Irish Naturalisation for Spouses in Northern Ireland

[Tullynagardy]

Hi All

Im new to the board and hoping someone can clear up the unclear situation with NI immigration and confirm if my thinking is right or wrong.

I`m from Northern Ireland and currently live here with my Thai wife. She is here on a UK spouse visa which expires in March 2016. Whilst I have never held an Irish passport I am an Irish citizen as per the Good Friday Agreement and intend to get one soon.

According to what Ive read my wife can apply to be an Irish citizen once we have been married for 3 years with 1 year's continuous reckonable residence in the island of Ireland (not ROI) immediately before the date of your application. My wife will hit this milestone in January 2016.

Will my wife be able to get an Irish passport and then abandon the arduous next stage of the UK process?

[chaoclive]

You might be better to check with the INIS. Whilst you are right about being eligible for Irish citizenship, you, like most other N. Irish people (myself included) are NOT Irish until you have applied for it. I.e. you would need to apply for an Irish passport or other proof of citizenship. At present you are not Irish. Irish citizenship is not automatic for people who were born in N. Ireland.

i'm worried that you have left your Irish citizenship application too late and, therefore, your wife may not qualify as the spouse of an Irish citizen.

[squa]

That is not true. Everyone born in the Island of Ireland before January 2005 is automatically an Irish citizen. You do not have to have an irish passport to prove your citizenship. ...your birth certificate is sufficient enough as that is all you would need if you did want to apply for an Irish passport.
As regards to your wife I'm not sure whether the citizenship law is the same for spouse's residing in Northern Ireland but I assume it's the same as it doesn't explicitly exclude them. I think you should go ahead and make a citizenship application for your wife as the spouse of an Irish national.

[Tullynagardy]

are you sure squa?

since reading the first post all the offical websites such as this - http://www.inis.gov.ie/en/INIS/Pages/Fr ... isation#Q2 - talk of people "entitlement" to be an Irish citizen rather than automatically one.There is a distinction between NI where they all say "entitled" to the RoI where they say "automatically."

I have done nothing to claim my Irish citizenship so not sure where I stand?

Surely there must be people on this board that have done the same as I am trying to do?

[chaoclive]

I also think there i a difference between 'entitled' and 'automatic'.

Naturalisation is possible from N.I. That's not an issue. I would recommend emailing INIS to see where you stand (i.e. 'eligible' for Irish citizenship by birth in N.I.). You can email them here: INISsinu@justice.ie (Spouse of Irish National division).

The citizenship application form states: "Copy of documentary proof of Irish spouse’s/civil partner’s entitlement to Irish citizenship (certified copy of Irish spouse’s/civil partner’s birth certificate if born in Ireland / certified copy of foreign birth register entry / spouse’s or civil partner’s parent’s birth certificate if latter was born in Ireland / certified copy of naturalisation certificate / certified copy of passport page with photograph)." Therefore, not having an Irish passport might be acceptable. Note that copies should be certified.

See here for info about the criminal record check that needs to be undertaken: https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/ ... ing-443873

[squa]

On the issue of you being an Irish citizen having been born in Northern Ireland, yes I am 100% sure. Your birth certificate is all you need to prove you're an Irish citizen. You just go ahead and apply for irish passport now if you like.