Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 29 September 2026
580. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration to clarify if a person (details supplied) who is currently on a stamp 4 visa, can apply for citizenship; to clarify the steps to take if the current stamp 4 visa expires; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [68483/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraI can advise the Deputy that the person referred to was granted temporary Stamp 4 permission, which is currently valid until 26 February 2027.
Residence accrued under a Stamp 4 permission granted by the Repatriation Unit is reckonable for citizenship purposes. In this case, reckonable residence commenced on 27 February 2024, when the person was first granted Stamp 4 permission by the Repatriation Unit.
Under the current legislative provisions, applicants, with the exception of spouses of Irish citizens, are generally required to have accumulated five years of reckonable residence in the State before becoming eligible to apply for citizenship. Based on the information provided, the person concerned would not currently meet that requirement.
Full details of the eligibility criteria for naturalisation are available on my Department's website: https://www.irishimmigration.ie/how-to-become-an-irish-citizen-guide/
In relation to the renewal of their permission, the individual should make an application to the Repatriation Unit before their current permission expires. If a further permission is granted, they may then renew their Irish Residence Permit accordingly.
As an Oireachtas member, you can also request the status of individual immigration cases by e-mail, using the Oireachtas Mail facility at: IMoireachtasmail@justice.ie, which has been specifically established for this purpose. This service enables up to date information on such cases to be obtained without the need to seek information by way of the Parliamentary Question process.
