Visa for Ireland - for Girlfriend

steo 24

Hi guys

I'm in a bit of a difficult situation here.
I have a girlfriend from abroad (NON EU Citizen)
She lives in Switzerland but has a Macedonian passport.

Our plan is to move in together and she wants to settle down in Ireland..
Problem is that she doesnt hold an EU passport.

What possible solutions are out there? I heard most companies wont accept candidates unless they have a visa stamp 4.

I'd really like this to work out, can anyone offer me any advice?

Thanks!

Isaiah

She would need a visa for Ireland. If you havent been living together for a few years then it will be difficult to prove relationship. If you both truely want to be together then marriage would be the only certain route.

Or you could move to Switzerland.

steo 24

Is it possible for her to get some sort of working visa?

Or even just move here and look for a job part time of some sort?

It's truly a difficult situation indeed..

ColcloughP

I'm in a similar situation. My fiancée is from Japan and we'd been trying to get her a visa for a while.

We looked into getting a de facto partner visa, but you have to be living together for 2 years in order to be eligible.

In the end we looked into applying for a working holiday visa and she got it easy enough. There's a lottery, but apparently most years there are more visas than applicants. It'll last 1 year from the time she enters Ireland. After that we'll get married.

I'm not sure how competitive it'll be for Macedonian citizens, but I'd definitely look into it.

steo 24

ColcloughP wrote: »

I'm in a similar situation. My fiancée is from Japan and we'd been trying to get her a visa for a while.

We looked into getting a de facto partner visa, but you have to be living together for 2 years in order to be eligible.

In the end we looked into applying for a working holiday visa and she got it easy enough. There's a lottery, but apparently most years there are more visas than applicants. It'll last 1 year from the time she enters Ireland. After that we'll get married.

I'm not sure how competitive it'll be for Macedonian citizens, but I'd definitely look into it.

Thanks for your reply,

Just wanted to ask.. How and what is a working holiday visa?
And is there certain criteria that needs to be met in order for a non eu national to be eligible for one?

And a lottery system? I've never heard of this. What is it?

ColcloughP

steo 24 wrote: »

Thanks for your reply,

Just wanted to ask.. How and what is a working holiday visa?
And is there certain criteria that needs to be met in order for a non eu national to be eligible for one?

And a lottery system? I've never heard of this. What is it?

A working holiday visa basically let's someone who's a non-EU national to live and work in Ireland for a period of time, typically for 1 year but it can be extended. It enables you to work in most job types, although employers might be hesitant to hire someone who they deem has a high chance of leaving within a year.

The requirements aren't strict. You just need to prove that you have enough funds in advance to support your stay and demonstrable skills, especially in English, are also a boon, but not necessary.

The lottery system is where the successful applicants are chosen randomly as opposed to the strength of their application. For my fiancée it was redundant, however, because there were few Japanese applicants than there were visas.

steo 24

ColcloughP wrote: »

A working holiday visa basically let's someone who's a non-EU national to live and work in Ireland for a period of time, typically for 1 year but it can be extended. It enables you to work in most job types, although employers might be hesitant to hire someone who they deem has a high chance of leaving within a year.

The requirements aren't strict. You just need to prove that you have enough funds in advance to support your stay and demonstrable skills, especially in English, are also a boon, but not necessary.

The lottery system is where the successful applicants are chosen randomly as opposed to the strength of their application. For my fiancée it was redundant, however, because there were few Japanese applicants than there were visas.

Right, I get ya.
Although I've heard the contrary - that most employers won't accept anyone without a stamp 4.. Maybe you can correct me on that?

steo 24

ColcloughP wrote: »

A working holiday visa basically let's someone who's a non-EU national to live and work in Ireland for a period of time, typically for 1 year but it can be extended. It enables you to work in most job types, although employers might be hesitant to hire someone who they deem has a high chance of leaving within a year.

The requirements aren't strict. You just need to prove that you have enough funds in advance to support your stay and demonstrable skills, especially in English, are also a boon, but not necessary.

The lottery system is where the successful applicants are chosen randomly as opposed to the strength of their application. For my fiancée it was redundant, however, because there were few Japanese applicants than there were visas.

In fact, what companies (off the top of your head) allow working visas?

ColcloughP

steo 24 wrote: »

In fact, what companies (off the top of your head) allow working visas?

I don't know any to be honest. We haven't looked into it yet. She won't be over until January so the bigger priority is me getting a job.

steo 24

ColcloughP wrote: »

I don't know any to be honest. We haven't looked into it yet. She won't be over until January so the bigger priority is me getting a job.

Hope it all goes well for you. If you have any updates, let me know on this post.

ColcloughP

steo 24 wrote: »

Hope it all goes well for you. If you have any updates, let me know on this post.

Will do.

Mrs OBumble

steo 24 wrote: »

In fact, what companies (off the top of your head) allow working visas?

Allowing working visas and being willing to hire someone who's here on a working-holiday visa are two totally different things.

Any company that hires people on a temporary basis will take the latter.

Konata

OP please note that your girlfriend most likely won't be eligibile for a Working Holiday Visa. The WHV is only open to citizens of countries that have a WHV agreement with Ireland - Japan is one of these countries but Macedonia isnt on the list on the Dept of Foreign Affairs website.

anto9

Is Thailand on the list ?or do you have a link to the list please ?