Thursday, March 30, 2017

passport submitted

Well I finally submitted for my Irish passport last week.  I should be receiving it by the end of April according to the tracking, since I could be able to track for my passport.  I really hope that they don't need any other information about it.

I had submitted:

copy of American passport
Mother's birth certificate
Father's birth certificate
my US driver's license
utility bill

After receiving my Irish passport, I will use my Irish passport and then we will leave the country, and immediately return into Dublin so he could get his passport stamped as a Spouse's VISA so he could be able to stay with me.  Not looking forward to this part of the process.  I think its a waste of money to leave the country and re-enter it again.

Friday, March 17, 2017

St Patricks Day


Well today is St Patricks Day.  I think there is suppose to be some sort of carnival parade but don't know the details because I don't usually bother with it... they don't serve Guinness lol

Third solicitor meet up

I am just coming around to writing this blog.  We saw a third solicitor this past Monday and according to her that it would be best if I go for my Irish Passport as we don't know what will happen with the Brexit situation.  She was happy enough to counter signature my Irish passport application form and sign the back of my passport photographs.  Of course there is a fee of £30.00 which is okay because I needed it to be done.  She told us that once the Irish passport is received, we should leave the country when the 6 month visa is up back to the US, and re-enter again arriving into Dublin and tell them that Craig will be with me and needs a spouse's visa.   So that is the plan. 

As for residing, we are unsure if it would be better to relocate over the border so we don't have to be in Northern Ireland or if we would be better off staying in Northern Ireland. If we do need to reside over the border, it would probably most likely be Letterkenny which is about 40 minutes away to Derry.  We would have to break our lease, which means we will loose our deposit of £400.00.

Thursday, March 9, 2017

Trip to second Solicitor // Outcome

I don't know why we are having a hard time getting in touch with the first solicitor.  He is very hard to get.  We have been making phone calls and he's eitehr with a client or he's out in court.

The second solicitor that we had seen who was very awkward to deal with first impressions, called us today and we went to see him this afternoon. It seemed that he was in a better mood I guess.  He was telling us that I would need to get my UK passport first and my UK passport which had been expired should still be in the system.  After I get the UK passport sorted out, register for Disability Living Allowance (DLA) which is now called Personal Independence Payment (PIP).  With both of our disabilty and the PIP is approved, we don't have to meet that £18,600 which I would had to support Craig and myself.  He could then work with us for free.

Craig may have to apply for an extension for his VISA so that things could fall into place with my UK passport and PIP.

Tuesday, March 7, 2017

More information about passports

We had an appointment with another solicitors on Queen Street for consultation.  We both had a negative vibe off of him.  He has been talking about all these different forms and would be expensive.  Seemed that he was more concerned with figures rather than our circumstances.  I'm not too concerned about this solicitor and he's definitely not going to get money from us that's for sure.

I have the right to stay because I have Irish decent but with Craig if things don't get situated, he would ahve to leave when his VISA expires and then re-enter Ireland again.

We learned was that if I was go get my UK passport, I would have to be able to support Craig on my own with the amount £18,600 in the bank.

We went to the Migrant Centre NI on Clarendon Street and the woman said the same thing about UK Passport, but she mentioned that if I went for the Irish passport, I would have to give up my UK passport to obtain the Irish passport.  We thought there was something wrong with that.  I don't think I have to give up my UK passport in order to get Irish Passport because some of the Irish here have both UK and Irish passports.  Also she said that once I give up the UK passport and the Brexit changes where I have to go back to the UK Passport, I would have to start the process all over again as if I was a first time applicant.

Nobody knows what will happen with Brexit.

Saturday, March 4, 2017

Trip to Solicitor

Wednesday we had appointment with solicitor for our consultation to see what we could get from him.  According to the solicitor going for the Irish passport would be best to apply for rather the UK passport because of the Brexit.  I need birth certificates from both parents and also my own birth certificate.  There is a part of the section of the Irish Passport application that I need a professional to fill out and fill the back of my passport photos as well.  The solicitor is a professional and I asked if he could be able to do that for me.

In this case it could be a little tricky.  He is not familiar with dealing with gay married couples who entering the country since he is always dealing with families with children.  So he's trying his best to collect as much information and would get back to us.  He would need to get back to us really soon because time is running out.

The solicitor was telling us that I am okay to stay since I have Irish decent but the problem is with Craig is the VISA.  If there was a problem down the line since its restricted VISA for 6 months, leaves me in a very difficult and depressing situation and that is if he has to return to the United States, what I am going to do, go back with him or stay and have him go back on his own.  I am hoping it doesn't come to that.  It shouldn't either since we are married.