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International students with children / family reunification

Can I bring my husband, wife, civil partner or children to Ireland while I study?

In general, non-EEA students have no rights to family reunification. Some exceptions to this policy are outlined below.

Partners/spouses and children will have to make their own visa applications as they cannot advance their application for permission to enter or reside in Ireland on the basis of their relationship to a registered non-EEA student.

Students will not be allowed to be joined by children except those born during their stay.

 

What are the exceptions to the policies outlined above?

The Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Authority (INIS) may consider exemptions from the policy of no Family Reunification where:

  • The student is pursuing a PhD studies (Level 10 on the National Framework of Qualifications - www.nfq.ie) and will be required to complete their doctorate within 4 years; or
  • The student is a participant in an academic programme agreed between the Irish State and another State whereby the student and dependents are sufficiently funded for all expenses in Ireland; or
  • The student can demonstrate that they have sufficient funds on a yearly basis to support themselves and their family without recourse to public funds and without engaging in employment. If children are accompanying the parent, an immigration levy will have to be paid to recover the costs of the child’s education. This levy will be in place from the 2012/13 school year.
  • The child is on a short visit to their parent(s) who can prove that the child will return to their home county at the end of their visit.

For further details, see Section G of the INIS guide New Immigration Regime for Full Time Non-EEA Students

The Garda National Immigration Bureau (GNIB) has advised that student parents accompanied by children (of whatever age) not authorised to enter Ireland will be stopped at the port of entry in Ireland and refused permission to land.

 

How does this relate to immigration registration?

Since new rules were introduced in 2008, first time students from outside the EU/EEA presenting for registration with the GNIB will be asked to confirm that they are neither accompanied by children nor do they intend to have their children join them later on - unless covered by specific arrangements as indicated above.

 

If I have a child in Ireland during my studies, what will be his/her status?

Since a change to the law on 1 January 2005, children born in Ireland are not automatically entitled to Irish citizenship unless they have an Irish or British parent. In all other cases, entitlement to citizenship is based on proving a firm link to Ireland through a parent being legally resident for at least 3 of the 4 years prior to the birth and documented as such by the Garda National Immigration Bureau (GNIB). » More

 

Last updated: September 2011