Immigration and Irish Visa Question

lg01

My wife is from Brazil and we are married 2.5 years. When we are married 3 years she gets to apply for her Irish Passport which we very much want. However, I've been offered a job overseas with my company and its an opportunity I cannot let pass. Problem is I believe the rules say you have to be living in Ireland for the 6+ months beforehand.

We will be keeping our apartment here with all the bills etc so we'll still have all that proof. We will be over and back from overseas a bit, but I'm not sure if they are going to question several periods away. Is there any way around this, can you explain it with a letter from work? Are they ever sympathetic or are these very hard and fast rules?

Do I have any other options?

splinter65

She will be applying for Irish citizenship first and then when she gets that she can apply for an Irish passport.
http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/moving_chttp://www.inis.gov.ie/en/INIS/form-CTZ3.pdf/Files/form-CTZ3.pdfountry/irish_citizenship/becoming_an_irish_citizen_through_marriage.html
On page 21 of the application form it asks the applicant to list dates of absence from the state of more than 6 weeks and explain the absences

lg01

Thank you. So I suppose my question would be if she had 6 months out of the country before applying - would she have any chance at all? How can I find out the realities of this?

splinter65

lg01 wrote: »

Thank you. So I suppose my question would be if she had 6 months out of the country before applying - would she have any chance at all? How can I find out the realities of this?

The reality is that she makes her application for citizenship through marriage, sends in all the supporting documentary evidence, explains the abscences as best she can, pays her €175 and takes her chances like everyone else. Citizenship are understandably very unwieldy and either the reason for the abscence is believable and understandable or it's not.
Nobody here will be able to garuntee you that you will or will not be successful,
Worst that can happen is that she'll be refused lose the €175 and have to make a whole new application at a later date.

lg01

Yes of course, we'll do that and fingers crossed -but I'm not so confident. I wonder if I could get in contact with them in advance and let them know about the job etc - letter from my work maybe. She plans to come back a month or two before it anyway not sure if that will make a difference.

splinter65

lg01 wrote: »

Yes of course, we'll do that and fingers crossed -but I'm not so confident. I wonder if I could get in contact with them in advance and let them know about the job etc - letter from my work maybe. She plans to come back a month or two before it anyway not sure if that will make a difference.

She can put a letter of course in with the application explaining the circumstances of the abscence and if your employer was kind enough to put something on headed paper then that would be helpful.
You can email them or write to them and they will respond pointing out the conditions as spelled out on the application form and on the website. They will respond though.
They are very intransigent.

Caranica

Does she have to go with you. This is a risk you should avoid if at all possible. If citizenship is a target, make it a focus.

lg01

Thanks. I will give them a call and see. I can probably get something from my work.

Caranica, I can't leave my wife behind for 6+ months. It might be posible to do an on/off but it's not ideal.

Maybe they will be sympathetic. Fingers crossed. I'm just not sure if there are any other options.

Under His Eye

Start a fresh waiting period when you both return.

Caranica

lg01 wrote: »

Thanks. I will give them a call and see. I can probably get something from my work.

Caranica, I can't leave my wife behind for 6+ months. It might be posible to do an on/off but it's not ideal.

Maybe they will be sympathetic. Fingers crossed. I'm just not sure if there are any other options.

Talking to someone today. Spouse left the country for six weeks and a bit due to a parent being seriously ill. Even with doctor's notes and documented hospital visits, break in residence meant they were denied. Final year "continuous residence" is required.

Happened this summer. Looks like sympathy would be unlikely so you need to work out your priorities.