Irish Citizen to Marry US Citizen

debbie-xx

My boyfriend and I have been in a long distance relationship for about 2 years and have known each other 3 years. We met online and then decided to meet after a year of talking, so since then we've met 3 times (I went to US twice and He came to Ireland once.) We now want to get married and decided it seems alot easier for Him to come to Ireland instead of me going to US.

Just wondering if anyone has any advice on how to go about this. We plan to get married but not really sure how to do it. Does he just have to come here, we get married and then what? Or does he or I have to file for any paperwork before hand? Neither of us have children or have ever been married before so there are no problems there. Would be able to work if we were to marry. He has savings to support himself. We would be living in my parents house for the time being untill we were settled together then hopefully get a place once he gets work. Because skype calls are our main way of talking/contact the only evidence/proof of relationship we have are reciepts from parcels we sent/received, plane tickets, photographs together, written statements from his mother/father and mine to say that we did meet and stay at their homes and a hotel receipt from when we decided to go away for a weekend while he was here in Ireland, the only problem with that though is that only my name is on the receipt but we have pictures of us together from at the hotel.

So, if anyone have any information on how to get it done as soon as possible and where I have to apply to etc. (I'm in Dublin if that's any help!)

Thanks

Helix

debbie-xx wrote: »

My boyfriend and I have been in a long distance relationship for about 2 years and have known each other 3 years. We met online and then decided to meet after a year of talking, so since then we've met 3 times (I went to US twice and He came to Ireland once.) We now want to get married and decided it seems alot easier for Him to come to Ireland instead of me going to US.

Just wondering if anyone has any advice on how to go about this. We plan to get married but not really sure how to do it. Does he just have to come here, we get married and then what? Or does he or I have to file for any paperwork before hand? Neither of us have children or have ever been married before so there are no problems there. Would be able to work if we were to marry. He has savings to support himself. We would be living in my parents house for the time being untill we were settled together then hopefully get a place once he gets work. Because skype calls are our main way of talking/contact the only evidence/proof of relationship we have are reciepts from parcels we sent/received, plane tickets, photographs together, written statements from his mother/father and mine to say that we did meet and stay at their homes and a hotel receipt from when we decided to go away for a weekend while he was here in Ireland, the only problem with that though is that only my name is on the receipt but we have pictures of us together from at the hotel.

So, if anyone have any information on how to get it done as soon as possible and where I have to apply to etc. (I'm in Dublin if that's any help!)

Thanks

if youve met 3 times theres absolutely no way any government is going to issue the foreigner a visa based on the marriage

debbie-xx

Helix wrote: »

if youve met 3 times theres absolutely no way any government is going to issue the foreigner a visa based on the marriage

Well, that's not entirely true. We could get married and live in America we have all the means to do so it just takes alot longer. I went and stayed with him for a total of 6 weeks and he was here for 2 weeks so it's not like we only met for 3 days or anything. People have done it, i was just enquiring as to how to get the process started. He actually doesn't even need a visa at all to come here, but he can only stay for 3 months at a time so obviously we want to be together for longer than that.

Helix

the americans are super tight on people being given green cards through marriage though arent they? checking backgrounds, photographs, flight history, accommodation history etc.

id genuinely be amazed if they granted you a visa, given that youve not spent 3 months together like

if he comes over for 3 months at a time he's not allowed to work at all by the way, he's only allowed to be here as a tourist

munchkin_utd

debbie-xx wrote: »

Well, that's not entirely true. We could get married and live in America we have all the means to do so it just takes alot longer. I went and stayed with him for a total of 6 weeks and he was here for 2 weeks so it's not like we only met for 3 days or anything. People have done it, i was just enquiring as to how to get the process started. He actually doesn't even need a visa at all to come here, but he can only stay for 3 months at a time so obviously we want to be together for longer than that.

does it take long in the states?

can you not just goto a wedding chapel and get it over with on the spot? Like in Reno or Vegas?

