How to Become an Irish Citizen Through Naturalization

What is the Meaning of Naturalization?

Naturalization is the legal process through which a non-Irish national can become an Irish citizen. This process involves meeting specific residency and legal requirements, demonstrating good character, and showing a commitment to the Irish State and its values.

The outcome of every application for Irish naturalization is decided by Immigration Service Delivery (ISD) on behalf of the Minister for Justice, and the Minister reserves the power to grant or not grant naturalisation, considering a set of criteria.

When you go through naturalization, you're following a set of steps and rules that Ireland has put in place. These rules make sure you understand and agree to live like an Irish person. You need to have lived in Ireland for a certain time, show that you're a good person who follows laws, and tell them you plan to stay in Ireland.

Benefits of Being an Irish Citizen

Becoming an Irish citizen is like getting a special membership that comes with lots of great perks, and before you make this decision, you may be wondering what the Irish citizen benefits are, well here's what it means for you to be an Irish Citizen:

1. Being an Irish citizen lets you vote to decide who runs the country and makes big decisions.
    
2. You get a powerful passport that makes travelling simpler and often lets you skip long visa processes.
    
3. As an Irish citizen, you can work and live in Ireland and any of the countries in the European Union without needing special permission.
    
4. If you're travelling and find yourself in a tough situation (like losing your passport or getting into legal trouble), you can get help from Irish embassies around the world.
    
5. Citizens often have access to more educational options and sometimes lower fees at Irish universities and schools.
    
6. Irish citizens can use Ireland's healthcare system and might qualify for other benefits like welfare support if they need it.
7. If you have children, they might automatically become Irish citizens too, which means they get all these cool benefits as well.

How to get Citizenship as the Spouse of an Irish Citizen

If you are married to an Irish citizen, the most convenient option would be to apply for Irish citizenship so you can permanently be with your spouse legally. The following are the eligibility criteria to become a citizen as the spouse of an Irish citizen:

• You must be at least 18 years old.
• You must have been married to an Irish citizen for at least three years, or more.
• You must have lived in Ireland for one continuous year (12 months) before applying and 3 years in total over the last 5 years.
• Ensure all your time in Ireland is legally permitted with the correct visas or permissions.
• Demonstrate good character, meaning no serious criminal records.
• Your residence in Ireland should be mostly uninterrupted, with only short trips abroad.

What are the Conditions for Naturalization in Ireland?

If you want to become an Irish citizen through naturalization, as we mentioned before, some strict requirements must be met. They are listed below:

1. Age Requirement: You must be 18 years or older. Minors can be included in a parent's application.
    
2. Residency Requirement: You must have been legally resident in Ireland for a specified period. This means five years of reckonable residence out of the nine years preceding the application, including one year (12 months) of continuous residence immediately before the application.
   - Short absences from Ireland, like holidays or business trips, are generally allowed, but the total absence should not exceed 70 days in the last year before applying.
   - An additional 30 days may be permissible in certain circumstances, like work obligations or family emergencies, but these need to be explained and documented in the application.
    
3. Good Character: You must be of good character. This involves a background check by the Gardaí (Irish police). The Irish police will then submit a report to the Minister of Justice containing the following information about you
   - Your criminal record.
   - Driving offences you may have committed.
   - Ongoing investigations against you.
   - Pending criminal cases (that haven’t been heard in court yet).
   - Cautions or other warnings you have received from the Gardaí.
   - Certain civil cases (for example, if you were subject to a barring order).
    
4. Intention to Reside: You must intend to continue living in Ireland after naturalization.
    
5. Declaration of Fidelity: You must be willing to make a declaration of fidelity to the nation and loyalty to the State.
    
6. Financial Stability: You should be financially stable and able to support yourself and your dependents.

Reckonable Residence means time spent in Ireland that counts towards your eligibility for naturalization.

