1 March 2022
By Tom Collins
tom@TheCork.ie

If you want an Irish passport, then you first need to become an Irish Citizen. If you were not born in Ireland then – generally speaking – after 3 or 5 years, you can apply using the ‘Form 8’ for naturalisation

The application form (Form 8) for Irish Citizenship is available for free online. You can print the PDF, and then find a Commissioner for Oaths when you have collated your supporting documents.

If you have been living in Ireland for more than 5 years you are (generally) eligible to apply for Irish Citizenship. You can use a Commissioner for Oaths to sign (and rubber stamp) your application documents.

Do you need a Solicitor?

A Solicitor can be useful for someone who needs legal advice relating to the complexity of their naturalisation application, however for the majority of applications you do not have to use the services of a Solicitor. The application form states this because it allows a ‘Commissioner for Oaths’ to sign also. The beauty of a free marketplace is that the customer can choose his or her service provider.

Residency requirement

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).

Apply for Irish Citizenship using the ‘Form 8’

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 website.

You will need the services of a Commissioner for Oaths to complete your application form. David O’Sullivan of www.CommissionerForOaths.ie is a well known local businessman and provides a convenient evening service in Cork City and suburbs. He can be contacted at 087 900 4346 or by email cork@CommissionerForOaths.ie. He can witness the signing of the Statutory Declaration within the ‘Form 8’, along with certifying copies of documents as being ‘true copies’ including copies of every page of your Passports over the 5 year period (typically this is 2, and will involve signing about 60 pages), another task for a Commissioner for Oaths is certifying that your 2 passport sized photographs are a ‘true likeness’ of you.