If you’re married to or in a civil partnership with an Irish citizen, you may be wondering if you can apply for Irish citizenship by marriage. The short answer is yes, you can; however, there are specific rules and a legal process you must follow to be successful.
Can I Become an Irish Citizen through Marriage or Civil Partnership?
Being married to an Irish citizen does not automatically grant you Irish citizenship. To become an Irish citizen through marriage or civil partnership, you must meet the specific requirements as set out by the Irish government. For example, you must:
- Be aged 18 years or over.
- Have been married to your partner for at least 3 years.
- Have lived in Ireland for at least 3 of the 5 years before you apply. (This is known as reckonable residence.)
- Have lived in Ireland for at least the 12 months immediately before your application date. (This is known as continuous residence.)
- Be cohabiting with your spouse.
- Be of ‘good character’. (The authorities will check your criminal background).
- Intend to live in Ireland after naturalisation.
If you meet the above criteria, you are eligible to become an Irish citizen through marriage or civil partnership, but you must follow the application process to do so. You will need to submit supporting documents with your application.
What Documents Do I Need?
The documents you need to supply as part of your application may vary depending on your circumstances, however generally you must include:
- Your full birth certificate that shows your parents’ names.
- Your spouse’s full birth certificate that shows their parents names, or their naturalisation certificate. (This is to prove their Irish citizenship.)
- Your marriage or civil partnership certificate. (To prove your relationship with one another.)
- A certified copy of your current full passport as well as certified copies of any previous passports you have held when resident in Ireland. (To prove your residency in Ireland.)
- IRP card. (To show you are a legal resident in Ireland.)
- Previous utility bills, bank statements, or lease statements from the previous 5 years. (To prove your residency in Ireland.)
- At least 3 months worth of joint bank statements, utility bills, lease agreements, or official correspondence that show you and your partner have been and are still living together.
- The Irish naturalisation application form. (Known in Ireland as form 8.)
- Two recent and identical passport photographs signed and dated by a witness.
- An official spousal or civil partnership declaration (witnessed by a solicitor, Commissioner for Oaths, or Garda.)
It is important to note that all documents submitted must be written in English and therefore if your documents are written in any other language, you must supply certified English translations as well as a copy of the original document. The translated documents must be certified by a professional translation service and must contain their contact details and their signature.
How Much Does it Cost?
There are costs involved when applying for Irish citizenship, for example, you must front the cost of obtaining any certified copies or translations of your supporting documents yourself, in addition to the application fee.
The current application fee, which must be paid at the same time that you apply, is 175 euros. However, if your application is successful, a final certification fee of up to 950 euros applies.
It is worth ensuring you have sufficient funds to cover all fees before you apply, so not to jeopardise or delay your application.
How Do I Apply?
You must apply to become an Irish citizen through marriage or civil partnership online. All applications are submitted via the Irish Immigration Delivery Service (IDS) portal.
You must upload your application form and supporting documents online when you apply. To do so, you should follow the online instructions.
Each document must be under 5MB in size and in a PDF or JPEG format. You should upload one document per file so it is important not to combine multiple documents in one PDF file. They must also be clearly labelled so that the authorities can easily match your documents to your application.
It is important to note that if you skip a document section or upload the wrong file type you may not be able to submit your application and once it has been submitted you cannot alter or change your application.
What Happens After I have Submitted My Application?
Once you submit your application, you will receive a confirmation email from the Citizen Division. In the email it will give you details about how to access the Customer Service Portal. In the Customer Service Portal, you will be given an application number, and you can also ask questions and get updates on your application.
If it is decided you need to supply further evidence for your application to be processed, you will receive messages in the Customer Service Portal. You will have 28 days from the day you applied to submit your extra documents.
Most naturalisation applications are processed and a decision made within 12 months, however, the process can take up to 24 months, or sometimes longer, depending on your circumstances. For example, more complex cases may take longer.
Once you have followed the application process and have been notified that the government intends to grant you Irish citizenship, you will be invited to attend a Citizenship ceremony which you must attend. You will be expected to take your IRP card and identity documents with you.
You will also be expected to pay the final fee (of up to 950 euros) to receive your certificate. (This is usually by registered post after the ceremony has taken place.)
It is part of Irish law that, once naturalised, your name is published in the official government record. It is important to note that there are no exceptions to this rule.