Uk Visa Dilema

[drummachine]

Hi all,

my Wife is currently on a settlement visa which expires in June. It has come to my attention that she may fail the Life in the UK Test and they do not offer an English course with citizenship in my area. I was going to apply for Irish Citizenship by descent and go for the EU Family permit, however it seems that that would not come through before June as there is a 6 month backlog!

What options do I have at this point if any?

Thanks all

[Mahout Angrit]

She can apply for further leave to remain which extends her current permission to stay for another 2 years by which time she may be able to pass the 'life in UK test'.

She will eventually have to pass it anyway (even if she goes the EU family permit route) if she intends to seek British Citizenship.

Edited January 21, 2008 by Mahout Angrit

[Hugh Jarse]

She can apply for further leave to remain which extends her current permission to stay for another 2 years by which time she may be able to pass the 'life in UK test'.

She will eventually have to pass it anyway (even if she goes the EU family permit route) if she intends to seek British Citizenship.

By all means apply for the Irish/EU family permit and wait a while, but Ireland has now changed the rules and you and your wife would have to be resident in Ireland for her to get an Irish passport. They got fed up with the no's of people abusing their hospitality.

Why aren't you doing more to improve her English? There are dozens of non college options.

[mrbojangles]

By all means apply for the Irish/EU family permit and wait a while, but Ireland has now changed the rules and you and your wife would have to be resident in Ireland for her to get an Irish passport. They got fed up with the no's of people abusing their hospitality.

Hugh, the op wasn't asking for an Irish passport for his wife, it's for him by descent.

Drummachine, i have recently done this route. My Mrs got her EU residency card last week and in all it took about 3 months. They seem to be clearing up the backlog.

My Mrs settlement visa was almost due to run out and we applied for the residency a few days before it did. Whilst it is in the process you are ok. So get your Irish passport now, that took me about 2 weeks. And then send off for the EU permit. Apart from the passport fee, you don't have to pay a penny

As Mahout says, she could apply for an extension but why should you pay again when you can get it for free?

I know what you mean about the test, it's more duifficult to get on the right course, than some of these people think.

All the best.

[drummachine]

Hi All,

thanks for all your replies. Ok MBJ, that clarifys it a little, so I do have time wooooo thought I maybe missed the bus! I think I will take the Irish by descent route and see if it is possible.

My Grandmother is from Southern Ireland, however now she lives in the UK and has for sometime, holding a UK passport, does that matter?

[mrbojangles]

Ok MBJ, that clarifys it a little, so I do have time wooooo thought I maybe missed the bus! I think I will take the Irish by descent route and see if it is possible.

Yes you have time but get onto it soon, as in this week. Don't loiter around or the weeks soon go by. Get the wheels in motion

My Grandmother is from Southern Ireland, however now she lives in the UK and has for sometime, holding a UK passport, does that matter?

No. My mother has lived in England all her life except for when she was born in Ireland and the following two years. She's never even hjeld an Irish passport herself.

[the scouser]

My Grandmother is from Southern Ireland, however now she lives in the UK and has for sometime, holding a UK passport, does that matter?

It doesn't matter that your grandmother now holds a UK passport, but if your claim to Irish citizenship is through her, you are going to have to first register as an Irish citizen before you apply for the passport which you will need to support your wife's application for a residence card. I don't know how long the Irish consulate in London is currently taking to register people as Irish, but it was four months. You will also need all the relevant birth/marriage certificates etc to prove your lineage. If you don't have these to hand, it will involve a lot of work getting hold of them all. If, however, either of your parents adopted Irish citizenship, you may simply apply for a passport, as Mr. Bo Jangles did.

Scouse.

[mrbojangles]

Just to add to Scouses post. It took me 2 weeks to get the passport. So, if you have to gain citizenship first, you have time.....just !!

[ged]

My Grandmother is from Southern Ireland, however now she lives in the UK and has for sometime, holding a UK passport, does that matter?

It doesn't matter that your grandmother now holds a UK passport, but if your claim to Irish citizenship is through her, you are going to have to first register as an Irish citizen before you apply for the passport which you will need to support your wife's application for a residence card. I don't know how long the Irish consulate in London is currently taking to register people as Irish, but it was four months. You will also need all the relevant birth/marriage certificates etc to prove your lineage. If you don't have these to hand, it will involve a lot of work getting hold of them all. If, however, either of your parents adopted Irish citizenship, you may simply apply for a passport, as Mr. Bo Jangles did.

