Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 201: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the rights the non-EEA national spouses of Irish citizens have to enter Ireland and to live, work and study here. [9881/08]

Brian Lenihan Jnr (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

There is no automatic entitlement to entry or residence in the State for a non-EEA national spouse on the basis of marriage to an Irish national.

Visa required non-EEA national spouses are subject to pre-entry clearance before travelling to the State and are required to apply for a visa on the basis of marriage to an Irish national.

Once in the State, a non-EEA national spouse must attend the local Registration Office, Garda National Immigration Bureau to apply for residence status and he/she must be accompanied by their Irish national spouse at that time. A stamp 4 is normally granted to successful applications and this entitles a non-EEA national spouse to reside in the State, work without the requirement of a work permit, operate a business without applying for business permission from my Department or study within the State without the requirement for further permission. Such permission is not granted automatically and cases which require further investigation are referred to my Department.