Hi All

I am moving home this year after nearly 30 years. Born in London I was brought up in Ireland. I am really looking forward to moving back, amongst a lot of other conflicting feelings and wondering how I am going to manage it all

Hello everyone!

My name is Pat and I am relocating from Northern California. With a name like Pat Egan, I am certain that you will see that I am of Irish descent. Other family names include Comerford, Daw, and Kenneally. Most recent relative was my great grandmother, Margaret Comerford, from Co Tipperary. I cannot apply via Irish descent because law allows only children and grandchildren to take that approach.

I have already submitted my Stamp 0 application via a solicitor. An Irish CFA prepared my financial application. I wrote a personal statement and provided copies of various documents. The DOJ confirmed receipt of my application on the 14th of September.

My hope is to be in Ireland by December. I have a few questions, which I will surely appreciate whatever information you would be willing to share.

1) I have delayed my claim for Social Security benefits. To avoid confusion in the US, I thought that it might be better to apply via the US Embassy in Dublin. Has anyone had this experience with the embassy?

2) I am currently on Medicare (Pts A, B, D) with supplemental Plan F. My premiums are all paid through the 31st of December. How long does it take to convert from Medicare to private insurance that will meet the INIS requirements?

3) I will most likely purchase an apartment. I have been told that real estate transactions, without problems, take 60 to 90 days to complete from acceptance of offer by sellers to closing/receipt of keys. Does this sound about right?

4) In the US, I teach an online course in accounting through UC Berkeley Extension. It's an elective, so I teach perhaps once or twice a year. I also prepare US tax returns for nonprofit organizations (Form 990 suite) with a small accounting firm. Has anyone had success with petitioning for permission to do a bit of online work, US employer, not full-time, no taking away work from an Irish citizen? My solicitor sometimes says that this can be petitioned, but he said first to get the Stamp 0, move here, then see about the online work. Just wondering if anyone has tried this.

5) I am thinking that I might need to rent an efficiency apartment, just to get started and have a physical address in IE for banking, police clearance, private health insurance, and getting US Embassy to process SSA application. Has anyone tried this? Did you encounter any obstacles?

This relocation has been in the making for a few years, so I am very pleased to move forward.

VERY PLEASED TO FIND THIS GROUP!!!!!

THANK YOU!

Cheers

Pat Egan

@pegan875 Hi Pat, Great to have you here! It looks like you're well ahead of the game, with your Stamp 0 application already submitted, and much of your planning questions in mind. I hope everything goes well for you.

I'll happily answer whatever I can, and/or point you in the right direction if I know where that is. 

Looking forward to hearing from you, and seeing how your move takes shape.

Liam  

@moveclubadmin

Thank you, Liam. Greatly appreciate your encouragement and response.

The French say, nous verrons. I need to learn how to say "we shall see" in Irish.

Just the response that KLM will allow pets in the cabin into Dublin is a tremendous help. Certain questions will be best answered by people who have been through the process.

Cheers

Pat

@pegan875 Let's see if this file attachment will work. It's me saying "we will see" 'as gaelige' (in Irish) for you 🙂 

@moveclubadmin 

It worked! Thank you! (Now I need to learn how to say "thank you" in Irish.) Time to return to Duolingo and work on learning Irish. 🙂

(Mi jam parolas esperanton.)

Cheers

Pat

Hi! Any advice on moving approximately 20 boxes of personal effects? USPS will be around $100 per box. Need to know how to fill out US postal form so as not to pay Irish import taxes too. 
Thank you, mary pat

@moveclubadmin 

Hello Liam

A bit ago, you connected me with Niall Walsh to help me transfer funds from the US to purchase property in Dublin. Although my small credit union could not wire the funds to Niall's company, he, in turn, referred me to a group that could handle everything. Then, small world, it turned out that the account manager had gone to school with my daughter--same class, small school, they took courses together.

I wish to acknowledge you and the IMG in my thank-you note. I don't have your last name. Would you please share this information with me so that I may give credit where credit is definitely due?

I hope that you and your family's New Year is off to a very pleasant, positive start! This week, I shall transport my cat #2 from California to Dublin and settle into our new place. Shout outs to the Ireland Move Group!

THANK YOU!

Kind regards

Pat Egan

Hello everyone!

My Wife and I are U.S citizens and retired from our professions about one year ago. Since then I spent a lot of time researching my Irish background in hopes of qualifying for dual citizenship, but as it turns out it is too far back to qualify (2nd Great Grandfather.) Now we are pursing retirement visas, and based on the website information should fully qualify.

After reading the requirements I still have many questions to ensure I accurately complete the application.  I'm sure many of the questions have been put forward before so I will look over the site before posting. In the meantime if there is a consolidated version of posts regarding the retirement visa please let me know. 

Thank you for this forum and the service it provides to those of us pursuing the dream of living in Ireland.

Thank you,

Joe and Jodi McCarthy                 

@joemac Hi Joe, and welcome!

Good luck in your Stamp 0 application. If it'll help here is a link to all posts on this forum that are tagged with 'stamp 0' 

Stamp 0