Child Dependent Visa

Bringing a child into the State inevitably comprises reams of evidence and documents to be submitted. This is to verify your guardianship over the child and that you can effectively support them financially when in Ireland.

Since minors are classed as ‘dependents’, the parent or legal guardian of the child wishing to come to Ireland acts as the ‘sponsor’ for immigration purposes. The sponsor will need to provide evidence that he or she is the responsibility of the child and prove that the child is dependent on them by, for example. Providing evidence of visits or frequent correspondence. This includes documenting the financial means by mapping mortgage or rent, utility costs and food, medical support and education payment plans for when the child comes to live in Ireland.

The sponsor must also detail any other family members in Ireland or the child’s home country as well as securing medical and travel insurance per each dependent before arriving into the State.

As for the application itself, it varies depending on your individual circumstances and relationship to the child as well as your legal residency rights in Ireland. For example, Irish citizens can usually undergo Family Reunification with their child relatively easy whereas non-EEA applicants who are in the State under an immigration category have higher hurdles to face.

Those making a preclearance application must declare their non-EEA children as a part of this request.

See how the IAS can help you by getting in touch with us today.

As the sponsor, the onus is on you to satisfy the Irish immigration and visa officer, and failure to do so will usually result in a refused application. It is therefore imperative that you back up your claims with supporting evidence when filling out any immigration application. As the Child Dependent route is particularly sensitive since you are bringing a minor, the evidence you need to provide can be substantial.

You will need:

• Passport copies of yourself and your child
• A signed letter detailing your reasons in coming to Ireland
• Proof of your familial relationship with the child (passing the ‘genuine relationship test’)
• Copies of the child’s birth certificate or adoption order

If your child is travelling to Ireland alone or with someone else who isn’t their parent or legal guardian, a written letter of consent from both the child’s natal or adopted parents or their legal guardians must accompany their journey. This letter of consent must also come with copies of the guardian’s passports or national identity cards.

Similarly, if your child is travelling with just one parent/legal guardian, then a consented letter from the other parent/legal guardian is required, too.

Alternatively, you may be separated from your child’s other parent in which case you will need to gain full and sole custody of the child in order to move. This can be done via a Court Order before seeking settlement in Ireland. If the other parent has some custody or access rights, then a sworn affidavit by that parent must be submitted in order to consent in taking their child away from their home country.

There are stringent financial requirements to be met when taking a dependent into Ireland. However, the Irish State takes family reunification very seriously and weighs up the merits of every case while reflecting on the balance of interests for both you and your child. This means that, although important, the financial capacity is one of many requirements to be met, and is not the be-all and end-all of having your child join you in Ireland.

If you are an Irish citizen already and are acting as a sponsor to your child, the main financial prerequisite dictates that you must not have been reliant on benefits from the Irish State for a continuous period of two years before the application is made. You must also have earned a cumulative gross income of no less than  €40,000 which must be proven by payslips in a three-year period.

The rules change if you are a non-EEA national and non-Irish national. If you are in receipt of Category A immigration permission, you can bring your child without making any earnings since this status that has been granted to you assumes a certain level of income when you arrive in Ireland. Category B holders, however, must be able to prove they have accumulated an income across two years that is in excess to the guidelines by the Department of Social Protection via the Family Income Supplement (FIS).

Based on the FIS, families with children would need to earn the following net incomes per week:

• For 1 child, €511 more
• For 2 children, €612 more
• For 3 children, €713 more
• For 4 children, €834 more
• For 5 children, €960 more

Alternatively, declared and verified savings by the sponsor may also be taken into account to supplement the amount needed.

Most ‘D’ visa applications are made directly to the Irish Embassy where The Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) handles every case. These applications can be submitted either abroad or within the State itself.

The Immigration Advice Service can help to streamline this process for you by eliminating the burden of paperwork from your responsibility. IAS’ Irish immigration consultants are well-equipped to handle each case, no matter the complexity, and will inform you of the many supporting documents and evidence you must submit. By entrusting your application with a consultant, you can rest assured that your case is in the best possible hands and you should expect to be reunited with your child or family member in a timely manner.

It is best not to apply without seeking any legal guidance as submitting incorrect or missing information could severely jeopardise your case. Not only could your visa be refused, but the appeals process can take 12 months if not longer, exacerbating and lengthening the time spent apart from your loved one as well as costing you more money to rectify the errors.

The IAS recognises the importance of being with family and therefore is willing to discuss your case in either an extended session or in a brief document check. You can choose whether to meet your IAS consultant in person, over the phone, via Skype or in a multi-way business call that may include immediate family members residing all over the globe.

As soon as you call our client care team, we will match you with an accredited immigration lawyer immediately. Your IAS expert will be able to handle your case professionally as not only are all our lawyers well-versed in the intricacy of Irish immigration law, but some are even specialists in immigration family law.

Our team of immigration consultants are well versed in immigration law, just like an immigration lawyer.

We will endeavour to reunite you with your child or loved one in the fastest and efficient manner possible, so give us a call today to arrange an appointment that suits you and your needs on (+353) 061 518 025.