Citizenship

  • When can I apply for Irish citizenship?

    You must complete at least 5 years of ‘reckonable’ residence in Ireland. ‘Reckonable’ residence means time spent in Ireland on Stamp 1, Stamp 3, Stamp 4, or Stamp 5. Time spent in Ireland as a student on Stamp 2 or Stamp 0 does not count towards citizenship.

    You must have one year continuous residence in Ireland immediately before your application. This does not mean that you cannot go on holidays abroad in the year before your application. It just means that there must be no break or gap between the renewal of your residence permissions (date on your GNIB/ IRP card) in the year before you apply.

    Note: if you have gaps between your residence permissions between March 2020 and May 2022, you may still be eligible to apply for citizenship as you might be covered by the automatic extension.

  • How do I apply?

    Complete an application form and prepare supporting documents.
    The correct application form for adult applications (over 18) is Form 8. Make sure to use the most up to date version of the application form. This form is available to download.

    Fill out and print the completed online Naturalisation Residency Calculator.
    You must enter the dates of the immigration stamps in your current and previous passports and the dates of your most recent GNIB/IRP cards to check whether you have enough residence to apply. This is available here.

    Some documents will require a signature from a solicitor. We strongly advise to wait until all your documents and application are ready before going to the solicitor.

  • What documents do I need?
    • Application fee
      You need to include a bank draft of a €175. You can get a Bank Draft from any Irish bank or Postal Order from the Post Office only. The bank draft or postal order should be made payable to “Secretary General, Department of Justice”’. The fee should not be paid by cash or personal cheque. This fee is non-refundable even if the application is refused.
    • Certified copy of passport(s)

      All the pages of your passport need to be printed out as full color copy and stamped by a solicitor / Commissioner of oath / peace commissioner or notary public. You need to include a full copy of your current passport and any previous passports you have had while living in Ireland.

      NOTE: ‘Certified’ means you should bring your passport to a solicitor and ask them to confirm that it is a ‘true copy of the original’ (usually the solicitor will sign and stamp the copy). The solicitor will also need to sign page 17 of the application form.

    • Certified copy of birth certificate

      If your birth certificate is not in English, make sure to include an English translation as well.
      NOTE: If you do not have your birth certificate, ask for it from the relevant authorities in the country where your birth was registered. In certain exceptional circumstances, a birth affidavit may be accepted instead of a birth certificate, but this is only in cases where the birth certificate is not available and cannot be obtained. If you are not in possession of or have lost your birth certificate, an affidavit will NOT be accepted. You must make efforts to obtain it from the relevant authorities.

    • Two passport photos

      The photos need to be in color, passport sized and less than 30 days old. The photos need to be signed and dated on the back by a solicitor.

    • Copy of your GNIB / IRP card

      Include a copy of your most recent GNIB/ IRP card. Note you need a valid GNIB/ IRP card to apply for citizenship

    • Proof of address

      Include proof of address for each year of residency in Ireland for at least 5 years.

      NOTE: You are required to reach a score of 150 points for each year (of reckonable residency) where proof of residency is required. On page 18 of the form, you will find a table of proof of address and points allocated to each type of proof. Submit enough proof so that the point value reaches the required score of 150 points for each year of residency claimed.

      For example: 6 months of bank statements (January-June) dated in 2017 will count as 50 points for that year. You will still need additional 100 points for 2017 to meet the requirement.

    • Online Naturalisation Residency Calculator

      Fill out and print the online naturalisation residence calculator to show you have enough residence to apply. You can find the online naturalisation residence calculator here

    • Tax Clearance Certificate

      Only include this if you have been working in the last 5 years.

      NOTE: Tax Clearance Certificate (TCC) is a written confirmation from Revenue that a person’s tax affairs are in order. You can connect to your online Revenue account to request an electronic Tax Clearance Certificate. The necessary information to use this service is available on the Revenue website.

  • How do I fill out the application form?

    ● The application form must be filled out in English.
    ● You must answer all questions.
    ● If a question does not apply to you, write N/A in the space provided.
    ● You should use a black pen and PRINT IN BLOCK CAPITALS.
    ● If you make a mistake, cross it out – do not use correction fluid
    ● If documents are missing or if the form is not fully completed, your application may be refused and your application fee may not be refunded.

    For detailed guidance on how to answer each question on the form, please see page 9-13 of the application form.

  • What documents need to be signed by the solicitor?

    Before sending the application to the Citizenship, it is important for you to make sure the following documents have been signed / certified by solicitor:
    ● Full color copy of your current passport / Travel document
    ● Full color copy of your previous passport used since you arrived in Ireland
    ● Copy of Birth certificate and English translation (if applicable)
    ● 2 color passport photographs
    ● Page 17 of the form (Certify copy of passport)
    ● Page 34 of the form (Statutory declaration)
    ● Copy of marriage certificate (if applicable)
    ● Any relevant affidavit (if applicable)

  • Where do I send the application form?

