Irish citizenship: so confused

[Uninspiredusername23]

Hi all,

I am a UK national and have been in Ireland since March 2018 so wanting to apply for my citizenship this year (want to apply as soon as possible).

Couple of issues though:

1. In March 2020 I went over to UK as I had a flight booked already and thought it would only be two weeks and wanted to be with family (still worked for my Irish employer and boss was aware that I was in Scotland). I ended up couldn't get back until almost end of July (safety concerns etc.) - do those four months still count toward my time since I was still working and resident in Ireland? Or do I need to wait until July 2023 now to apply?

2. I was making a spreadsheets of each year and when I left the country and there has been years I've been out the country (still resident but just taken euro trips for 3-4 weeks) where it totals more than 6 weeks. Does this mean those years don't count? So I essentially have one year of residency? Or do I just add some time on to when I apply e.g. if I spent 63 days out the country one year I need to add 21 days to when I can apply? Or is it only in the last year where you need to show continuous residence?

3. I have written down all the ones I can remember but I have went home a few times for weekends which I probably can't remember, will I be penalised if I can't remember every time I left?

If it helps I have all my docs (annual statements / bank statement / social welfare etc.)

Its confusing because we don't use the residency calculator so any help would be great!

[meself2]

1. In March 2020 I went over to UK as I had a flight booked already and thought it would only be two weeks and wanted to be with family (still worked for my Irish employer and boss was aware that I was in Scotland). I ended up couldn't get back until almost end of July (safety concerns etc.) - do those four months still count toward my time since I was still working and resident in Ireland? Or do I need to wait until July 2023 now to apply?

It's stated you would have to provide a lot of information about your absences as an UK citizen, so I would assume they'd prefer to not have these long absences and I haven't heard about any Covid concessions for citizenship explicitly. I would be on the safe side and applied after you've lived here for 5 years + 4 months (and other absences), but it's not stated long absences would disqualify your straight away, so if you wish to risk it, you can. They might end up just delaying your application so you have your residence in line with the requirements, for example.

2. I was making a spreadsheets of each year and when I left the country and there has been years I've been out the country (still resident but just taken euro trips for 3-4 weeks) where it totals more than 6 weeks. Does this mean those years don't count? So I essentially have one year of residency? Or do I just add some time on to when I apply e.g. if I spent 63 days out the country one year I need to add 21 days to when I can apply? Or is it only in the last year where you need to show continuous residence?

As it is for non-exempt nationals, most likely you have to add your entire absence period to the time you need to spend in Ireland to apply (for example, if you were absent for 60 days, you need to be in Ireland for 5 years + 60 days to apply -https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/qu ... -10-01/241)

In this regard, it is considered, that a reasonable and generous period of up to 6 weeks be allowed to provide for absences from the State for normal holidays and other short term and temporary nature absences, such as for business meetings or a family wedding or bereavement or medical emergency while abroad, and that such short term nature absence from the State would not impact on the statutory residence requirement. However, in the absence of any additional information in relation to extended absences, absences totalling 6 weeks or more in any year will be deducted in their entirety from the reckonable residence in the State.

Also for the last year yes, either get less than 6 weeks or wait for another year, unfortunately - https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/qu ... 12-15/288/

In both cases, the final 12 months must be continuous residence in the State with up to 6 weeks allowed to facilitate foreign travel for business family or holiday purposes

3. I have written down all the ones I can remember but I have went home a few times for weekends which I probably can't remember, will I be penalised if I can't remember every time I left?

That should be okay if they're small.

[Uninspiredusername23]

Thank you so much for your help, One more thing I am confused with though for the last year though is say I take a holiday in September 2023 for 3 weeks. Then another four week holiday in August 2024, can I not just apply for citizenship in the September 2024? Because then the year before I applied I have only been away for four weeks rather than 7 - or do I have to wait until September 2025? That doesn't seem right.

[meself2]

Thank you so much for your help, One more thing I am confused with though for the last year though is say I take a holiday in September 2023 for 3 weeks. Then another four week holiday in August 2024, can I not just apply for citizenship in the September 2024? Because then the year before I applied I have only been away for four weeks rather than 7 - or do I have to wait until September 2025? That doesn't seem right.

