Join Family

Information about visa application and immigration procedures

Family Member of Irish Citizen

Family member of Work Permit Holders, Green Card Holders and Scientific Researchers

Partner of Irish Citizen/Work Permit Holder/Green Card Holder and Persons Granted Long-Term Residence

NON EEA Family Member of EU Citizen

Family Reunification for Recognised Refugees

Information about visa application and immigration procedures

Decisions

The processing times for Visa Applications vary depending on the volume of applications lodged and the time it takes for an application to reach the Visa Section in Dublin from the Embassy in which it was lodged. You should allow as much time as possible when applying for a visa but a minimum time of 8 weeks is recommended. Please note that current processing time for Join Family applications is 12 weeks from date of receipt in the Visa Office, Dublin.
Visa applications from Researchers and their family members will be decided by the Embassy or Consular Office at which the applications are lodged
Visa decisions are published weekly on our website www.inis.gov.ie. You can check a decision by entering the Visa Reference Number that issued to you

Policy in relation to visas for purposes of family reunification is currently being developed. Therefore, consideration of visa applications from dependent relatives in the ascending line to join family members in Ireland is temporarily suspended, for a number of weeks, pending publication of the policy.

Applications may continue to be made but applicants should note that these will be considered in the framework of the policy when published. This does not apply to visa applications from family members of persons exercising free movement rights under Directive 2004/38/EC.

Right of Appeal

If you are refused a visa you may appeal this decision within 2 months
Appeals must be submitted in writing and posted to:

The Visa Appeals Officer
INIS, 13-14 Burgh Quay,
Dublin 2.

If your application was made to the Visa Office in Abu Dhabi, Abuja, Beijing, London, Moscow or New Delhi you should submit your appeal to the relevant office

Your appeal should fully address all the reasons for which your application was refused. Any additional supporting documentation should be submitted with your appeal for consideration.
You must quote your Visa Reference Number on your appeal, along with your name and nationality
There is no fee payable for appealing a visa refusal decision
There will be no appeal allowed if you are found to have given false or misleading information in any part of your application, or submitted false, forged or fraudulent documentation

If you are granted a visa for to join your spouse or parent please note:

A visa is a form of pre-entry clearance to the State only, and does not guarantee that you will be permitted to enter or remain in the State
Immigration Officers at the point of entry are entitled to question any person on arrival. If they are not satisfied with the bona-fides of any person, or their reasons for wishing to enter the State, they have the right to deny entry to any such person, despite the fact they hold a valid visa
It is recommended that you have supporting documentation related to your reason for wishing to enter the State available to present to the Immigration Officer on disembarkation from your flight.

Registration and Permission to Remain

All non-EEA nationals who wish to remain in Ireland for longer than 3 months, or beyond the period granted by an Immigration Officer at an Irish Port of Entry are required to register and obtain a residence permit. The Registration Authority is the Garda National Immigration Bureau (GNIB). www.garda.ie
Residency is granted by means of an endorsement stamp on the person’s passport, and a residency document- a Certificate of Registration - is also issued. Under current Irish Immigration Laws children under the age of 16 are not required to register and obtain permission to remain
There is a charge of €300 payable each time you register, therefore it is advisable that your passport is valid for at least 12 months on arrival in the State

Re-entry Visas

Before a re-entry visa can be issued, you must be registered with the Garda National Immigration Bureau
It is your responsibility to ensure you have the correct visa (where relevant) for the country you intend travelling to
NOTE: A visa must be obtained from the UK authorities prior to travelling to Northern Ireland (Northern Ireland consists of Counties Antrim, Armagh, Derry, Down, Fermanagh and Tyrone)
Eligibility for Employment
A family member of a worker or a Scientific Researcher who is the holder of a Hosting Agreement, issued a visa for the purposes of family reunification will be entitled to work subject to the issuance of a work permit by the Department of Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, once they are legally resident in the State. See The Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation - www.djei.ie.

