We picked up our GNIB cards last week, and are now living in Ireland with a "Stamp O" status for the next year. I am grateful to Liam and this site because we could not have done it without you.
Here's a few final tips I wanted to pass on.
1) Don't submit a Stamp 0 application before you arrive in Ireland. Enter Ireland on the usual 90 day visa, and THEN submit the huge packet of paperwork.
2) The "health certification" that they need must come from your doctor. I wasn't sure what it was that they expected, so I wrote something for my doctor to sign. It listed our names, how long she has known us, that we are in good health, not hospitalized in the last 5 years, and have no chronic conditions. I gave her office a stamped, addressed envelope to send it directly to INIS. That seemed to work.
3) Although we were able to submit an application as a married couple which saved on paying the accountant, etc, the GNIB costs €300 EACH. Ouch.
4) The Stamp 0 visa is good for a year from when you are granted it, not from when you entered Ireland, so we will be able to live here for more than a year.
If anyone else in the States is applying for Stamp O I'm happy to share what I learned. Search for my other posts and you'll learn what I've already posted.
That's wonderful, Linda, congratulations to you both.
If you don't mind, I'll add a few points to what you wrote above.
your #1. what you describe is the current (2017) process. They are still weighing up changes for this, and then it is possible that you can apply from your home country.
your #3. that fee is the case for people in your position. Among others, for spouses of Irish citizens, that fee is waived. More info here http://www.garda.ie/controller.aspx?page=31
your #4. that's cool 🙂 However, it's probably still in your best interests to apply as early into your arrival as possible.
You mentioned your other posts...they are very useful. Here's is a link to everything you have posted on the forum.
Thanks again for always coming back and updating us with new info as you find it. Enjoy your well deserved time in Ireland.
Liam
Linda, I noticed that you may have renewed your Stamp 0 permission. If so, can you tell us aa little about the process the second time round? Was it easier than the first? Any rule changes or clarifications from INIS? Many of us are still waiting for INIS to lower the requirements but its still in limbo for some reason.
Thanks in advance. I hope your experiences in Ireland are going well.
Hi Folks!
I just wanted to write and thank you so much for all your information.
We have been in Ireland for just over two months now, (March 2019) and we are on Stamp O, made so much easier by all the information here.
First, the list of all the extra things needed, not listed on the INIS website, was a godsend.
We had background checks from a website, and we included a letter from our local chief of police. we included our marriage certificate and our birth and baptismal certificates. We hired an Irish accountant, referred to my by a friend, who looked at our paperwork and wrote a letter on his stationary verifying we had more than what they requested. We had some trouble getting a hold of him, so dropped by his office unannounced within a few days of our arrival and he not only wrote this, he wrote the introductory letter for us (we were still quite jetlagged and exhausted from cleaning out our house) and had the whole package messengered to INIS. Within three days we received a letter informing us that they had received our package and needed proof of private hospital coverage, rather than just our proof of coverage. We returned this and in about four weeks, we received the letter stating we were in, please send them our passports by registered mail for the stamp. Whoop!
The shortest turnaround I had previously heard of was six weeks from the time of the last request for paperwork, guess we got lucky and they weren't busy that week!
Our registration process at the Garda station was easy, we ended up at the Cork city Garda, as they are the only one in Cork with an immigration desk. They also wanted proof of address as well as proof of private hospital coverage (beyond our simple proof of coverage, they want to see all the benefits) and our passport and letter. They were kind and helpful, and willing to work with us.
Again, thank you all for all your posts and information! It has made a huge difference.
Now I just have to get a drivers license as we will be here longer than a year... ugh.
So grateful to be back where I lived when I was young, with the Irish people and the sea.