4 October 2020
By Tom Collins
tom@TheCork.ie
Did you know that Citizenship and a Passport are different things? You must be an Irish Citizen before you can apply for an Irish Passport. If you were born in Ireland to Irish Parents then you do not need to apply for Citizenship, as you already have it automatically! but, for people who are currently non-Irish citizens, the process of getting a Passport involves a number of steps.
Becoming an Irish Citizen
Naturalisation is the name of the process whereby a foreign national living in Ireland may apply to become an Irish citizen. To apply for naturalisation in Ireland, you must have been physically resident in Ireland for a certain length of time. Generally speaking, if you a non Irish Citizen have been in Ireland for 5 years, or for 3 years (if you are married to an Irish Citizen).
All applications to become a naturalised Irish citizen are decided by the Minister for Justice and Equality using the relevant application form. The Minister considers a range of information available to him in order to make an informed decision. You must use the most up-to-date versions of the application forms on the Immigration Service Delivery
How your application for naturalisation is processed
You will need the services of a Commissioner for Oaths to complete your application form. David O’Sullivan of CommissionerForOaths.ie provides a convenient evening service in Cork City and suburbs, and indeed into County Cork as required. He can be contacted at 0879004346. He can witness the signing of the Statutory Declaration within the Form 8, along with certifying copies of documents as being ‘true copies’.
Certificate of naturalisation
If your application is approved by the INIS, the letter notifying you of this decision will contain instructions about the final procedures that must be completed before the certificate of naturalisation can be issued. When you submit the required documentation and certification fee, you will be invited to a citizenship ceremony at which you will be granted your certificate of naturalisation. You are an Irish citizen from the date of issue of the certificate. Congratulations! You can then apply for an Irish passport.