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Family Member of Irish Citizen - visa application document required

If you are legally resident in a country other than Ireland and you wish to move to Ireland by either joining or accompanying your Irish spouse, the following documents must be submitted:

Fully complete the online application form, and submit your signed summary application form, photographs and fee (if applicable)
In addition to the signed summary application form, please also submit a signed letter of application

outlining your reason for coming to Ireland,
giving details of any members of your family who are currently in Ireland, or any other EU State.

Passport, valid for 12 months, and copy of previous passport if applicable. (If your passport is relatively new, it may assist your application if you provide your previous passport showing any previous visas for any other country, and your previous travel history)
If you have been refused a visa for any other country, details of this must be given. Submit the original letter issued to you by the authorities of that country. Concealment of visa refusals will result in your Irish visa application being refused
A detailed statement of your bank account covering a six-month period immediately prior to your visa application, and showing sufficient funds to cover your costs
Clear copy of spouse’s passport, or other documentary evidence attesting to spouse's Irish citizenship, showing evidence of residency in country you are moving from
Marriage Certificate/ Civil Partnership Certificate

Children

If you have children (under 18 years) who do not hold Irish passports, and therefore require a visa, a separate application must be submitted, along with a birth certificate, for each child.

If you wish a child (under 18 years) from a previous marriage or relationship to travel with you, evidence that you have been given full custody and access rights to this child must be shown (Court Order).

Where the other parent of this child has some custody or access rights, a sworn affidavit by this parent consenting to the child being removed from their home country is required.

NOTE: If your Irish spouse is residing in Ireland, and you have not resided together since your marriage, whether your visa application is to visit or join your spouse, in addition to the documentation listed above you MUST also submit the following:

A full account of relationship history – when and where you met, evidence of this such as visas, entry/exit stamps on the passport of your Irish spouse
Please note that for Immigration purposes it is not sufficient for a relationship to have developed solely over the internet or by telephone/sms. A relationship must include a number face to face meetings (excluding webcam) between the parties. You must satisfy the visa officer that the relationship is bona-fide
Evidence of your spouse’s finances – P60, payslips, bank statement for 6 months prior to application.

NOTES

All letters submitted should be on official company headed paper and give full contact details for verification purposes. These must include a full postal address, name of contact, position in company, telephone number (landline) and email address where relevant. (Email addresses such as Yahoo or Hotmail are not accepted). Website address should also be included, if available.
All of the above documents must be submitted with your application
All documentation must be in English or accompanied by a notarised translation
The provision of all the documentation listed in no way guarantees that a visa will be granted.

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Join a Spouse or Parent who is a Work Permit Holder, Green Card Holder or Scientific Researcher - visa application document required

outlining your reason for coming to Ireland,
giving details of any members of your family who are currently in Ireland, or any other EU State.

Passport, valid for 12 months, and copy of previous passport if applicable. (If your passport is relatively new, it may assist your application if you provide your previous passport showing any previous visas for any other country, and your previous travel history)
If you have been refused a visa for any other country, details of this must be given. Submit the original letter issued to you by the authorities of that country. Concealment of visa refusals will result in your Irish visa application being refused.
A detailed statement of you and your sponsor's bank accounts covering a six-month period immediately prior to your visa application, showing sufficient funds to support dependent family members without recourse to public funds.

In applying for a Visa for the purposes of joining your spouse or parent in Ireland you must be able to show that:

You are the spouse of a qualifying sponsor whose marriage is subsisting on the date of your application

You are the dependent unmarried child of the sponsor under the age of 18 years

AND

That the qualifying sponsor fulfils the minimum income requirement where relevant.

