A possible visa deal which could allow thousands of Irish citizens to live and work in the US is due to be voted on in Congress as early as next week. Under a Bill that has been brought to the House of Representatives, Ireland would be allocated the portion of E3 visas not taken up by Australian citizens. Applicants for the two-year renewable E3 visa must have a job in the US to qualify, but it is significantly easier and cheaper to obtain than the H1B visa. It is not yet clear whether undocumented Irish would be able to benefit from the scheme. In exchange, Ireland would ease the requirements for Americans who want to retire to Ireland.
The Irish Times is seeking reaction to the proposed Bill. Are you an Irish citizen looking to work legally in the US, who could stand to benefit? Or did you benefit from previous visa programmes, such as the Morrison visa scheme? Are you an employer or immigration reform campaigner, or an American citizen looking to retire in Ireland? If you are undocumented, does this proposal give you hope?
You can share your story (max 300 words) using this form above. Please include a few lines about you - where you are from originally, where you live now, and what you do, and attach a photograph of yourself if you have one to share. If you are currently undocumented, you can contribute anonymously.
A selection of responses may be published on irishtimes.com.
Thank you.