If you are from outside the EEA, the UK and Switzerland, there are periods from residence in Ireland that can also count towards your reckonable residence period. Some of these periods are:

• Periods residing in Ireland under a work permit (commonly accompanied by a Stamp 1 Irish Residence Permit).
• Residency periods under a Stamp 4.
• Duration lived in Ireland as a dependent of a work permit holder or another lawful resident (typically associated with Stamp 3)
• Residency as the spouse or partner of someone holding a Critical Skills Employment Permit or participating in the Third Level Graduate Scheme (associated with Stamp 1G).
• Periods residing with a Stamp 5 (Indefinite Permission to Remain).

Occasions that are not reckonable include:

• Periods on a student visa (commonly under Stamp 2 or Stamp 2A IRP), except when applying as a 'young adult'.
• Duration of stay in Ireland when you lacked legal documentation.
• Duration of residency during your status as an applicant for international protection.

How to Apply for Naturalization

1. Ensure you meet the eligibility criteria we shared above.
2. Log in or create an account on the ISD site to fill out the citizenship application form.
3. If you cannot send an online application, contact [email protected] to request a paper application form.
4. Provide proof of residence and all other documents that will be requested. Non-English documents must be accompanied by certified translations by a certified translation service in Ireland.
5. Pay the application fee. Be aware that this fee is non-refundable.
6. Be sure to check your application for mistakes, after which you can submit it.
7. Now you can wait patiently for the outcome of your application.

When your application is received, it will be checked thoroughly. If there are any missing or incorrect documents, you may be given 28 days to provide the correct information. If you fail to do so, your application may be deemed ineligible. 

Cost of Irish Citizenship Naturalization

What is Next After Application?

The Irish naturalization processing time currently stands at 19 months with possible variations on a case-to-case basis. The following are what you can expect after sending in your application:

If Your Application is Successful

• You will receive a notification of your success from ISD.
• Pay the stipulated certification fee.
• Send your IRP (Irish Resident Permit) if you are not from the EEA, Switzerland or UK.
• You will then be invited to attend the Citizenship ceremony.

You cannot apply for an Irish Passport until you have received your Naturalization certificate at the Citizenship ceremony.

If Your Application is NOT Successful

• You will also receive a notification from ISD on your application status. They will also state reasons for turning your application down.
• You cannot appeal the decision, but you can re-apply.
• If you think you were treated unfairly and the ISD made the wrong decision, you should seek legal advice and then apply to the High Court for a Judicial review. This is not an appeal.

Citizenship Ceremony in Ireland

After the success of your application, you will receive an invite via post/e-mail about the citizenship ceremony. This means you are pretty much at the finish line. However, there are a few guidelines you need to keep in mind, related to the ceremony. They are:

1. You can only bring one adult guest. Minors are not allowed.
2. Minors who have been granted citizenship do not need to attend. Their certificate will be sent by post.
3. You will receive your certificate of Naturalization at this ceremony. You must never laminate or make changes to it.

When you arrive at the venue, go to the registration desk to sign in, using your passport or driver's license. After that, you will receive the following:

A ceremony booklet which contains:

• Information about how to apply for your Irish passport.
• Information on your right to register to vote.
• Information about the circumstances under which your Irish citizenship can be revoked.
• The words of the national anthem.
• An Irish emblem.
• A Copy of the Constitution of Ireland.

The ceremony is presided over by a Judge and will have a government Minister in attendance. It may also go on for hours, so brace yourself!  

What do I do if I Lose My Certificate of Naturalization?

In the unfortunate event that you lose your certificate of Naturalization, you should reach out to the Citizenship Division of the ISD:

Citizenship Division
Department of Justice Office
Rosanna Road
Tipperary Town
Tipperary
E34 N566
Ireland

Phone services are currently suspended
Email: [email protected]

Although you will not get another Certificate of Naturalization, you will be provided with a written confirmation of your Irish citizenship. This service is offered without any charge. When applying for an Irish passport, you must include this confirmation statement with your passport application.