Definition of a qualifying sponsor:

A qualifying sponsor is a non-EEA national:

Who has a valid work permit and has been in employment for at least twelve months prior to the date of application. He/she must be in full time employment on the date of application and have an income above the threshold which would qualify the family for payment under the Family Income Supplement (FIS) Scheme administered by the Department of Social Protection – www.welfare.ie

who is a Green Card Permit Holder see www.djei.ie/labour/workpermits

a Researcher (Scientific) who holds a Hosting Agreement with an accredited research organisation for the purpose of carrying out scientific research. See (www.djei.ie/science/technology/accreditation.htm and Employment or Intra-company Transfer, Scientific Researcher, Training, Van Der Elst)

Please note: family members (i.e. spouse and dependants) may accompany a Green Card holder or a Scientific Researcher on admission into the State or join later subject to normal immigration rules. For visa required nationals please click on Visas for Visa application details. Family members and dependants who are granted permission to be in the State under these arrangements may only remain for a maximum period equal to the Registration of the Green Card holder/Scientific Researcher.

There now follows an explanation of what will be accepted as evidence for the above requirements. Please ensure you read this carefully and submit ALL documents with your application. Again, it is important that these are originals (where indicated) in English, or accompanied by a notarised translation. They should clearly indicate what they are and to whom they refer.

Evidence of Relationship to the Qualifying Sponsor

Where you are the spouse of a qualifying sponsor you must provide the following documents:

Marriage Certificate/ Civil Partnership Certificate.
If the marriage took place after the qualifying sponsor took up residence in Ireland please provide the following details/documents
Evidence of your spouse having travelled to your country of residence on a number of occasions, and any other information you can provide to support your application. Please note that for Immigration purposes it is not sufficient for a relationship to have developed solely over the internet or by telephone/sms. A relationship must include a number face to face meetings (excluding webcam) between the parties. You must satisfy the visa officer that the relationship is bona-fide
Where the applicant is the dependent child (under 18 years) of a qualifying sponsor you must provide evidence of the relationship such as a birth certificate, adoption papers or the like.

Parental Consent

Where both you and your spouse are the parents of this child, but only one of you will be residing in Ireland, the written consent of your spouse, permitting your child to join you, will be required
If you wish a child (under 18 years) from a previous marriage or relationship to travel with you, or join you in Ireland, evidence that you have been given full custody and access rights to this child must be shown.
Court Order
Where the other parent of this child has custody or access rights, a sworn affidavit by this parent consenting to the child being removed from their home country is required
Sponsors and Family Members may be required to present DNA evidence, obtained at their own expense and certified to the satisfaction of the Minister, in support of their claims to be related. Such evidence will not be sought unreasonably.

Evidence of Finances

If the qualifying sponsor is the holder of a work permit and has been resident in Ireland for 12 months, they must show they have sufficient funds to support you and any dependent family members, without recourse to public funds. However, in all cases your application must be accompanied by:

A copy of spouse’s current Work Permit
A copy of the contract of employment of the qualifying sponsor of at least one year from the date of entry of the family member(s). The contract must also give the annual salary of the sponsor
Copy of P60 and 3 recent consecutive payslips

If the above documents are not provided the application cannot be considered

Passport

Current passport valid for at least one year from proposed entry date to Ireland
If you held a previous passport, you should also submit this with your application
Clear and legible copy of all pages of the qualifying sponsors passport
Copy of sponsors Certificate of Registration (document issued by the Irish Immigration Authorities)

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Partner of Irish Citizen/Work Permit Holder/Green Card Holder and Persons Granted Long Term Residence

If you are:

the partner of an Irish Citizen in a long-term relationship that has existed for at least 2 years

the partner of a non-EEA national who is a Work Permit Holder/Green Card Holder or person Granted Long Term Residence in a long-term relationship that has existed for at least 4 years

and

you wish to join your partner in Ireland or accompany them to Ireland, the following documents are required in order to have your application considered:

Fully complete the online application form, and submit your signed summary application form, photographs and fee (if applicable).
In addition to the signed summary application form, please also submit a signed letter of application

outlining your reason for coming to Ireland,
giving details of any members of your family who are currently in Ireland, or any other EU State.

