Ireland Spouse Visa

To sponsor a non-EEA spouse, civil partner, or de facto partner, the sponsor must meet the financial requirements which are dependent on the sponsor’s immigration status.

Irish Citizen Sponsor

An Irish national may sponsor their spouse for a visa if he/she has earned a cumulative gross income of at least €40,000 in the 3 year period prior to application, not including benefits received from the State. In addition, the Irish national sponsor must not have been totally or predominantly reliant on social welfare payments for more than 2 years prior to the application.

Non-EEA National Sponsor

Non-EEA sponsors will have different financial requirements based on their immigration status. Category B sponsors (Non-Critical Employment Permit Holders, some Stamp 4 holders, and Ministers of Religion) must have a gross income in each of the prior 2 years of application that is in excess of what is applied by the Department of Social Protection in their eligibility assessment for Family Income Supplement. This typically amounts to a minimum earning of €30,000 after tax for the previous two years. For more information regarding this financial requirement, consult an immigration attorney who is experienced in Irish law.

It should be noted that in addition to meeting specific financial requirements, Category B sponsors will need to wait for 12 months before they can apply for family reunification.

Non-EEA nationals who would like to join their spouse or civil partner in Ireland must obtain a long stay (join family) D visa in order to be reunited with their loved ones. Marriage to an Irish national does not guarantee that the spouse or civil partner will be granted permission to enter and remain in Ireland.

‘Join Family’ Long Stay D visas allow spouses, civil partners, and other family members to enter and stay in Ireland for periods of stay longer than 3 months. Family members who are already in Ireland on another immigration scheme will need to make an application to the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) in order to allow their family members to stay in the country.

It should be noted that family reunification applications from non-EEA nationals will be subject to the decision-making process outlined in the Non-EEA Policy Document on Family Reunification. For more information regarding your chances of a successful application, contact an experienced immigration experts.

The following documents may need to be submitted with your long stay (join family) D visa application:

• The fully completed and signed visa application form
• Your current passport (passport must have four clean pages in it and have at least 12 months validity remaining)
• Any previous passports (if applicable)
• The visa fee receipt
• 2 colour passport photos
• Sufficient evidence of a family relationship to the sponsor (ex. Marriage certificate or birth certificate)
• A full account of the relationship history (if the marriage took place after the sponsor took up residence in Ireland). Relationships that developed solely over the internet or by phone/text will not be considered as bonafide. There must be physically present face-t0-face meetings between both parties.
• A signed letter that outlines the reason for coming to Ireland along with details of your spouse/civil partner who is in Ireland, and any other family members who may be residing in Ireland as well.
• Any documents or evidence which prove the sponsor’s legal status in Ireland and their eligibility for sponsorship
• Detail of past visa refusal (if applicable)
• Evidence of you and your spouse or civil partner’s finances (ex. bank statements, pay slips, income tax forms, etc)
• Evidence of medical or travel insurance

To apply for a Join Family Member (D) visa, the sponsor will need to first apply online at the INIS website. After the application has been made and the visa fee has been paid, it will then be sent to the local embassy or consulate in the country where the foreign national spouse resides.

All necessary supporting documents to support your visa application will need to be sent to INIS within 30 days of the D visa application submission date. If the visa is approved, the spouse or civil partner will be allowed to enter Ireland and apply for permission to remain by completing the application forms found on the INIS website.

Once in Ireland, the spouse or civil partner can book an appointment online through the INIS website to register their permission to remain if they live in Dublin. For those who live outside of Dublin, the spouse or civil partner can register their permission to remain with their local immigration officer.