Hello all! After a period in the wilderness we are now in our apartment and connected to broadband. The last 10 days or so have been fully occupied in becoming Irish residents with multiple form-filling and queuing.
The first step is to get an Immigration (GNIB) card which you have to do in person as it involves an interview with an immigration officer. The Dublin office is in the centre of town and opens at 8am so I caught a 7:30 bus, having previously been into the city and taken about 15 mins on the bus. That was my first mistake! Dublin in the rush hour is a bit congested and so I arrived at 8:40am. There is a two-queue system, which means I had to stand in a queue for about 50 minutes in order to get a number, and that number (81) was my place in the real queue! At least I could sit down at that point, as there are electronic boards showing your number when it is your turn. The room was packed and it was a real United Nations of people from around the world waiting to get into Ireland. It took from 9:30 to 11:15 to get to my number. My interview took about 10 minutes and all was approved but then I had to be fingerprinted and wait for my photo-id card to be produced, eventually leaving the building at about 12:15pm.
That, unfortunately, was only half the story, as I then had to go to another building in Dublin to get an Identity (PPS) card. Not so long this time, only about 2 hours in the queue!
Never mind, it’s all done now and I think I’m here legally!!
Wonderful to read of your adventures, which you write about so fluently, and glad that you have what looks like a great apartment. Now, Bruce…all you have to do is get a job in a pub and wait for the influx of mad whanau. Dinna fash ( spelling?) yersel bonny lad, coz if I dinna win lotto I won’t be coming. I hear him breathe a sigh of relief….
Phil..the hanging stuff in the cafe may well be the remains of some poor customer …and a warning to others! ( or not) I really DO have a warped sense of humour. Blame our Father ( who hopefully art in Heaven)
xxx