Passport, valid for 12 months, and copy of previous passport if applicable. (If your passport is relatively new, it may assist your application if you provide your previous passport showing any previous visas for any other country, and your previous travel history)
If you have been refused a visa for any other country, details of this must be given. Submit the original letter issued to you by the authorities of that country. Concealment of visa refusals will result in your Irish visa application being refused.
A detailed statement of your bank account covering a six-month period immediately prior to your visa application, and showing sufficient funds to cover your costs
Evidence that you are lawfully resident in a country other than Ireland
Documentary evidence that will support the existence and durability of the relationship – e.g. Registration Certificate of partnership (if applicable) or evidence of common ownership of property, joint tenancy of property, on-going correspondence addressed to both partners at the same address, financial dependence/interdependence, or any other relevant documentation
A full account of relationship history – when and where you met, evidence of this such as visas, entry/exit stamps on the passport of your partner. Please note that for Immigration purposes it is not sufficient for a relationship to have developed solely over the internet or by telephone/sms. A relationship must include a number face to face meetings (excluding webcam) between the parties. You must satisfy the visa officer that the relationship is bona-fide.
Clear copy of spouse’s passport, or documentary evidence attesting to spouse's Irish citizenship.
Evidence of how your partner will support you financially – e.g. P60, payslips, bank statement for 6 months prior to application
Private Medical Insurance

If you have children (under 18 years) who do not hold Irish passports and therefore require a visa, a separate application must be submitted, along with a birth certificate, for each child.

Where the other parent of this child has some custody or access rights, a sworn affidavit by this parent consenting to the child being removed from their home country is required.

NOTES

All letters submitted should be on official company headed paper and give full contact details for verification purposes. These must include a full postal address, name of contact, position in company, telephone number (landline) and email address where relevant. (Email addresses such as Yahoo or Hotmail are not accepted). Website address should also be included, if available. All of the above documents must be submitted with your application. All documentation must be in English or accompanied by a notarised translation. The provision of all the documentation listed in no way guarantees that a visa will be granted.

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NON EEA Family Member of EU Citizen

Please be advised that non-nationals who are family members of a European Union citizen and holders of a document called "Residence card of a family member of a Union citizen" as referred to in Articles 5 (2) and 10 (1) of Directive 2004/38/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 29 April 2004, are not subject to an Irish visa requirement.

Please be advised that the Visa Office's of the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service are not in a position to provide guidance or advice as to whether a particular card held is sufficient to exempt the person concerned from the visa requirement. It is however open to the persons concerned to contact the appropriate issuing authority of the member state concerned for advice/guidance as to whether the document/card comes within the definition of the Directive, as implemented by that particular Member State.

In circumstances where an individual is in anyway uncertain as to whether or not they are exempt from a visa requirement, then it remains open to such an individual to apply for a visa. Such an application from a family member of an EU Citizen will continue to be dealt with in an accelerated fashion. Whether or not a visa should be applied for is a matter of choice for the individual themselves.

Spouse/Child - Qualifying Family Members who wish to JOIN EU Citizen in Ireland

If you are the non EEA spouse or the child (under 21 years) of an EU Citizen or the child of the non EEA spouse and wish to JOIN the EU Citizen who is already in Ireland you should fully complete the online application form, and submit your signed summary application form, and photographs

In addition the following documents are required:

Your passport
Copy of the bio page of your spouse’s passport
Marriage Certificate/ Civil Partnership Certificate – evidence (apostilled document) that marriage has been registered in applicant’s country of origin/residence
Birth Certificate (long form) for children under 21 years, parental consent where appropriate, national Identity card (signed if required)
Evidence that the EU Citizen spouse is lawfully in Ireland

In accordance with Article 6 (2) of the Directive 2004/38/EC, in the event that your visa is approved, you will be issued with a single journey short-stay C visa – "Join/Acc. EU Citizen - Spouse/Partner/Parent/Dependent"; whichever is applicable, to allow you the right of residence for up to 90 days. Under the Directive 2004/38/EC, given effect in Ireland by the European Communities (Free Movement of Persons) Regulations 2006 and 2008, Regulation 7 of the Regulations states that the family member of a Union citizen should apply for a residence card if they intend to reside in the State with the Union citizen for more than 3 months. An EU citizen residing in the State exercises their rights under the Regulations and the Directive by engaging in one of the activities outlined in Regulation 6 (2) of the Regulations.