Scouse.

UH !OH !

Whats all this about registering as an Irish citizen, I think i need someone to clarify for me !

Or mabe i should relate my circumstances so far.

My wife is with me in the U.k. on a spouse visa which is valid until feb' 2009.

We have decided to apply for a EEA residency as My parents are Irish , my Mother now has a UK passport and my Father has none.

I am about to apply for my Irish passport ( i have both parents birth certs.)

My next step (I think) is to apply to Borders and Imm. for an EEA Nationals Family residency card for my Wife using form EEA 2 .

Have i missed anything ?

I know Mr and Mrs Bojangles has been successful with their application with help from Scouse, but it seems a bit too easy to me ,or am i looking on the black side !

I am not very good with dealing with beurocracy and tend to lose my patience with people like the morons i have spoken to at Borders and Imm., so any assistance would be appreciated.

Thanks Guys !

[vinny]

See also Citizenship. If your parent(s) were born in Ireland, then you should be okay.

[Mossfinn]

Whats all this about registering as an Irish citizen, I think i need someone to clarify for me !

My wife is with me in the U.k. on a spouse visa which is valid until feb' 2009.

We have decided to apply for a EEA residency as My parents are Irish ,

I am about to apply for my Irish passport ( i have both parents birth certs.)

I am a little unclear here too, I have been known to get my interpretation of Irish law wrong before, but from your evidence I don't think you have to register first as an Irish Citizen, your entitlement is through your parents, as long as they were born within the time period below and in Ireland, if not, we need more info. But I have been known to be wrong before!

Under the Irish Nationality and Citizenship Acts, 1956 to 2004, a person who was born outside Ireland is automatically an Irish citizen by descent if one of that person's parents was an Irish citizen who was born in Ireland.

The certs are good, but I haven't checked for a while, but it might be worth reading up the qualifying docs again, you may need their marriage cert, but without checking, I am not sure.

Moss

Edited January 23, 2008 by Mossfinn

[mrbojangles]

Guys,

The confusion seems to be with the different situation's regarding the Op's (Drummachine) and Ged's.

Drummachine want's to claim his passport through his grandmother being Irish. Which means he has to claim his Irish citizenship first and then get his passport.

Ged wants to get his passport through his mother being Irish (same as i did). He is therefore already an Irish citizen through decent. Therefore all he needs to do is simply apply for his Irish passport, accompanying the application with all the relevant Birth certificates AND parents marriage certificate.

[Mossfinn]

Guys,

The confusion seems to be with the different situation's regarding the Op's (Drummachine) and Ged's.

Drummachine want's to claim his passport through his grandmother being Irish. Which means he has to claim his Irish citizenship first and then get his passport.

Ged wants to get his passport through his mother being Irish (same as i did). He is therefore already an Irish citizen through decent. Therefore all he needs to do is simply apply for his Irish passport, accompanying the application with all the relevant Birth certificates AND parents marriage certificate.

Yo,

Cheers Jangles

That unravels it.

Note to self,

Read the flaming thread all the way through!

Good Luck

Moss

[drummachine]

Thanks for all replies. I will move on on this and thanks for all regs giving it to me it as it is.

Edited January 24, 2008 by drummachine

[ged]

Thanks Mr BJ, Moss, Vinny and all,as a matter of interest, I called the Irish embassy in London and asked about the certs ,it seems you only have to provide a marriage cert. if you only have one of your parents birth certs.

BTW, Mr Bojangles, i have a few questions if you don't mind ,

1, Did just do the same as i have said in post no 9?

2, Is your Wifes residency card actually a card or is a stamp ?

3 Where are we going to get a new striker from before the end of January?

Cheers, Ged

Edited January 24, 2008 by ged

[dsys]

Sorry to tag a question on to this post.

My father is entitled to an irish passport because his grandparents were Irish.

If he applies for an Irish passport, could I then apply for one on the basis that he is then Irish?

[ged]

Sorry to tag a question on to this post.

My father is entitled to an irish passport because his grandparents were Irish.

If he applies for an Irish passport, could I then apply for one on the basis that he is then Irish?

#If you go back to post no 10 by Vinny and click on the link, i think it explains what you want to know!

