ways there are ?

THX..

Victor

She should be able to stay for 90 days on a tourist visa.

Depending on what her Masters is in, she might be eligible for a work visa (occupation specific) or a work permit (not occupation specific).

www.basis.ie should help.

MojoMaker

dsab, where are you from and what is your visa situation? You may be able to sponsor her...

ballooba

Originally posted by Victor


www.basis.ie should help.

www.oasis.ie is for non-business info.

dsab

She has already been here several times, but now we want to live here for good (or at least for the foreseeable future).

She has a Master in Arts (with main focus on English) and an MBA. I don`t think any of these qualify for some special work visas. We already tried Agencies etc., but the chances to find a company who sponsors her, are very slim.

MojoMaker, I am a Citizen from another EU State, so I don`t have a visa.

Currently it seems as if our only choices are

- getting married, then she can stay legally and work straight away

- Student Visa, we could register her for an english school (which she doesn`t really need as her english is very good)...would give us a year, but cost us about 8000 Euro just for tution fees..

Victor

Originally posted by dsab
- Student Visa, we could register her for an english school (which she doesn`t really need as her english is very good)...would give us a year, but cost us about 8000 Euro just for tution fees..

As best I know, this only allows her to work up to 20 hours a week and she **must** study.

Hobbes

Also depends a lot on what part of the world they are.

They can come as tourist for 90 days, then have to leave for a week or two before they can do that again. They can't earn money while here.

Saruman

Originally posted by ballooba
www.oasis.ie is for non-business info.

think you mean http://www.oasis.gov.ie/

Deadwing

Tell the government shes an immigrant. Theyll give her a house, a car, a mobile phone, and 50 quid a week for going outside the house.

Tommy Vercetti

Originally posted by Deadwing
and 50 quid a week for going outside the house.

and a gob****e like you will be waiting outside to shout abuse at her no doubt :rolleyes:

Hobbes

Originally posted by Deadwing
Tell the government shes an immigrant. Theyll give her a house, a car, a mobile phone, and 50 quid a week for going outside the house.

Total BS. But thanks for playing.

Typedef

Deadwing.

We have penetrated every facet of public life. Soon, the revolution will take place.

Be assured then, that your dilligence will not go unrewarded.

When the revolution comes, it will be these detractors who will pay....


Oh yes.

Deadwing

Originally posted by Tommy Vercetti
and a gob****e like you will be waiting outside to shout abuse at her no doubt :rolleyes:

No, ill be standing outside your house shouting abuse at you for being a humourless bastard.

Agent Orange

Make sure you get some kind of short-term visa thing.
That way if she turns out to be a head-wrecker/ugly you can easily get her deported when her visa runs out.

bean

You can work here legally if are studying at postgraduate level and are required to work as an integral part of your course, e.g., doctors, dentists, etc.

Duckjob

dsab,

You don't say where your GF is from, but I went through a similar process with my GF, except she was living here on a student visa at the time. We're now married (very happily, I might add).

Basically the Gov isn't very much help if she's outside the EU. They're happy for non-EU people to come here and

- pay €5000/yr to enrol in an english class that they don't want/need just so they can get a student visa
- register with the Gardai like they're criminals
- not be allowed to work more than 20 hrs per week in some crappy minimum wage job
- be treated like dirt when they go to the immigration dept to renew visa

Because there is plenty supply of non-EU nationals looking to come to Ireland, the Gov can be picky, for example, they'll only give a years visa at a time and if she's over 25, she'll find it a lot harder.

Good luck.

dsab

Yeah,

seems as if we have to go the student visa way.

Fork out 9000 Euro for a course at DIT she doesn`t really want. That`s life, I guess. But we agree that we don`t wanna get married without living together for at least a year.

She/We will have to bit the bullet.

She is from Thailand and I met her in Singapore where we both studied for a while.

Thx for all your suggestions. Maybe I should move to Belgium .

tribble

Register a company here in Ireland.

Employ her as a specialist in whatever bullsh1t dummy activity your company is supposed to be involved in.
Make sure it's obsure and technical so immigration won't (can't) ask any hard questions.
Or just setup a private Thai language consultancy(sp?) for which there is few skilled European citizens (whom you're forced by EU law to consider first) - she'll get in no problem on a work visa.

tribble