Us citizen seeking info joining Irish spouse

[yesterdaysghost]

Hello,
I am hopeful that I can find some information here to aid us in permanently uniting our family.

I am a US citizen married to an Irish citizen who I wish to join with in Ireland.
The issue we are encountering the most problematic in everything we are researching is she doesn't meet the income requirement for sponsoring me and there is no one else who can take on the roll of doing so.
I can't apply for a work visa because I am suffering from stage 4 COPD and draw social security disability payments in America.

The housing is not an issue as the landlord of her place has approved of me moving in if I am approved to live here in Ireland.
I have been here for a month visiting and we have worked out that we can live upon her disability payments.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you,

[Vadrar]

Hello,
I am hopeful that I can find some information here to aid us in permanently uniting our family.

I am a US citizen married to an Irish citizen who I wish to join with in Ireland.
The issue we are encountering the most problematic in everything we are researching is she doesn't meet the income requirement for sponsoring me and there is no one else who can take on the roll of doing so.
I can't apply for a work visa because I am suffering from stage 4 COPD and draw social security disability payments in America.

The housing is not an issue as the landlord of her place has approved of me moving in if I am approved to live here in Ireland.
I have been here for a month visiting and we have worked out that we can live upon her disability payments.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you,

Besides the two paths you mention (Join Family, with income requirements or Work, which you've ruled out) the options include: Study, Volunteer (limited to two years) or Minister of Religion (presumably ruled out because you've ruled the Work route out beyond any question of qualification for Minister of Religion.) So a study visa is probably your best route but this doesn't count towards reckonable residency for citizenship or permanent residency (which would give unrestricted rights to reside in Ireland.)

Alternately, your spouse could exercise their Freedom of Movement rights and move to another EU country. The requirements to join her would then be covered by EU rules (https://europa.eu/youreurope/citizens/r ... dex_en.htm) , not domestic Irish immigration rules, and many find they are easier to meet. Your spouse would however have to meet FoM requirements (be studying, in work or self-supporting and have health insurance: https://commission.europa.eu/strategy-a ... ve%20years.) My understanding is that she wouldn't be able to port Irish Disability benefits with her - but you'd need to check that as I'm repeating something I think I remember, not know for sure.

This sites are fairly good at explaining Irish options:
https://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/m ... g-ireland/
https://www.irishimmigration.ie/

So the short answer is if Work and Join Family are out, Study might be your best route for a few years if you want to be in Ireland. That or for your spouse to qualify for FoM requirements and pick another EU country.

[Vadrar]

For completeness, there is also Stamp 0, self-sufficiency. This also has income requirements, so if Join Family doesn't work, this likely won't either. But the income can be yours or your spouses, which makes it a little more flexible than Join Family.

[yesterdaysghost]

Thank you for your responses.
I have looked into the various methods you listed and I do not qualify for any of those.

I have a secondary question if you don't mind.

Even though she is on disability payments if we could show that we are capable of living upon her payments alone would this hold any weight?
I understand Ireland doesn't want people moving here who would become a burden upon the state, but would it make any difference if no extra money would be required, or would it most likely be denied on the basis of the assumption that I would indeed become a burden upon the state because of my inability to gainfully contribute?
Which in all fairness I can see how at some point this would be the case, if for no other reason my eventually end of life would require a funeral or in the event of a serious illness, or accident I would require medical care.

I guess we are searching for any possible way to spend our remaining years together as a family and it is quite emotionally depressing to consider having to separate from my family for 9 months per year.

We are discussing the FoM options but she has her family here and has built a life for her son.

Either way, again,
Thank you for your time

[Angel99]

Hi,

Disability/welfare payments can not be used as financial means for family reunification. It's either she has pension payment or an immediate family member of either you or hers who earns alot is willing to use their finances to cover your application..

Another option is working from home or remotely.