[mrbojangles]

Thanks Mr BJ, Moss, Vinny and all,as a matter of interest, I called the Irish embassy in London and asked about the certs ,it seems you only have to provide a marriage cert. if you only have one of your parents birth certs.

I sent both my parents birth certs and they sent me a letter back saying i needed to send their marriage certificate as well. So i'm at a loss on what they really want on that one.

1, Did just do the same as i have said in post no 9?

Yep

2, Is your Wifes residency card actually a card or is a stamp ?

It's similar to the settlemnt visa, so just a piece of paper stuck inside her passport.

3 Where are we going to get a new striker from before the end of January?

That's the hardest question of all. And we've just let Bianchi go !!

[Mossfinn]

Thanks Mr BJ, Moss, Vinny and all,as a matter of interest, I called the Irish embassy in London and asked about the certs ,it seems you only have to provide a marriage cert. if you only have one of your parents birth certs.

I sent both my parents birth certs and they sent me a letter back saying i needed to send their marriage certificate as well. So i'm at a loss on what they really want on that one.

send their marriage certificate as well

This is my interpretation as well, but if you have it from the Horses mouth, then it is up to you, however, if you have the certificate, then why not send it, if you haven't, then either get it if you can, or put in a short covering letter with the application, stating the date and information of the conversation, including a name, if you took it.

I do not know the EEA route, but having got visa's for the wife, when they gave me conflicting advice and I spoke to them regarding it, they just stamped the PP and hand wrote on the visa why their was info missing.

Can't see the B.E doing that

Good Luck

Moss

[ged]

I have their marriage cert now (they are now divorced)>

My Mother raised the question ,What if they were not married,

She reckons in Ireland in the "old days" a lot of pregnant girls came to England to have their children because of the shame of having a child out of wedlock!

If a birth cert has the fathers and mothers nameon it, why do they need the marriage cert ?

cheers Ged

[mrbojangles]

I don't know Ged. The only thing i can think of, is if your mother and father where married when you where born, you will have your fathers surname on your birth cert. Your mothers surname will also be your fathers surname on your birth cert (unless she didn't take his name).

If you are then claiming through your mother's irish citizenship. Then it will be her maiden name on her birth cert, so with the marriage cert as additional information, you can show the paper trail as to how you are linked. If you get my drift

So as an example

Mother's birth cert:- Bridget O'Donohue

Father's birth cert:- John Smith

Your birth cert:- Ted Smith, with parents being John and Bridget Smith

Parents Marriage Cert: John Smith marries Bridget ODonohue

i'd go with what Moss says anyway. If you have it, send it.

[ged]

http://www.irishembassy.nl/html/pp_acquiring.html

I knew i had this around somewhere it expains about aquiring Irish citzen ship.

If anyone is still interested-Beejaysus!

I think i can say this now i am nearly Irish!

[drummachine]

Hi all

I am applying for Irish Citizenship through grandparent descent as my Grandmother was born in S.Ireland(ulitimately to get EU visa). The documents I have are :

Grandmothers:

British Passport.

Birth Cert

Marriage Cert

in relation to myself it is not very clear what I need to send? ie. passport, marriage cert? Also when if I get my citizenship is thier any time restrictions on applying for EU visa when you just aquire Irish citizenship.

Thanks All

[the scouser]

Ireland.pdf

Scouse.

[drummachine]

Hi Scouse,

thanks for your reply. Got there eventually I think it was more my human error than the Embassy..well you know what they say about us Irish!

Edited February 10, 2008 by drummachine

[up2me]

My Grandmother, dead for quarter of a century , was born in BallyCastle, County Antrim and came to the UK when she was 3 years old.

Would this be of any use to me if considering the EU route ?

I understand Northern Ireland is in the UK but, correct me if I am wrong, people in Northern Ireland are entiteled to an Irish passpoert if they so desire, right ?

[the scouser]

You could apply to the Irish consulate in London for registration as an Irish citizen and, once registered, apply for an Irish passport.

[caledonia]

I understand Northern Ireland is in the UK but, correct me if I am wrong, people in Northern Ireland are entiteled to an Irish passpoert if they so desire, right ?

They certainly are - my Belfast Granda has an Irish passport. Saldy he is my granda through marriage - so i can't get one through him ...i did think about it lol!