Citizenship Information

There is much information on how to apply for citizenship in Ireland on this page.

What is the Citizenship Application Fee ?

The application fee is €175.

What is the Certificate of Naturalisation ?

The Minister for Justice can grant citizenship to a person who is not an Irish citizen by bestowing on him or her a certificate of naturalisation.

What is the cost of the Certificate of Naturalisation ?

If your application for citizenship is successful, there is a fee for certification to obtain the certificate, which is €950 for an adult, €200 for a minor, widow, surviving civil partner of an Irish citizens or widower. There is no fee in respect of a stateless person / refugee.

Irish Citizenship Application Form ?

The forms are listed above.

Reckonable Residence Permissions for Naturalisation

In order to make an application for citizenship in Ireland the person must have resided in the state for the required periods. Certain immigration stamps are reckonable calculation periods when applying for citizenship and other stamps are not. Stamp 1 ie permission to work is one such stamp that is reckonable.

The Minister for Justice has a full discretion when deciding upon the reckonability of residence permissions.

Irish Citizenship Application processing time 2021 ?

It can take time for the processing of the application and can take approximately 23 months.

Irish Citizenship through Grandparent?

If your grandparent was born in Ireland, you can apply for Citizenship by descent in circumstances where the applicant was born outside of Ireland.

If a grandparent was born outside of Ireland but was an Irish citizen, an applicant who was born outside of Ireland can apply for citizenship.

The person ie the applicant can seek to become an Irish Citizen by applying to be entered onto the Foreign Births Register.

You will need relevant documents both for yourself, but also for your grandparent you are basing the application on.

The application can be made here.

The fee to the Department of Foreign Affairs for the application plus certificate is €270.

An Garda Siochana National Vetting?

If you are applying for citizenship by naturalisation, it will be necessary to detail any offences a person may have had in any country. Applicants will be asked to undertake the Garda e-vetting process.

Change of Address

If you change your address it is necessary to complete the Change of Address Form and submit it to immigration service delivery.

Certificate of Naturalisation

If the person is granted with a Certificated of Naturalisation, they are an Irish Citizen from the date of issue of the certificate.

There is a fee for the certificate specified on this page.

Irish Citizenship Refusal Reasons

The Minister under S.15 of the Irish Nationality and Citizenship Act 1956 has absolute discretion to grant or refuse a Certificate of Naturalisation, hence to confer Irish citizenship on the applicant.

There is no appeals mechanism provided under the legislation.

The unsuccessful applicant should be provided with reasons for the refusal.

Persons are entitled to the rules of natural justice, constitutional justice and access to the courts to have naturalisation decisions judicially reviewed.

Judicial Review

If your application for Irish citizenship has been refused, there is no appeal.

Judicial review proceedings in the high court have a very short timeframe for initiation. It is best to speak with your solicitor to discuss if such proceedings are prudent or not.

Citizenship & Irish Associations Application

S.16 of the Irish Nationality & Citizenship Act 1956 gives the Minister for Justice the power to grant a certificate of naturalisation in circumstances where the applicant is of Irish descent or Irish Associations.

The term Irish Associations means the person is related by blood, affinity or adoption, or is a civil partner of a person who is an Irish citizen.

Citizenship of Refugee Applicant

Article 35 of the Geneva Convention 1951 states:

The Contracting States shall as far as possible facilitate the assimilation and naturalization of refugees. They
shall in particular make every effort to expedite naturalization proceedings and to reduce as far as possible the
charges and costs of such proceedings.

The Minister for Justice can grant naturalisation and citizenship to all foreign nationals including refugees.

Dual Citizenship

Ireland permits dual citizenship.

You can become an Irish citizen and maintain citizenship of another country.

A without condition stamp can be obtained ie stamp 6 on a such a persons Irish passport. This gives the person a right to live and work in the country without conditions.

Revocation of Citizenship / Naturalisation

After the grantee obtains citizenship it can be revoked and here is a post discussing this.

Citizenship & Children

Here is a post on this topic.

Citizenship Application Form

Form 8 is used by an adult to include a young adult.

Form 9 is used by a naturalised Irish parent on behalf of a minor.

Form 10 is used on behalf of a minor of Irish descent.

Applications can now be made online here.

Irish Citizenship Application Form 8

Here is form 8.

Irish Citizenship Application form 2022

A new form as of July 2022 with number Form 8 – CTZ3 is available.

Irish Citizenship Application processing time

Current processing times are significant and one can’t be prescise, but it can take up to 2 years.

How long does a citizenship application take in Ireland?

Current processing times are significant and one can’t be prescise, but it can take up to 2 years.

Is Ireland accepting applications for citizenship ?

Yes.

Details regarding how to apply are within this post.

Do I need to submit my original Passport with my citizenship application ?

As of 2022 the answer is no.

A colour copy is sufficient. This copy must be certified by a commissioner for oaths, solicitor or notary public.

What is the benefit of Irish citizenship ?

Evidently you can live and work in Ireland but one has access to the largest single market in the world also which is significant.

Can I apply for citizenship if I was born outside of Ireland ?

For persons born outside of Ireland, one can apply for Irish citizenship if one of your grandparents was born in Ireland.

Alternatively, you can also become an Irish citizen if one of persons parents was an Irish citizen at the time of your birth.

When do I apply for an Irish passport ?

If you have obtained citizenship via naturalistion, then once you have been granted with citizenship, you can then apply for an Irish passport.

Born Abroad

A person born outside of Ireland can be entitled to citizenship.

For example, if the person has a parent who was born in Ireland and who was an Irish citizen at the time of the child’s birth.

An Irish passport can be sought in this circumstance.

