Marrying a non national

The web and the government sites are very vague about one issue i.e. The best and more efficient way to get married to my chinese fiancé and have her live with me in ireland. For example - Is marriage in China or marriage in Ireland better for an entry visa. This appears to be a 'taboo' question. I have heard that if my fiance arrives here on a tourist visa and marries in Ireland then the government will treat her as some 'chancer' and deport . I have been told that getting married abroad and getting a visa to come her is an option- but the websites say nothing of this procedure. Finally any expert agencies on this in Ireland?

Depends, these things change from offical to offical and over time.
I take it she is not in Ireland at the moment, was she ever? Geting married here is the simplest for paper work. (problem is getting here!) Irish paperwork, so once married drop into the GNIB and have her status changed to resident (Stamp 4). They give a 1 year visa first time and they will extend it to the expiry date of the passport the next time it is renewed, i.e. if both of you turn up a year later. I have never heard of anyone being kicked out if married here, as there is no arguing over Irish paperwork.
Getting married abroad is another story, paperwork needs to be translated, verified, re issued by central government rather than region you were married in, proof of living as man and wife etc etc.

You should give your local registry office a ring for the rules etc You could also try the GNIB, but not too sure they bother to answer the phone!

I personally did the 'get married in Ireland' option of your two, but I already had a work authorisation (going on 4 years at that stage, I did not require a visa) and changed my status as Towger suggested the next time I was up for renewal. To do this I think your fiance will need to be resident in the country for 3 months before the marriage, to sort out the paperwork.

I have friends who took the other option. He was foreign, but living here. Unfortunately there was some trouble with his paperwork so they travelled to his home country (an English speaking country, which might have helped), got married, and then returned to Ireland. He had no trouble getting back into the country and getting a residency visa as Towger described. It probably didn't hurt that the wife and their two small children were with him when he re-entered the country! He did not require a visa.

Either way your fiance is going to be required to get the same entry visa since she is Chinese. The application procedure should be the same, you'll just fill out different boxes. It might be easier for her to get it as the spouse of a citizen, but it might be harder for you to get married over there. Have you investigated what's required for you to get married in China to a non-resident non-national?

hi,

you could try enquiring with the Immigrant Council of Ireland- they have a telephone help-line and support Service and can be contacted by telephone on 01-6740200 on Mon ,Tues, Thurs and Fri 10am-12.30pm and 2pm to 4.30pm. good luck

Thanks guys,
In fact I am presently holidaying in China as I type this. My Fiance was only in ireland once - for 1 month on a tourist visa. However I have travelled manty times to china. It will not be too much of a great problem getting married in China - apart from the huge trek to get to her village. She presently lives in a large city but for marriage there is a requirement to return to the point of origin so to speak. I would prefer a marriage in Ireland and she would prefer this too as she gets on so well with my family . The problem is - can she marry on a tourist visa and if so will the Government make her leave afterwards. I have heard that the best way is to get married outside and seek her entry under a spousal type visa.Maybe that is why there are so many Phillippine wedding abroad for example - who knows.
Any how guys - thanks so much - I will try the options you have listed
Regards
Speiderhaus















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Hi
You could ask your question here [broken link removed]
I know your fiance is Chinese but there is lot of info on marriage to non EU citizens on this site
I think the main thing is if you marry in the Phillipines you can work in Ireland but if you marry in Ireland you can't.
I hope China is different, it can 6 weeks or more to get marrried in the Phillipines!