Ireland Citizenship

Applying for Irish citizenship is possible for those who were born in Ireland, those who are married to an existing Irish citizen and perhaps of most interest to the majority of economic migrants, through the process of Irish naturalisation.

Naturalising as an Irish citizen brings with it all the benefits enjoyed by Irish citizens including the right to live and work in Ireland on a permanent basis and the right to vote.

Irish immigration continues to grow in popularity and in recent years large numbers of economic migrants have chosen to move to the country based upon its high quality of life and comparatively liberal immigration visa services.

Ireland, unlike many other popular immigration destinations offers a straightforward immigration structure with clear-cut Irish visas for different categories of applicant.

However, immigrating to Ireland is an important decision and in order to ensure that your relocation unfolds as smoothly as possible, it is essential

As a specialist immigration consultancy, Global Visas can help you to assess your eligibility and apply for an Irish visa which corresponds most closely to your requirements.

Our immigration consultants can offer immigration lawyer advice throughout the process of your application and will be happy to respond to any concerns or queries you may have.

Visa Benefits:

As with naturalisation in any country, a grant of citizenship is the concluding step in relocating to Ireland. Citizenship is not gained easily, and for those who wish to naturalise as an immigrant, a minimum residency requirement will be necessary as well as the fulfilment of other criteria.

The benefits of naturalising are self-evident; Irish citizens are granted the right to reside in the country permanently and are permitted to seek and undertake employment in whichever field they choose.

With this visa, no restrictions are placed upon the applicant's right to continue living and working in Ireland.

Visa Eligibility:

As discussed, Irish naturalisation may be pursued by three groups of people:

  • Those born in Ireland,
  • Those pursuing citizenship based upon marriage and,
  • Those wishing to naturalise after a period of residence in the country on an Irish visa or work permit.

Naturalisation

For those migrating to Ireland who wish to naturalise under the third route, the key requirement is that an applicant must have lived in Ireland for five years.

The applicant must be resident in Ireland at the time of the application and must have lived in Ireland for five of the nine years directly preceding the submission.

In addition, the applicant must have spent the last year of this nine year period in continual residence in Ireland.

Candidates wishing to apply for Irish citizenship through the residence route must also be able to fulfill the following requirements:

  • Applicants must be aged at least 18 years.
  • Applicants must be considered to be of good character. Ireland's national police the Garda Síochána will provide a report into the background of each candidate.
  • Candidates must be able to demonstrate that it is their intention to continue living in Ireland after the process is complete. In addition, it will be necessary to make a formal declaration of loyalty to the state.

It is important to note that whilst applicants in possession of Irish work permits and Irish green cards may apply for naturalisation in Ireland subject to meeting the residency requirement, holders of Intra Company Transfer permits may not. These are specifically intended as a temporary measure designed to aid the operations of a company; applicants must return on or before the expiry of such a permit.

An Irish study visa application also does not allow its holder to apply for citizenship. Residency in Ireland under a student visa does not count towards the five year residency requirement.

By Birth:

In Ireland, immigration services allow a candidate pursuing citizenship based on birth to qualify automatically if he or she was born in Ireland. The same is true if an applicant was born abroad but either parent is an Irish citizen who was born in Ireland.

However, in cases where an applicant was born outside Ireland to an Irish citizen parent who was ALSO born outside Ireland, the applicant must register with the Department of Foreign Affairs or an Irish embassy.

In cases where candidates wish to apply based upon an Irish born grandparent, citizenship is still possible but will depend upon the provision of proof of direct kinship. This requirement can usually be satisfied through birth, marriage and death certificates or current documents such as passports and driving licenses.

By Marriage:

Applying to become an Irish citizen on the basis of marriage is valid where an applicant has been married for three years or more to an existing citizen who has held citizenship status for the same period.

Applications must be accompanied by a marriage certificate and proof of the citizen's status as well as documentary proof and a written statement of your marriage and cohabitation status.