Hayworth/Jane? Visa Question for the Americans in Ireland (2 Viewers)

[jane]

What Jane said above sums it all up. Also remember to never overstay your stamp. My boyfriend did this at one stage and got major shit from the US immigration on the way out. Overall, it is possible (at least for americans) to keep extending their stay, but they will insist on health insurance and a means to support yourself (for most of his six years here, my boyfriend was not strictly supposed to be working, so we made sure that he always had a relatively up-to-date bank statement with some cash in it for times he was travelling out of the country).

Anyway, we've decided that we'd like to introduce even more immigration woes into our lives and try the same thing in America now. Anyone have any tips on picking up a US visa???

Oh lord.

I would say do EVERYTHING from here if you can. The more you do from here, the easier it will be once you're there. Most people I know who've made the move took about a year to get everything sorted, and once you've sorted it all, you have to leave within a set period of time (I can't remember what it is, but it's at least six months, not more than a year).

Flashback is the man for that stuff, though.

From what I can guess, there's a hell of a lot more paperwork, but once you have help navigating it, it's actually a lot clearer.

The other thing is that once you're there, if you have a job which requires your employer to file forms on your behalf, MAKE SURE they do the correct ones. Get them yourself if you have to. My mom said she had a staff member who'd been waiting like ten years for a green card, and all because the company had never been arsed to fill out the proper forms.

What JNH said: don't overstay the stamp. One thing they're pretty okay about is a few weeks or so. If the stamp is coming to an end and you know you can't be gone, you really have to make sure you get a top-up. I get the impression they have a bit of discretion to add about two weeks or so without having to fill out any special papers. I used to always have to get those whenever I'd get turned away from the GNIB for whatever lame sadistic reason they thought up on the spot.

 

[Scientician 0.8]

Show her this thread

It was a joke. Sure who'd marry me?

 

[jane]

oh yea. in between the cops telling me to piss off and ringing the embassy I rang my doctor's surgery (of nearly 2 years) to see if she could sign and was told by the receptionist that i would have to be registered at that surgery for more than 5 years before they could sign. NHS rules or something.

Oh lord, talk about an existential crisis.

Maybe they do it like they do with cancer? You know, for the first five or whatever years, you're 'in remission', and it's only after five years without bombing a tube station that you can really be declared 'terrorism-free'.

Or maybe you're on some UK-wide hippie registry, and they're trying to cull hippies? Has anyone tried to plant an RFID chip in you lately?

 

[shower another shower]

Sounds fucking complicated now.
I remember not having a job or any money back in '91. Was sleeping between friends flats and living on tea and shared muffins in Dublin. Mind you, back then you could sleep on the footpath in Temple Bar and you'd have no trouble.
My mates convinced me to go sign on at the dole office in Summer Hill. They wouldn't let me with a US passport, but directed me to the Eastern Health Board, where Seamus, a man among men, sorted me out with a deposit on a flat, some money for food, and money for a second-hand suit, to find some work. All beneath the radar.
Must be deadly to have a girlfriend in NY.

 

[Dromed]

Oh yeah, crap, and sorry for going on here: If you guys have been together for a while, you might look into permission to remain on the basis of a long-term partnership. Only once have I come across a mention of this as something that exists in Ireland, so it could be misinformation.

I think it is more geared toward people who have been living together in another country, and so they might not be okay with it. It's worth checking out if showing evidence that you've been in a relationship for a while would get him an extra few months.

Again, he wouldn't be able to work, and he'd earn no time towards residency, but there are still those favour-white-rich-people-who-promise-only-to-give-us-money-and-never-ask-for-anything clauses that make it possible for high-fliers to have six-month coke binges in five-star hotels.

In which case, I'd go for the holiday extension option first because it's less hassle and if they're happy to give him an extra month just for flashing a bank statement, happy days. It's just that a friend of mine had trouble with this (although it was fine in the end, just a work-permit delay), so I'd have backup options.

Ahh thanks a million for all that Jane..You're a fountain of immigratory information!!!! Yeah, I've heard about that DeFacto relationship thing, where if you can prove you've been together for more than 4 years with shared utility bills and the like this is all way easier, especially if the person seeking to stay wants residency at some point. But we're only together 8/9 months so no matter.
Some good tips there, espcially the avoiding UK thing when trying to get in. Thank you mucho...|..|:heart:.|..|

 

[Dromed]

Does he have any Irish blood in him? A grandparent would get him citizenship. According to Bertie "anyone" can go to their TD with the details and get it fasttracked if the the person is entitled to it. Sure isn't the office around the corner from Leinster House? You don't even need to donate thousands to the party or nuthin'.

Nah, his great great grandfather who changed his name when he went to America was Irish, but the link is too removed..I think in the 80s you used to be able to claim on that but now its only as far back as your grandparents...and you'd have to be able to produce paperwork on them too.

 

[Jill Hives]

Most has been covered, however does he have a degree? If so what field? I got in because I was on the list of approved professions. I had to prove someone in Ireland would hire me and I got a 2 year work permit through the Boston Embassy before entering the country. I had enough money for 3 months to find a job in my field or go home. I manged to do it in two. I spent a good four months exploring every loop hole to figure a way in though. It's harder than one thinks.

 

[rettucs]

I'm outraged that its this easy for people to get into Ireland.

I'm telling you, in they come, rob our women, and sneak back out.

outraged

Wheres Aine NiChonnaill when you need her then?