Renewing De facto visa in Ireland

tmq

(not sure if this is the right forum...?)

I'm an Aussie living here with an Irish girlfriend, and last year we went through the lengthy ordeal of getting a de facto visa for myself.

Nearing on one year later, and I'm due to renew the visa. In typical INIS fashion, there is no information on how this should be done, other than the original approval letter which states:

If you wish to renew your permission at the end of this period, you and your partner should attend at your local Garda Registration office.

Has anyone else renewed a de facto visa? What did you have to do?

We are expecting we will have to provide details of leases, bills, invites, etc.. It will be hardly just be a case of turning up to the GNIB and getting another stamp.

Any helpful advice would be welcome (to others as well as me I'm sure.)

Thanks.

Monife

tmq wrote: »

(not sure if this is the right forum...?)

I'm an Aussie living here with an Irish girlfriend, and last year we went through the lengthy ordeal of getting a de facto visa for myself.

Nearing on one year later, and I'm due to renew the visa. In typical INIS fashion, there is no information on how this should be done, other than the original approval letter which states:

If you wish to renew your permission at the end of this period, you and your partner should attend at your local Garda Registration office.

Has anyone else renewed a de facto visa? What did you have to do?

We are expecting we will have to provide details of leases, bills, invites, etc.. It will be hardly just be a case of turning up to the GNIB and getting another stamp.

Any helpful advice would be welcome (to others as well as me I'm sure.)

Thanks.

I haven't got experience with De Facto visas but with the Spouse of Irish national. I would say come armed with more information rather than less. I would say you would need to prove that you continue to live together and are in durable relationship, so utility bills in both names in the last couple of months, bank statements, joint bank statements, joint loans, proof of joint major purchases, payslips to prove you can support yourselves, any joint invitations to events/weddings, photos with date stamps, letter(s) from friends/family attesting to your relationship, both passports.

It might be the case that all you need is both your passports but better to be safe than sorry.

Rogers.Kacey

I am sorry I have no answers for you Defacto Renewal, but I wanted to ask you about your experience getting the Defacto. My boyfriend is Irish and we are trying to apply for the visa. I wanted to know if you had any advice??

Was it tough to get?

Thank you!!
Kacey

tmq

Well most surprisingly, I got a reply to my email inquiry. So I thought I'd share...

I refer to your email - In order for you to renew your De Facto permission,
you and your partner should attend your local Immigration Office with the
following documents

Original Passport X 2
Original Tenancy Agreement in joint names
Original Utility Bills & Financial Statements for you and your partner at
your current address (Must be within the last 3 months)
Updated Medical Insurance
Fee of €300

Registration renewals can be done up to 14 days before your permission
expires.

tmq

Rogers.Kacey wrote: »

I am sorry I have no answers for you Defacto Renewal, but I wanted to ask you about your experience getting the Defacto. My boyfriend is Irish and we are trying to apply for the visa. I wanted to know if you had any advice??

Was it tough to get?

Thank you!!
Kacey

Hi Kacey, well we put in a lot of effort, and it took a long time. In short, we spent a long time trying to find out what to do, and were frustrated by how little guidance and information there was on what was required.

So we put together folders divided up into sections with as much info as we could find... bank account details, travel details, leases, written references, wedding invitations, birthday cards, print outs of emails, photos, health insurance, .... and more!

We filled out the online form, and took the folders to the immigration office on Burgh Quay, Dublin, in March last year. We got a letter of receipt of application then, but heard nothing more until September when we got a letter saying it was approved. So about six months. And when I went in to get the card the lady seemed to think I was lucky to get it quickly!

If you haven't heard/experienced already, any visits to the Burgh Quay office are EXTREMELY painful. Queues, huge waits, rude/ignorant staff, and often incorrect/unhelpful advice. But if you've a well put together application it should get through fine.

happy to answer any other questions.... i can find the contents sheets of the application if you like.
Good luck!

Karl88

my girlfriend forgot to renew her visa last month and only realised recently, im just wondering can it be renewed if it has expired? and can i have some information on how to go about it? im not really up to date on how all this visa stuff works she is an Australian living in Ireland for 5/6 years..

ucdhead25

Hi Tmq - just wondering about the same thing ie renewal of the defacto visa- what did you bring in the end to renew. We have the same situation defacto visa except we got married earlier in the year. Just wondering about renewal of the visa. Thanks