I never interrogated my sister on her exact circumstances, but thats seemingly what she did in the states to her (admittedly long term - 3 years plus proper together together in Ireland and US) American boyfriend.

It was bloody quick anyhow because I rang home one week and theres no news and then a few weeks later my mam tells me the sister is ALREADY married

debbie-xx

munchkin_utd wrote: »

does it take long in the states?

can you not just goto a wedding chapel and get it over with on the spot? Like in Reno or Vegas?

I never interrogated my sister on her exact circumstances, but thats seemingly what she did in the states to her (admittedly long term - 3 years plus proper together together in Ireland and US) American boyfriend.

It was bloody quick anyhow because I rang home one week and theres no news and then a few weeks later my mam tells me the sister is ALREADY married

When we were looking into it as an option apparently it can take up to 8 months if not longer and a whole lotta money. Just got off the phone with the registrars office and explained my situation to the girl and she said once we are legitimate and give our 3 months notice of intent to marry everything should be fine. So happy to hear good news! Oh, and sometimes when you do that in the states like get married while on a tourist visa over there can be really bad, they don't like people doing that because they think they might be up to something even if you are legitimate. It's all abit too strict in my opinion.

Helix, I'm not trying to get him a visa as such, we just want to be legally be together and hopefully then go back to the states in about a year or 2 because we'll already have been married and living together that way it will be a little easier for us.

Helix

debbie-xx wrote: »

Helix, I'm not trying to get him a visa as such, we just want to be legally be together and hopefully then go back to the states in about a year or 2 because we'll already have been married and living together that way it will be a little easier for us.

you cant expect the guy to come over to ireland and be broke because he can't work though surely?

debbie-xx

Helix wrote: »

you cant expect the guy to come over to ireland and be broke because he can't work though surely?

He's not broke, he has savings to support himself without a job for atleast 2 years. After we're married he would be allowed work if he gets issued a stamp 4 with means he can work because he's the spouse of an irish citizen but he probably wouldn't be able to find work so he has money to support himself for the time being until he got a job or until we went back to the states as a married couple.

blatantrereg

I think you need to be resident in ireland for 3 months before you can marry, unless it has changed in recent years.

It's not a good idea to marry someone you have only met in person a few times. Knowing someone online is simply not the same as knowing them in person... never mind living with them/planning lives together/being legally bound to them.

If employment related visas aren't an option, then one of you enrolling in a course in the other's country might be a way to get a visa for 9 months or a year. Alternatively you could look at countries where you might both be able to move at the same time. Canada or Australia seem to be reasonably easy to get visas for a set period of time.

If these ideas seem like too big a deal to either of you, then you really aren't putting the idea of getting married in perspective. All of these ideas are a smaller commitment [in every sense] than getting married.

debbie-xx

blatantrereg wrote: »

I think you need to be resident in ireland for 3 months before you can marry, unless it has changed in recent years.

It's not a good idea to marry someone you have only met in person a few times. Knowing someone online is simply not the same as knowing them in person... never mind living with them/planning lives together/being legally bound to them.

If employment related visas aren't an option, then one of you enrolling in a course in the other's country might be a way to get a visa for 9 months or a year. Alternatively you could look at countries where you might both be able to move at the same time. Canada or Australia seem to be reasonably easy to get visas for a set period of time.

If these ideas seem like too big a deal to either of you, then you really aren't putting the idea of getting married in perspective. All of these ideas are a smaller commitment [in every sense] than getting married.

I think it has changed because the registrars office never metioned anything about it when i explained our situation.

We've talked for 3 years every single day on skype video calls for hours on end i've met his family went and stayed at his home and he did the same here. It's not like we barely know each other. I've already done courses and currently am an intern in a restaurant kitchen. We don't want to be with eachother for a set period of time, but for the long run. You may think it's stupid but we're both pretty serious. We want to be in one of our home countries, moving to a different country altogether would be even more difficult and time consuming.

keithclancy

Your crazy op, i've seen so many Dutchies do this long distance relationship thing over Skype etc and it never works out.

