does my south african husband have irish residency?

[jimjam]

I've been in S. Africa with my husband who's from there. I'm Irish, he lived here for years and then we both emigrated there. We got married in Ireland. I've just come home for a while and I'm wondering will he have a problem following me? Does he have automatic residency? he lived here for three years before we left, or will he have problems coming through on his own?

[JAJ]

I've been in S. Africa with my husband who's from there. I'm Irish, he lived here for years and then we both emigrated there. We got married in Ireland. I've just come home for a while and I'm wondering will he have a problem following me? Does he have automatic residency? he lived here for three years before we left, or will he have problems coming through on his own?

Impossible to say, sorry. The Republic of Ireland does not yet have a developed immigration system and hence there may not be any such thing as "permanent residence" yet. Unlike the United Kingdom.

Your best hope is to write to the Irish Embassy (don't phone them, people often get wrong advice over the phone) and see what they say. However, he may need a new permit/visa.

Is there a particular reason he didn't become a naturalised Irish citizen while living there? Or, if you got married before 30 Nov 2002, did he not become an Irish citizen by marriage while the option was still available?