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Partner - Qualifying Family Members who wish to JOIN EU Citizen in Ireland

If you are:

the non-EEA partner of an EU Citizen, in a long-term relationship that has existed for at least 2 years

a civil partner who has contracted a registered partnership, or is a party to a class of legal relationship specified in the Civil Partnership (Recognition of Registered Foreign Relationships) Order 2010 as entitled to be recognized as a civil partnership,

and

you wish to join your EU citizen partner in Ireland or accompany them to Ireland, the following documents are required in order to have your application considered:

Fully complete the online application form, and submit your signed summary application form, and photographs
In addition to the signed summary application form, please also submit a signed letter of application:

outlining your reason for coming to ireland
giving details of any members of your family who are currently in Ireland, or any other EU State.

Passport
Documentary evidence that will attest to the existence and durability of the relationship:

In the case of a registered or recognised civil partnership please submit Registration Certificate of partnership
In the case of unregistered partners please submit evidence of common ownership of property, joint tenancy of property, on-going correspondence addressed to both partners at the same address, financial dependence/interdependence, joint bank accounts or any other relevant documentation

N.B. it should be noted that the EU Citizen has a period of 3 months to exercise their EUTR from date of arrival.
NOTE: The onus is on the applicant to satisfy the Visa Officer of the bona-fides of the partnership.

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Spouse/Child/Partner- Qualifying Family Members who wish to ACCOMPANY EU Citizen to Ireland – Reside

If you are the non EEA spouse

child (under 21 years),

the child of the non EEA spouse,

the non-EEA partner of an EU Citizen, in a long-term relationship that has existed for at least 2 years,

and

you wish to ACCOMPANY the EU Citizen to Ireland the following documents are required:

Fully complete the online application form, and submit your signed summary application form, and photographs.
In addition to the signed summary application form, please also submit a signed letter of application

Passport
In the case of a married couple, Marriage Certificate – evidence (apostilled document) that marriage has been registered in applicant’s country of origin/residence
In the case of civil partners, documentary evidence that will attest to the existence and durability of the relationship

In the case of a registered or recognised civil partnership please submit Registration Certificate of partnership.
In the case of unregistered partners please submit evidence of common ownership of property, joint tenancy of property, on-going correspondence addressed to both partners at the same address, financial dependence/interdependence, joint bank accounts or any other relevant documentation

Birth Certificate (long form) for children under 21 years, parental consent, national Identity card (signed if required).

The applicant should, if intending to reside in Ireland beyond 90 days, make an application for a Residence Card of a family member of an EU Citizen to the EU Treaty Right Section, 13-14 Burgh Quay, Dublin 2.

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Other Family Members of EU Citizen including their parents and in-laws:

Any family member of an EU Citizen who is:

A dependent of the EU Citizen or the qualifying dependant of the spouse of the EU Citizen

A member of the household of the EU Citizen or a person requiring the personal care of the EU Citizen, on the basis of serious health grounds may have their application for a visa considered on submission of the following documentation:

Fully complete the online application form, and submit your signed summary application form, photographs and fee.
In addition to the signed summary application form, please also submit a signed letter of application

Passport

Evidence of their relationship to the EU Citizen

Evidence of their dependency on the EU Citizen, where applicable

Evidence that they are a member of the household of the EU Citizen, where applicable

Evidence that they require the personal care of the EU Citizen on serious health grounds, where applicable.

NOTE: The evidence required will be documentary evidence from the relevant authority or the country of origin from which he or she is arriving, certifying that he or she is a dependant or a member of the household of the Union Citizen.

IMPORTANT NOTE

The bearer of the visa must present to an Immigration Official at an approved port of entry. Please note that a visa only grants the bearer permission to present at an approved port of entry into the State. The decision to allow entry to the State is at the discretion of the Immigration Officer and moreover the visa itself does not imply any entitlements whatsoever as to residency in the State.

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Dec 2013