u/Same-Inside3823

Hi everyone, I’m looking for some advice or experiences regarding the De Facto Partner permission in Ireland.

My Irish boyfriend(25) and I(27) have been in a relationship for over 2 years (since May 2024), and it’s very stable, but hasn’t reached the marriage stage.

I’m a non-EU member, and my current visa stamp 1G expires this December. We are exploring the possibility of applying as a de facto partner

Here’s our situation:

1. We don’t officially have shared address evidence. I live in a homestay in Bray- it is a very good setup, a nice double room for €650/month. He lives in Greystones with his family, no rent. It only takes about 10–15 minutes by bus between us, and his workplace (Bray Business Park) is actually right in between Bray and Greystones.

2. We spend most of our time together(at least 4 days per week). He comes to Bray on Tuesday and Thursday, sometimes also Friday, straight after work. We go to Greystones on weekends (spending time with his family).

3. In practice, we live very much like a cohabiting couple. Beyond dates and travel, we share everyday life — grocery shopping, cooking, and general day-to-day living together

4. Financially, we have regular transfers for living expenses, it’s about €10K over the 2 years. Secondly, we have a joint bank savings account for buying a house, and we’ve saved around €10k till now, and we are continuing to contribute to it.

5. I’ve spent the last two Christmases with his family, and I’ve met his extended relatives. He also travelled with me to Asia last year for about 3 weeks there. Our relationship is fully known and supported by both of our families and friends.

The main reason we haven’t moved in together is financial. We did consider renting together, but the housing situation in Ireland is very expensive — a place suitable for both of us would easily cost €1500+ per month. Both of our families suggested that we save our income towards buying a home instead of spending it on rent. Also, I’ve been very lucky with my current homestay — the landlord is incredibly kind and supportive, and is happy for my partner to stay over frequently, which makes our situation more flexible.

I understand that cohabitation is a key requirement for de facto applications, but I’ve also seen some mentions that exceptions might be considered in certain circumstances.

So I wanted to ask:

Has anyone successfully applied for De Facto Partner permission in Ireland without 2 full years of formal cohabitation?

Or is the lack of official cohabitation evidence (same address proof) basically a deal breaker?

Thank you for readying through so far🙏I would appreciate any insights or experiences from you guys 🙏 🙏🙏 please help me.

Hi everyone, I’m looking for some advice or experiences regarding the De Facto Partner permission in Ireland.

My Irish boyfriend(25) and I(27) have been in a relationship for over 2 years (since May 2024), and it’s very stable, but hasn’t reached the marriage stage.

I’m a non-EU member, and my current visa stamp 1G expires this December. We are exploring the possibility of applying as a de facto partner

Here’s our situation:

1. We don’t officially have shared address evidence. I live in a homestay in Bray- it is a very good setup, a nice double room for €650/month. He lives in Greystones with his family, no rent. It only takes about 10–15 minutes by bus between us, and his workplace (Bray Business Park) is actually right in between Bray and Greystones.

2. We spend most of our time together(at least 4 days per week). He comes to Bray on Tuesday and Thursday, sometimes also Friday, straight after work. We go to Greystones on weekends (spending time with his family).

3. In practice, we live very much like a cohabiting couple. Beyond dates and travel, we share everyday life — grocery shopping, cooking, and general day-to-day living together

4. Financially, we have regular transfers for living expenses, it’s about €10K over the 2 years. Secondly, we have a joint bank savings account for buying a house, and we’ve saved around €10k till now, and we are continuing to contribute to it.

5. I’ve spent the last two Christmases with his family, and I’ve met his extended relatives. He also travelled with me to Asia last year for about 3 weeks there. Our relationship is fully known and supported by both of our families and friends.

The main reason we haven’t moved in together is financial. We did consider renting together, but the housing situation in Ireland is very expensive — a place suitable for both of us would easily cost €1500+ per month. Both of our families suggested that we save our income towards buying a home instead of spending it on rent. Also, I’ve been very lucky with my current homestay — the landlord is incredibly kind and supportive, and is happy for my partner to stay over frequently, which makes our situation more flexible.

I understand that cohabitation is a key requirement for de facto applications, but I’ve also seen some mentions that exceptions might be considered in certain circumstances.

So I wanted to ask:

Has anyone successfully applied for De Facto Partner permission in Ireland without 2 full years of formal cohabitation?

Or is the lack of official cohabitation evidence (same address proof) basically a deal breaker?

Thank you for readying through so far🙏I would appreciate any insights or experiences from you guys 🙏 🙏🙏 please help me.