Times like Christmas & New Years are probably the most heart-wrenching to be alone and knowing that you have someone waiting on the other side makes it even more miserable. Hence, here are some tips prior to making an application for a spouse visa.
The time duration for the following to be considered as true:
Marriage or Civil Partnership: None, as long as both parties have agreed. (But in order to prove the genuineness of the marriage you are required to show previous communication and if you have conducted an arrange marriage with whom you have just met, my opinion would be to wait, build some rapport and evidence prior to application.)
De facto partnership: Both have must have lived together like a man and wife for a minimum of 2 years.
Sponsor must hold the following in order to be eligible:
Critical Skills Employment Permit Holders
Investors
Entrepreneurs
Business Permission Holders
Researchers
INIS Approved Scholarship programme students (e.g. KASP)
Intra Corporate Transferees
PhD Students (subject to conditions including no recourse to social welfare payments)
Full time non-locum doctors in employment
Non Critical Skills Employment Permit Holders (Can apply after one year)
All Stamp 4 holders not covered by other more favourable arrangements (Can apply after one year)
Ministers of Religion (there is a case for putting these in cat A provided they are maintained by the church) (Can apply after one year)
Financial resources
Irish Citizen: Must be off state benefit for a minimum of 2 years prior to application and have earned a cumulative income of no less than €40K in the past 3 years.
Non-EEA Nationals: Annual income must not be less than €30K, but I guess that this is the minimum you need anyway to apply for a work permit in Ireland. (Please kindly note that the minimum threshold is now €32,000 for Critical from 1st Jan 2020 onwards)
Documents Required from the Applicant:
Two colour passport-sized photographs not more than 6 months old.
Current passport and a full copy of your previous passports.
A strong cover letter explaining why you should be given entry, details of your sponsor in Ireland and of any other members residing in the state, as well as something about yourself highlighting that you are a person of good character and how your skills would be beneficial to the state.
Submit a clear and legible copy of your sponsor's passport, IRP card (if available) and copy of employment permit/hosting arrangement (if available).
Under evidence of claimed relationship, my advice to you would be to submit everything. All information from A to Z on a separate sheet of paper explaining in chronological order, the date you first met, to your first date, all evidence of communication i.e. text messages, history of phone calls, any money sent, receipts of gifts sent to the loved one, copies of letters, images of marriages, any parties attended together, trips travelled with each other, evidence of exit-entry stamps, as well as boarding-passes from your visit. If you are not committing any crime that then there is nothing to hide, thus whatever you think might strengthen your relationship in the eyes of the immigration officer submit with your application.
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 of face to face meetings (excluding webcam) between the parties.
To satisfy the financial requirement, you must submit your past 6 months bank statements, sponsor's past 6 months bank statements, sponsor's last three payslips, sponsor's evidence of taxes paid to the state such as P60s, P45s etc.
Full medical insurance.
You must apply online for a visa.
When you have completed the online application process, you must follow the instructions on the summary application form that is created by the online system. The summary form will contain information on where you are to submit your supporting documentation. The summary form which you must print, sign and date must be submitted with your supporting documentation