Last year is finicky with continuous residence, but yes, you should be fine applying in Sept '24 after your holiday date has passed, in your example - you were out of State for 4 weeks (less than 6, so it's allowed) in the last 12 months.

[Uninspiredusername23]

Hi all,

Just wondering what this annual statement is? I have went to Mywelfare and have a record of my social insurance records as well as a statement of any contributions since I moved here (18th March 2018) but I am not sure these are correct? Where would I get this otherwise?

Thanks
Laurie O'Donnell

[meself2]

as a statement of any contributions since I moved here (18th March 2018)

That should be it; I also asked for Payment statement on mywelfare, but it was blank as I didn't get any State support.

[Uninspiredusername23]

Yeh its given me a 'statement' of all the years I have paid social insurance so I am assuming that this is what they mean? I don't have mortgage repayments, other flatmates paid the gas/electric and my first flat here I paid in cash to the landlord so struggling to find the final proof of residency for the first year!

[Uninspiredusername23]

Hi all,

I have put a few queries up but the more I look into this, the more confused I am. I am UK citizen so don't need to do the calculator but I have also been away travelling a lot. I just wonder if you've been out of the country for more than six weeks, just from various weekends away, does that mean the entire year is not included? Or is it a case of say you are resident here but have a total of 8 weeks holiday - does that mean you need to add the full eight weeks do not count. Or is it that the two of those weeks don't count? I would love if a UK national who has been through the process wouldn't mind speaking to me about it. I have all three proofs of residency that show i have been here longer than 5 years but its just that I've technically been out the country during those five years a few times for longer.

Thanks!

[meself2]

. I just wonder if you've been out of the country for more than six weeks, just from various weekends away, does that mean the entire year is not included? Or is it a case of say you are resident here but have a total of 8 weeks holiday - does that mean you need to add the full eight weeks do not count.

It's the entire 8 weeks, as stated in TD's response - post2114220.html#p2114220

However, in the absence of any additional information in relation to extended absences, absences totalling 6 weeks or more in any year will be deducted in their entirety from the reckonable residence in the State.

[lxk]

Hi all,

I have put a few queries up but the more I look into this, the more confused I am. I am UK citizen so don't need to do the calculator but I have also been away travelling a lot. I just wonder if you've been out of the country for more than six weeks, just from various weekends away, does that mean the entire year is not included? Or is it a case of say you are resident here but have a total of 8 weeks holiday - does that mean you need to add the full eight weeks do not count. Or is it that the two of those weeks don't count? I would love if a UK national who has been through the process wouldn't mind speaking to me about it. I have all three proofs of residency that show i have been here longer than 5 years but its just that I've technically been out the country during those five years a few times for longer.

Thanks!

Hi, I am from the UK and have been living in Ireland for over 10 years. I applied for naturalisation a year ago.
I always keep copies of boarding cards etc. so it was easy for me to work out my days out of state. I worked back 5 years and found that I had been away for more than 42 days for the first couple of years. In my case I felt that there were special circumstances as I had to spend more time than I wanted in the UK due to family problems. I explained all this with my application papers and provided documentation to support the reasons that I felt that I had to be in the UK.
For the two years prior to my application I had hardly been out of Ireland.
So far I have had no feedback so I don't know if my application will be accepted. Even if it is that doesn't mean that someone with similar circumstances will be accepted.
If you don't have a convincing argument for too much time out of state you could apply anyway and if rejected just apply again after 5 years with few absences.

[Uninspiredusername23]

Hi there,

I am just wondering when it was that you applied? And did you just submit the boarding passes etc. with it?

Thanks

[lxk]

Hi there,

I am just wondering when it was that you applied? And did you just submit the boarding passes etc. with it?

Thanks

I applied a year ago.
No. I don't think it a good idea to send too much stuff with the application so I just explained in an attachment. I have kept the supporting boarding passes etc. available in case they ask for them.