Ireland: Naturalisation Document Rules Relaxed
May 26, 2023
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At a Glance
The government has published a new guidance document for adult naturalisation applications which updates several rules including:
- New proof of residency requirements and updated guidance about the weight given to these documents;
- New list of acceptable documents in cases where proof of residence cannot be provided;
- Fewer required bank statements;
- New checklists and application form; and
- Specific rules for those with refugee status.
The situation
The government has published a new guidance document for adult naturalisation applications, which updates several rules and amends document requirements.
A closer look
Key updates are noted below:
| UPDATE | PREVIOUS RULE | IMPACT |
| Residency document rules. Each document used to prove residency is currently assigned a points value. An applicant must reach 150 points for each year of residency. This update further refines this process and applicants now only need to provide two documents per year of residency (one Type A and one Type B). | Many documents were assigned a lower points value, and consequently, applicants often had to produce multiple proofs to reach 150 points. | This reduces the amount of documentation that applicants need to submit, streamlining the residency application process. |
| Acceptable documents where residency proof cannot be provided. Applicants who cannot provide the necessary residency documentation to reach 150 points can provide a residential proof affidavit. | Previously, there were no clear guidelines on what action applicants should take if they could not provide enough documentation. | This will help applicants who cannot provide documents for a particular year to explain their situation and gives the government some discretion to allow their application, depending on the circumstances. This should expand the pool of applicants for naturalization. |
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Bank statements. The updated requirements include three consecutive months of bank statements for each year of residency showing at least three point of sale transactions in Ireland per month. The bank statements must be issued by a retail bank or credit union regulated by either the Central Bank of Ireland or European Central Bank. |
Applicants had to provide six consecutive months of bank statements per year of residency. | It is now easier for naturalisation applicants to prove their spending in Ireland, which reduces the burden on naturalization applicants and makes the application process less document-heavy. |
| Rules for refugees. Those applying based on refugee status who do not have a valid national passport can submit a certified copy of their Irish travel documents, a letter confirming refugee status and an affidavit detailing certain personal information. | Previously, there was no clear guidance for refugees who did not have a national passport. | It is now easier for those living in Ireland as refugees, who often do not have their passport, to apply for naturalisation, which should expand the pool of eligible applicants. |
Background
Naturalisation is available to Irish residents, generally speaking, after five years physical residence in Ireland, with lower thresholds for those married to Irish citizens. Becoming an Irish citizen by naturalisation provides benefits such as expanded employment rights, voting rights, and the removal of the need to renew immigration status.
Irish citizens, as EU citizens, may 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 naturalisation applicants in order 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.
Looking ahead
This new guidance is very welcome, however provisions have still not been made for young adults who need to rely on a parent’s residence permission to apply for naturalisation.
This alert is for informational purposes only. If you have any questions, please contact the global immigration professional with whom you work at Fragomen or send an email to [email protected].
