Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 1 July 2026
227. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the change in policy referred to in correspondence on behalf of an applicant (details supplied) for naturalisation; the date the long standing policy of waiving the five years reckonable residency requirement for refugees changed; the reason for the change; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50302/26]
View answerEffective from 8 December 2025, refugees are generally required to have five years of reckonable residence in the State to meet the eligibility criteria for citizenship. Applications for citizenship submitted prior to 8 December 2025 will continue to be assessed in accordance with the previous residency requirement of three years, while applications submitted on and after that date are assessed under the revised policy of five years.
Under the Irish Nationality and Citizenship Act 1956, time spent in the State as an applicant for International Protection is not reckonable residence towards becoming an Irish citizen (as stated in section 16A(1)(c)). Only once an individual has been granted an International Protection declaration and who has accrued the required period of reckonable residence in the State can they generally be considered for Irish citizenship.
Since 2025, Citizenship Division has been reviewing the previous discretionary practice of waiving any shortfall of reckonable residence after the date of grant of international protection by looking at an applicant’s date of arrival in the State. This review is being done following legal advice. As part of this process Citizenship Division wrote to all applicants asking them to provide any submissions they wished the Minister to consider in determining whether any or all the statutory conditions for the issue of a Certificate of naturalisation be waived, particularly any shortfall in reckonable residence.