    Your completed application form and your supporting documents should be sent by registered post to the following address:

    Citizenship Applications (CMU 2)
    Immigration Service Delivery
    Department of Justice
    PO Box 73
    Tipperary Town
    Ireland

    Make sure you save the receipt so you can track your application.

    NOTE: If you are an EU-citizen you must send the application to CMU 1.

  • What happens after I send the application form?

    • Acknowledgement letter

      Usually you should receive an acknowledgement of your application by letter within a few months. This acknowledgement letter will tell you whether you need to send any additional documents. This letter will also have your citizenship application reference number. If you want to write to the Citizenship Section to ask for an update on your application you need to include this reference number in your letter or email.
    • E-vetting process

      After you have submitted your citizenship application, complete the Gardaí e-vetting process. This will be a 3 step process:

      ● You will receive an invitation to complete an e-vetting application. Fill out this invitation and send it back to the Citizenship Division.

      ● After the Citizenship Division receives your signed invitation form by post, you will receive an email from the National Vetting Bureau with a direct link to the online vetting application form. You have 30 days to complete and submit the online vetting application.

      ● Your completed vetting application is assessed by the Citizenship Division. If there are any issues with the application, it will be returned to you. Otherwise the application is forwarded to the National Vetting Bureau. A vetting disclosure is provided by the National Vetting Bureau and is reviewed by the Citizenship Division as part of the decision making process on your application.

      For more information regarding this process see link below:
      https://www.irishimmigration.ie/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Citizenship-applicants-guide-to-e-vetting-2021.pdf
      https://www.irishimmigration.ie/how-to-become-a-citizen/become-an-irish-citizen-by-naturalisation/citizenship-applicants-guide-to-an-garda-siochana-national-vetting-bureau-e-vetting/

    • Contact the Citizenship Section

      You can contact the Citizenship Section by email at citizenshipinfo@justice.ie or by post at this address if you are a non-EEA national (EU-citizens can send queries to CMU 1):

      Citizenship Applications (CMU 2)
      Immigration Service Delivery
      Department of Justice
      PO Box 73
      Tipperary Town
      Ireland

    • Change of address or contact details

      Keep your postal address up to date at all times to receive letters from the Citizenship Unit. If you change address, fill out a ‘change of address form’ and send it to this address:

      Change of Address
      Citizenship Division
      Immigration Service Delivery
      Department of Justice
      Rosanna Road
      Tipperary Town
      Co Tipperary E34 N566
      Ireland

      Find the change of address form here.

    • While waiting for a decision

      The general processing time for applications is approximately 2 years from the date of application. However, depending on the complexity of your application, some applications can take longer. Keep your immigration status up to date until you receive a decision on your application.

  • What do I do once the decision is made?
    When a decision has been made on your application, you are informed by letter.

    ● If the application is refused, it is not possible to appeal the decision on citizenship, but you can re-apply again at any time.

    ● If the application is successful, you receive a letter with instructions on how to make the final online payment of €950 and you are invited to the citizenship ceremony.

    Once you have completed the final step, you attend the ceremony where you are issued a Naturalisation Certificate. After you receive your certificate of naturalisation, it is possible for you to apply for an Irish passport through the Passport Office

  • Other points to note

    ● It is a requirement that applicants for naturalisation are of good character. The Garda Síochána provides a report about your background, and any criminal record or ongoing proceedings is taken into consideration before a decision is made on your application.

    ● There is no official guidance on what effect social welfare has on an application.

    ● If you have been outside of Ireland for more than 6 weeks in a year any time in the last 5 years, you must provide details of this, including the dates you were outside of Ireland and the reasons why.

    ● One year of continuous residence means that you cannot have any gaps between your residence permissions in the last year prior to applying.

    ● You should intend to remain living in Ireland after you become an Irish citizen. The Minister can revoke Irish citizenship if you have been living outside of Ireland for a continuous period of 7 years if you do not register every year and declare their intention to retain their Irish citizenship with an Irish Embassy, or with the Minister for Justice. Therefore if you move to live outside of Ireland, you should complete Form 5 every year you are living outside of Ireland: ‘Annual registration and declaration of intention to retain Irish citizenship by a naturalised Irish citizen residing outside Ireland’. This form is available here

    ● Under Irish law, there is no difficulty with holding dual citizenship. However Chinese citizenship laws do not permit holding citizenship of more than one country. So if you are granted Irish citizenship, you will not be able to get another Chinese passport. You will not have a GNIB/IRP card any more either. It is important that you are aware of this before you apply for Irish citizenship.

    Further information regarding Irish citizenship can be found at the link here.

Page last updated 01/07/2022