Visa help! I am an American who is a recent college grad (Dec, 07), my boyfriend is an Irish student in galway?

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Priscilla Duck

Orla's right, you cannot stay for longer than 90 days here, and he can't stay for longer than 90 days in the US. Depending on your qualifications, you may be able to get a work visa for Ireland - as he is from Galway, clearly this means dealing with the immigration procedures for the Republic of Ireland, not the UK S@m. Links to information services:
http://www.inis.gov.ie/en/INIS/Pages/WP07000212
http://www.citizensinformation.ie/categories/employment/migrant-workers/employment-permits/work_permits
http://www.movetoireland.com/movepag/workperm.htm
http://www.ean.ie/need-advice/

He should also look into getting a work permit for the states. The green card lottery for 2010 is now open, he should apply immediately:
http://www.dvlottery.state.gov/

He can also look at getting other types of work visas, again this will depend on the type of qualification he has gained. If anyone in either of your families has a business, they might just be able to wrangle a sponsored work visa for either one of you:

US:http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis/menuitem.5af9bb95919f35e66f614176543f6d1a/?vgnextoid=c487d92e8003f010VgnVCM1000000ecd190aRCRD
Ire:http://www.entemp.ie/labour/workpermits/

Finally, there are student visas. This is one of the most expensive ways of coming here, as you will have to pay full fees and be able to support yourself, so unless you can get a scholarship to do postgrad study, I wouldn't really recommend it.

EDIT: another Y!A user just highlighted this:
http://foreignaffairs.gov.ie/home/index.aspx?id=73713
It looks like a new visa is being introduced in the next few weeks which will allow either one of you to travel to the other's country for up to a year. Good luck!

Orla C

Excuse me, but s@M is wrong - Ireland is NOT part of Britain. Hasn't been since 1921.

Visa restrictions have got very tight in recent months, due to the economic downturn. As far as I know, you can spend up to 90 days in Ireland, provided you can support yourself there, but I don't think you can work, and likewise he can spend the same in the US.

If he is a college grad, and it's in something useful and practical, why doesn't he go to the US and try his luck there? If you aren't a college grad, I don't think you have a hope in Ireland at the moment .... but the situation could change again in a few months.

Odin

your boyfriend could go for a B2 visa at any US Embassy. it would allow him to stay in the US for up to 6 months. and they are not that difficult to get -and they don't expire for 10 years.

s@M

Well as far as I know as an American you do not need visa to UK and Ireland is part of Great Britain. I have a friend with exact same situation. What you can do it call the British embassy in US and ask them if you need visa to go to Ireland which I don't think it will be much of an issue. But as far as him going it will be difficult for him to come here(to USA) He can come as a tourist but not for long term (I think max is 90 days) what you can do in case you guys are getting married is asking for marriage visa for him which will take a year to process I believe and in the mean time he should be able to travel on tourist visa to USA. I would get a hold of an Emigration lawyer and would ask him for details. but the easiest way for you to find out how you can travel there with out any issue is to call UK embassy in DC. but I am positive that you don't need an actual visa to travel to UK at least and I don't think you need it for Ireland either.

read the following:
http://www.inis.gov.ie/en/INIS/Pages/Family_Member_of_Irish_Citizen

Hope this helped
~s@m

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