Naturalisation Application – Ensuring Citizenship As The Base Of A Strong Community

Naturalisation can be defined as a conscious decision of a foreign national to become a citizen of another country, and a legal process defined by the sovereign state to confer citizenship on foreign nationals. Getting the Naturalisation application is a legal process, as declared by the Irish Nationality and Citizenship Acts 1956-2004. If you are a foreign national residing legally in any of the 26 counties of the Republic of Ireland, for 5 years or more, you may apply to become an Irish citizen following the legal process

What is naturalisation?

Naturalisation is when one becomes a citizen of another country because one has been living there for several years. To apply for this in Ireland, one must be physically resident in Ireland for a certain length of time.

• Citizenship by birth or descent

• Citizenship through the Foreign Birth Register

If one is a foreign national legally married or is a civil partner to an Irish citizen, then one may apply for Irish citizenship by naturalization, even after living legally on the island of Ireland for 3 years.

There are several other requirements for Irish citizenship to meet in both scenarios before one can apply to become an Irish citizen. The Immigration Service Delivery (ISD) reviews the applications for citizenship on behalf of the Minister of Justice. The minister has the final authority to decide whether one will be given citizenship or not.

Eligible to Apply for Irish Citizenship by Naturalisation?

One of the first things a foreign national wishes is to apply for Irish citizenship by naturalization. To avail of this, one must meet the length of residency in the country. Generally one needs to be a legal resident in the state for at least 5 years, out of the remaining application date. As a spouse or a civil partner of an Irish citizen, the foreign national is required to reside legally on the island of Ireland.

Application Process to be followed for Naturalisation process:-

The process of applying for Irish citizenship by naturalization is given in the following several steps:

• Eligibility Assessment

Ensure that an individualmeets all the eligibility criteria as given in the Irish Nationality and Citizenship Act.

• Documentation

Get the necessary supporting documents, whichmight include proof of residency, tax clearance certificates, birth certificates, and proof of language proficiency.

• Application Form

Download and complete the application form (Form 8) from the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service website(INIS).

• Application Fee

It is essential to pay the non-refundable application fee. The exact amount might vary, so check the updated fees on the INIS website.

• Submission

Send the completed application form, along with all supporting documents and payment receipt, to the INIS. Ensure onekeeps copies of all documents for the records.

• Interview and Language Test

An individual may be required to attend an interview with an immigration officer and take a language test to demonstrate proficiency in English or Irish.

• Background Check

INIS will conduct a thorough background check, including criminal and tax checks.

• Decision

One will be informed of the decision in writing. If the application is approved, they will receive a Certificate of Naturalisation.

• Citizenship Ceremony

If the application is successful, one will be invited to attend a citizenship ceremony, where they will take the Oath of Allegiance and become an Irish citizen.

What Documents does one need to Apply for Irish Citizenship by Naturalisation?

The required documents for Irish citizenship by naturalisation include:

➥ Proof of identity

• Passport

• Home Country National Identity document

• Laissez passer/Red Cross/UNHCR identify documents

• Irish Residence Permit Card

➥ Proof of residence

• Employment Detail Summary

• Copy of P60

• Department of Social Protection Annual Contribution

• Bank Statements

• Credit Card Statement

• Rent Agreement

• Annual mortgage statement

• Phone Bill

• Utility Bill

• Medical Practitioner Employment History

Marriage certificate civil partnership certificate or relevant affidavit form if one is a spouse/civil partner of an Irish citizen and applying for citizenship on that basis such as -

• The birth certificate or relevant affidavit form

• The spouse’s birth certificate (if one is married to an Irish citizen)

• The current and old passports

• A printout of the online residency calculator page from the Department of Justice’s website unless you are a UK, Swiss or EEA citizen

• Details and signatures of three references. They must be Irish citizens who know the individual well enough to form an opinion about the character and are willing to act as a referee for you

• A copy of the letter granting the refugee status in the State, if applicable

• Two coloured passport photos signed with the date on the back by the witness who has signed the statutory declaration.

The new applicants need to provide a certified colour photocopy of the biometric page of their current passport since April 2023. Naturalisation is available to Irish residents, after 5 years of physical residence in Ireland, with lower thresholds for the ones who are married to Irish citizens. Becoming an Irish citizen provides a lot of benefits like expanded employment rights, voting rights and the removal of the need to renew immigration status.

Irish citizens, as EU citizens might reside anywhere in the European Union and can also enjoy the unrestricted right to work and reside in the United Kingdom. The government has eased the rules for naturalization applicants to improve the application process for applicants and improve wait times for decisions. This is the latest in a series of applicant-focused improvements by Irish authorities.

Reach out to us at Career Ireland, we bring about critical skills employment,it focuses on roles deemed to be in short supply, ones that are highly essential for the smooth functioning of the Irish economy. This permit was designed with a specific aim in mind, to attract highly efficient professionals to Ireland.