I wouldn't recommend taking such a big step as marriage unless you lived with someone for a year at the very least !

IMO You don't really know a person until you live with them.

The Marriage residency thing varies state to state afaik.

debbie-xx

keithclancy wrote: »

Your crazy op, i've seen so many Dutchies do this long distance relationship thing over Skype etc and it never works out.

I wouldn't recommend taking such a big step as marriage unless you lived with someone for a year at the very least !

IMO You don't really know a person until you live with them.

The Marriage residency thing varies state to state afaik.

Well I know a few who have been happily together for years they just had partners from europe so they couldn't help me. With technology today more and more people will and are meeting online.
Unfortunately, you can't just live in the same country, there are rules.

I guess you'd have to know us to understand..

If anyone has any HELPFUL information (which was my original post) and isn't here to criticize me it would be much appreciated.

blatantrereg

I dont think you're stupid. However being with someone on holiday or in a holiday-like situation is very different to being married to them. I've done the whole thing of hooking up with someone while abroad, and then keeping in touch and feeling sure of things with them. I've done it twice in fact. And my personal experiences appear to be better than most from what I've heard. I've talked to an awful lot of people who moved somewhere on this sort of pretext only to have it fall through right away - one of whom did indeed go ahead and marry the person in question too.

Both times I got into a more normal domestic situation with them, and both times it was good while it lasted. But neither time did it last for so long as they or I imagined. You just dont see the full picture when you are in touch at long distance like that. There can be basic incompatibilities that just aren't apparent.

I think you're foolish to dismiss the idea of moving somewhere temporarily. I'm not saying go there with the idea of being together for a set period of time at all. Go there with the idea of spending your lives together if that's what you want. You just dont have to marry them right away to do so. Spend some time living with a person in a normal domestic situation first.

There is a tendency in people to refuse to consider doubts or caution, when they've invested sufficient emotion in things like this. Probably because they think the idea would sound absurd to most people - so how could they understand. There's a flaw in that logic though.

debbie-xx

blatantrereg wrote: »

I dont think you're stupid. However being with someone on holiday or in a holiday-like situation is very different to being married to them. I've done the whole thing of hooking up with someone while abroad, and then keeping in touch and feeling sure of things with them. I've done it twice in fact. And my personal experiences appear to be better than most from what I've heard. I've talked to an awful lot of people who moved somewhere on this sort of pretext only to have it fall through right away - one of whom did indeed go ahead and marry the person in question too.

Both times I got into a more normal domestic situation with them, and both times it was good while it lasted. But neither time did it last for so long as they or I imagined. You just dont see the full picture when you are in touch at long distance like that. There can be basic incompatibilities that just aren't apparent.

I think you're foolish to dismiss the idea of moving somewhere temporarily. I'm not saying go there with the idea of being together for a set period of time at all. Go there with the idea of spending your lives together if that's what you want. You just dont have to marry them right away to do so. Spend some time living with a person in a normal domestic situation first.

There is a tendency in people to refuse to consider doubts or caution, when they've invested sufficient emotion in things like this. Probably because they think the idea would sound absurd to most people - so how could they understand. There's a flaw in that logic though.

While I understand where you are coming from and your concerns, you just don't quite understand our situation and the things we've been through together. We know what we are doing and we're still going to go ahead with the marriage and get any more information we need from the registrars office as they were very helpful.

Thanks anyways..

