Green Card

“What could I expect if I went to live in Ireland for long-term period of time – at least a year and probably longer? Two of my grandparents are Irish, and I’ve taken many trips there. Would I be eligible for things like jobs and health insurance, which I understand is standard for everyone in Ireland? What would I have to do to establish residency in Ireland?”

“A very good friend of mine in Ireland has been denied entry to the U.S. He had tried to come here without a visa in 2008 and did not gain entry, so he applied for a visa and was also denied by something called Section 214(b). He is a genuine person who does not intend to live here, and yet he keeps getting denied. Why is this, and what can be done to get him a visa?”

You don’t provide much information about your friend’s background – age, employment status, level of education, etc. – but clearly he’s having a problem convincing U.S. consular officials in Dublin that he would not overstay the terms of a B tourist visa.

You say he was denied entry here in 2008 by using the visa waiver program. This denial would have required him to apply for a B visa at the American Embassy in Dublin.

“I have had a green card for almost four years. I was undocumented for seven years before that, and I married an American citizen. I have not paid U.S. taxes for the duration of the time that I’ve been here, and I am worried about this in the event that I choose to apply for U.S. citizenship. Is this something that I have to be worried about? Is tax history checked for citizenship?”

Yes, failure to pay tax is something that you should be worried about on any number of levels – first and foremost, it’s a punishable crime not to comply with state and federal tax laws.