With the relevant application form, the following documents may be of assistance:

• current passport
• any previous passports while living in the state and a photograph of the digital image of your face
• original civil birth certificate and a copy of the translated document into English.
• two coloured passports photographs taken within 30 days
• Immigrant Registration Card
• 3 different proofs of residence
• letter from employer showing the date of commencement
• 3 recent payslips
• Tax statement
• P60
• Recent bank statements
• Any marriage certificate relevant
• Completion of online residency checker
• Tax clearance certificate
• Evidence of identity
• Evident of nationality
• Evidence of residency permissions

The Minister for Justice can grant an application for naturalisation regarding a non-national civil partner or spouse.

A number of naturalisation conditions have to be met to succeed in this application and the marriage must exist for at least 3 years before the application is made.

Again the applicant must be of full age, be of good character, intend to live in Ireland, make a declaration of fidelity to the nation and must meet residency conditions in addition to the marriage existence period at least 3 years.

Here is the application form 8.

If a person is not entitled to citizenship of another country and was born in Ireland they are entitled to Irish citizenship.

In an application for a Certificate of Nationality, the person must show they have no citizenship of another country.

S.6A(1) of the Irish Nationality & Citizenship Act 1956, as amended, sets out the law regarding entitlement to Irish citizenship for persons born on the island of Ireland to certain non-nationals. There are residency requirements for the parent(s) of the person born here.

S.6A(2) sets out the scenarios when the law under S.6A(1)does not apply.

If either parent of a married couple is an Irish citizen, and an adoption order was made under S.3 of the Adoption Act 2010, the adopted child who was not already entitled to Irish citizenship, is entitled to Irish citizenship.

If your grandparent was born in Ireland, you can apply for Citizenship by descent in circumstances where the applicant was born outside of Ireland.

If a grandparent was born outside of Ireland but was an Irish citizen, an applicant who was born outside of Ireland can apply for citizenship.

The person ie the applicant can seek to become an Irish Citizen by applying to be entered onto the Foreign Births Register.

You will need relevant documents both for yourself, but also for your grandparent you are basing the application on.

The application can be made here.

The fee to the Department of Foreign Affairs for the application plus certificate is €270.

The application forms can be found here.

• Form 8 – Application by a Person of Full Age
• Form 9 – Application by a Naturalised Irish Parent on behalf of a Minor
• Form 10 – Application on behalf of a Minor of Irish Descent or Irish Associations
• Form 11 – Application on behalf of a Minor born in the state after 01/01/2005 not entitled to Irish Citizenship by birth.

If you are successful in your application you can receive an invitation to this ceremony. Before this there is a Certificate fee that will have to be paid. Once you obtain your certificate of naturalisation you can apply for a passport.

This is a person between the ages of 18-13 who is dependant on their partent(s). Such person if they are seeking a naturalisation application, must be in either secondary school or more likely third level, be economically dependant on the parent and has resident in Ireland lawfully and entered lawfully also.

Form 8 is required for such and application and the benefit of work related documents will likely not arise.

A minor child cannot bring an application for citizenship. It must be brought by a parent of the child. A child is a person under 18 and not married.

A legal guardian of the child can also make this application type.

A minor childs parent can seek naturalisation on their behalf if the child has lived in the state for at least 3 years.

If a person wishes to voluntarily give up their Irish citizenship then renunciation of citizenship can be undertaken by virtue of S.21 of the Citizenship Act 1956, as amended. A declaration of alienage under Form 13 is required and the declarants declaration must be witnessed by an authorised person.

A legal guardian of the child can also make this application type.

The Minister for Justice has the legislative power to revoke a naturalisation ceriticate if certain conditions are met. If the certificate is revoked the person has the option of applying for a inquiry.

False information provided in the original citizenship application can lead to certificate recovations.

Grounds wherein citizenship can be revoked :

• that the issue of the certificate was procured by fraud, misrepresentation whether innocent or fraudulent, or concealment of material facts or circumstances, or
• that the person to whom it was granted has, by any overt act, shown himself to have failed in his duty of fidelity to the nation and loyalty to the State, or
• that (except in the case of a certificate of naturalisation which is issued to a person of Irish descent or associations) the person to whom it is granted has been ordinarily resident outside the State or, in the case of an application for a certificate of naturalisation granted under section 15A, resident outside the island of Ireland (otherwise than in the public service) for a continuous period of seven years and without reasonable excuse has not during that period registered annually in the prescribed manner his name and a declaration of his intention to retain Irish citizenship with an Irish diplomatic mission or consular office or with the Minister, or
• that the person to whom it is granted is also, under the law of a country at war with the State, a citizen of that country, or
• that the person to whom it is granted has by any voluntary act, other than marriage or entry into a civil partnership acquired another citizenship.

The reasons for the revocation should be set out in writing to the person.

The requirements for Irish Citizenship is answered at the top of this page.

Lawful and reckonable residence must be proved in Ireland to acquire citizenship. Proof of residency for the required time period plus proof of identify must be provided to the Minister when applying for naturalisation.

A new Citizenship Application Form CT23 has been introduced since May of 2023.

The form can be obtained here.

Successful citizenship applicants are required to take an oath of fidelity to the nation. This is a requirement and final step. The person undertakes to respect the laws and democratic values of the state. The person receives an invitation to this ceremony.

Successful citizenship applicants must take an oath of fidelity to the nation. The person undertakes to respect the laws of the state and its democratic values. The person will receive an invitation to this ceremony.

Here is an information post in relation to this.

Here is an information post in relation to this.

Please be advised that the above-mentioned material is intended as an overview and as a broad out-line of the topic discussed. It should not be considered as complete and comprehensive legal advice, nor act as an appropriate substitute.

Due care has been taken in the publication of this article and we do not accept legal liability as a result of reliance on any material covered in the above article.