Helix

things won't be as straightforward as you're thinking they'll be, either for him to go to ireland or you to go to the states for anything more than a visit. there's no way at all you'll be let into america on a green card as his wife anyway, you'd fail the background checks

ireland might be a bit easier, but still don't expect it to be easy. i think you're under the assumption that being married to someone = fine to live in either country of origin. that's not the case any more. there are huge waits, lots of red tape, and people who are refused based on the basic stuff like not being able to prove reasonable time spent together. you guys won't even have qualified as common law before you're married and that'll most likely stand against you.

your best bet is to talk to immigration solicitors both in ireland and the states and see what they have to say about it

debbie-xx

Helix wrote: »

things won't be as straightforward as you're thinking they'll be, either for him to go to ireland or you to go to the states for anything more than a visit. there's no way at all you'll be let into america on a green card as his wife anyway, you'd fail the background checks

ireland might be a bit easier, but still don't expect it to be easy. i think you're under the assumption that being married to someone = fine to live in either country of origin. that's not the case any more. there are huge waits, lots of red tape, and people who are refused based on the basic stuff like not being able to prove reasonable time spent together. you guys won't even have qualified as common law before you're married and that'll most likely stand against you.

your best bet is to talk to immigration solicitors both in ireland and the states and see what they have to say about it

Well, if you researched like I have then you'd know that most of what you've said isn't true. I have talked to the immigration officer at the registrars office and explained my situation exactly as I have on here and she said there shouldn't be a problem once we give our 3 months notice..

Like I said, I understand where you are coming from and your concerns, but you haven't looked into it and researched like we have. I was just wondering if there was anyone else on here who went through the same thing. We know what we are doing and we're still going to go ahead with the marriage.

Thanks anyways.

sickpuppy32

My best friend married a south african girl. There was no issue. They booked an appointment at the registers office and there they set up the wedding date. The minimum wait is 3 months and there may be a waiting list longer than that if they are busy. My friends new wife then got a "visa" to stay in ireland which she renews every year. After 5 years she can apply for citizenship. Its worth noting that spouses of irish citizen are also allowed live in the UK but i wouldn't recommend marrying there as its a lot more complicated

debbie-xx

sickpuppy32 wrote: »

My best friend married a south african girl. There was no issue. They booked an appointment at the registers office and there they set up the wedding date. The minimum wait is 3 months and there may be a waiting list longer than that if they are busy. My friends new wife then got a "visa" to stay in ireland which she renews every year. After 5 years she can apply for citizenship. Its worth noting that spouses of irish citizen are also allowed live in the UK but i wouldn't recommend marrying there as its a lot more complicated

I was on to the registrars office yesterday, waiting on them to call me back to confirm dates etc.. Thank you for confirming that it IS possible.

keithclancy

debbie-xx wrote: »

Well I know a few who have been happily together for years they just had partners from europe so they couldn't help me. With technology today more and more people will and are meeting online.
Unfortunately, you can't just live in the same country, there are rules.

I guess you'd have to know us to understand..

If anyone has any HELPFUL information (which was my original post) and isn't here to criticize me it would be much appreciated.

Hi OP,
Well I think I would know, being married and living as an Expat in the Netherlands for almost 5 years the situation your talking about is quite common.

The Dutch have a system whereby you can sponsor a US Citizen to live in the Netherlands, but then you are completely responsible for that person (Financially and Legally)

I wouldn't recommend marriage to anyone that has purely had an online relationship, you don't know someone until you live with them, Marriage is a huge step to take. Regardless of whether their in another country or not

AFAIK for the US side at least, your living arrangements are part of the test, also you have to prove the purpose of your marriage was not to obtain a green card: (i.e. Marrriage does not = Green Card)

http://www.uscitizenship.info/blog/us-citizenship-and-marriage

You could just go over on a 90 day visa and live together to build up that time.

Irish way is probably easier.

debbie-xx

keithclancy wrote: »

Hi OP,
Well I think I would know, being married and living as an Expat in the Netherlands for almost 5 years the situation your talking about is quite common.

The Dutch have a system whereby you can sponsor a US Citizen to live in the Netherlands, but then you are completely responsible for that person (Financially and Legally)

I wouldn't recommend marriage to anyone that has purely had an online relationship, you don't know someone until you live with them, Marriage is a huge step to take. Regardless of whether their in another country or not

AFAIK for the US side at least, your living arrangements are part of the test, also you have to prove the purpose of your marriage was not to obtain a green card: (i.e. Marrriage does not = Green Card)

http://www.uscitizenship.info/blog/us-citizenship-and-marriage

You could just go over on a 90 day visa and live together to build up that time.

