The spouse visa in Ireland is also known as the Partner/Spouse/Spouse Employment visa. The visa permits the Irish visa holder’s family members to work and live in the country. The permission for the same is granted when the spouse/de-factor partner registers with the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS). To be eligible, the applicant must be a spouse of a researcher under the hosting agreement, or a person with a critical skills employment permit. Moreover, no fees are applicable for the dependent/spouse. Employment permit applications or renewals. Keep reading to learn more about Spouse Visa for Ireland.
Visa Name | Spouse Visa Ireland for International Employees |
Validity | The expiry date of the original permit holder’s visa |
Fee | No application fee |
Processing Time | up to 6 months |
This Blog Includes:
Spouse Visa Ireland for International Students
The Spouse Visa Ireland for International students doesn’t exist. It means those who are on a student visa cannot apply for a spouse visa. The reason is, that Ireland doesn’t offer spouse visas to students of a different nationality.
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Spouse Visa Ireland Eligibility
To be eligible for a Spouse visa for Ireland, the applicant must be in a civil partnership, married, or have an unmarried child under the age of 18. Moreover, the applicant must be the holder of any of the visas listed below:
- Green Card Permit
- Critical Skills Employment Permit
- Employment Permit or Hosting Agreement for a researcher position
- Those who have continuously held any of the above visas now are permitted to reside in the country without them
- Those who have stayed in Ireland continuously since they arrived in Canada
- Moreover, the dependents must not be enrolled in a full-time education
Duration of Stay
The Spouse visa for Ireland’s duration of stay is the same as the expiry date of the original permit holder’s visa. Moreover, after 5 years of staying on a work permit in Ireland (any), the applicant will be eligible for a long-term Ireland residence permit.
Employment Letter
The migrant worker must have obtained a job offer in Ireland to apply for this kind of visa. Moreover, the applicant must have the necessary skills, qualifications, and experience for the role. The visa can be applied by either the employer or the migrant worker. Moreover, the job offer must be granted for a minimum of 10 hours per week and must be paid the minimum national wage of Ireland. Additionally, the visa holder must work with the employer for a minimum duration of 1 year.
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Spouse Visa Ireland Documentation
The documentation required for a Spouse visa in Ireland is as follows. These documents are essential to join a spouse on an employment permit in Ireland:
- The applicant must submit an application form, a passport valid for at least 6 months, and a recent photograph.
- The applicant must hold evidence of permission to reside in the UK (3 months validity) after the departure from Ireland and a photocopy of permission to reside in the UK
- Additionally, the applicant must submit a processing fee
- Marriage certification and photocopy of the same must be provided
- Obtain spouse’s permission to remain in Ireland. For example, submit a copy of the spouse’s passport, employment permit, immigration stamp, etc
- Proof of financial support. For this, submit the spouse’s bank statement at least 3 months before the application
- The applicant must also submit the details of previous visa refusals
- Lastly, all the applications must be submitted by post. A postage-paid special delivery envelope is needed to return the passport and the documents to the applicant.
Spouse Visa Ireland Application Process
The application process for the spouse visa for Ireland is as follows. Note: any such application must be received at least 12 months before the employment date. The application has to be made on the Employment Permits Online System (EPOS) website.
- The applicant must fill out the application form for spouse visa for Ireland on the EPOS website, and submit the relevant documents
- Next, when the application is received along with the fees, it will be placed in the processing queue depending on the type of employer.
- The third is the application processing stage. During this stage, the decision maker would seek additional information from the applicant. This will be returned to the applicant within 28 days. Later, the application will be accepted or rejected by the decision maker.
- Lastly, in cases of application rejection, a person can request a review of the application. However, this has to be done within 28 days.
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Under a Change of Circumstances
The Ireland Embassy recognizes that the circumstances of the applicant can change. That is the separation from the primary visa holder. The following options are available in the change of situations.
- Under such circumstances, the applicant who has obtained a spouse visa for Ireland is not permitted to renew their visa.
- However, the spouse visa for Ireland holders can obtain permission to remain in the country in their own right. In such situations, the applicant will be subjected to normal requirements and must make an application for a different employment permit. The application has to be sent to the Department of Justice.
Spouse Visa for Ireland Latest Update
Since 6 March 2019, the requirement for a spouse visa for Ireland has been removed by the Department of Enterprise, Trade, and Employment. The changes will apply to the existing processes and will result in a more attractive offer for international talent and investors. However, the Immigration Service Delivery (ISD) will allow the eligible spouses and de-facto partners of Critical Skills Employment Permit Holders (CSEP) holders and researchers to side in the country. This permission will be provided under a hosting agreement Stamp 1 Conditions. According to this, such visa holders will have direct access to the labour market. Therefore, there is no need to obtain an employment permit.
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FAQs
Yes. The spouse/de facto partner can come to Ireland after a 12-month waiting period. However, under such circumstances, the applicant must be earning sufficient income to support their family.
Yes. However, workers who are not from Switzerland, the EEA, or the UK must obtain permission to work in Ireland. It means that they must obtain an employment permit.
If the civil partner or the spouse belongs to a non-EEA country, they need to apply for a visa. The applicant can check the ISD website to learn whether the spouse requires a visa. If a visa is needed, then the spouse must apply for a joint family visa.
We hope you now understand what is the spouse visa for Ireland. Want to apply for a Visa for your study abroad journey? Drop us a comment in the section below, or you can connect with a visa expert at Leverage Edu, and we will guide you on your dream journey!
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