Irish way is probably easier.

I understand completely the doubts people are having but this is a legitimate thing. I wasn't exactly trying to get a green card but atleast just be allowed live in the country long term (hopefully work so I can help provide) but it's much easier if we live together in Ireland first for atleast 2 years then we'll go the american way and hopefully that works out. The Registrar rang me today and explained the complete process so I'm pretty happy now with how things are going.

Helix

debbie-xx wrote: »

Well, if you researched like I have then you'd know that most of what you've said isn't true. I have talked to the immigration officer at the registrars office and explained my situation exactly as I have on here and she said there shouldn't be a problem once we give our 3 months notice..

Like I said, I understand where you are coming from and your concerns, but you haven't looked into it and researched like we have. I was just wondering if there was anyone else on here who went through the same thing. We know what we are doing and we're still going to go ahead with the marriage.

Thanks anyways.

im actually marrying a canadian girl next month - and canada is a lot more straightforward than the states for this kinda stuff... and they STILL need loads of photographs, joint bank statements, lease agreements with both parties names etc before they'll actually issue anything like a residence slip in lieu of marriage

debbie-xx

Helix wrote: »

im actually marrying a canadian girl next month - and canada is a lot more straightforward than the states for this kinda stuff... and they STILL need loads of photographs, joint bank statements, lease agreements with both parties names etc before they'll actually issue anything like a residence slip in lieu of marriage

Are you getting married in Ireland or Canada?

Helix

debbie-xx wrote: »

Are you getting married in Ireland or Canada?

canada

al28283

Could be tough finding a job after 2 years of unemployment in another country

debbie-xx

al28283 wrote: »

Could be tough finding a job after 2 years of unemployment in another country

Hopefully he will get work if he gets granted the visa but if he doesn't - oh well.

In this day and age it's hard for anyone to get a job no matter what your circumstances are.

debbie-xx

Helix wrote: »

canada

The registrar rang me back today and then emailed me a form which I have to send on to my fiance, he then has to fill it out and post it to me along with his original full birth cert, passport and then I have to bring his documents and my own (passport, pps number proof, Birth cert) to the registrars office next month. I'm just hoping it goes smoothly.
We're hoping that after we've lived together in Ireland that it will be easier then for us to go back to the states together but that's just a 'maybe' thing.

I hope you have a lovely wedding and wish you all the best!

awill

My fiance and I are in the exact situation. He is an Irish citizen and I am an American citizen. We have everything set and have the date set with the registar and he's gone in for his appointment and all that, however people keep telling us that I can be sent home by immigration for no reason.

So I was just going to see if everything happened as you planned and if you were told that your fiance could be sent home after the wedding?

Helix

lots of info here http://askville.amazon.com/long-married-citizen-apply/AnswerViewer.do?requestId=69420268

including this which you should look into:

What is a fiancé(e) visa?
A: A visa that allows a fiancé(e) outside the United States to enter the US in order to get married. The US citizen fiancé(e) has to file a petition with the USCIS in the US. The approved petition will be forwarded to the Consulate, which will contact the applicant and eventually schedule an interview. Processing will probably take 4–6 months before the fiancé(e) visa is issued.

and this

With the passage of the immigration law of 1996, there are quite specific financial requirements for people applying for the green card based on marriage. You must show income of at least 125% of the federal poverty guidelines. For a family of two in 2009, that amount was $18,212/year. For more detailed information see for I-864 at the USCIS website.

debbie-xx

Hi Helix, are those Irish or American requirements?

Darren1o1

America

awill

So am a bit on from when I first posted we got married I am currently an Irish redisident it was really straight forward and a lot easier then we thought