Citizenship ceremonies on 3rd July 2020

[Bealtaine]

when you say "advanced stage" what stage is that? 2nd where you received a letter saying they are verifying good character? or have you gotten a letter requesting the citizenship fee? and when did you get the first notification of the current advanced stage you are in now?

If I can be incredibly honest with you, I wouldn’t look at these stages. They don’t matter as much until you get the approval. They use all sorts of terms to mean all sorts of stuff.

1. Application Received
Many wait for a Fee receipt + reference number after this. This was certainly my case.
- they go through to make sure you have everything needed, ticking checklists based on my FOI that I received earlier this year.

2. Stage 2 - background checks
Including Garda clearance. Some require police clearance from other countries. They can still ask for various other documents.

3. When everything is in order, it is apparently in the ‘advanced stage’, waiting to be submitted to the Minister.

4. A letter stating the Minister intends to grant citizenship and to pay fees, submit photographs, etc. (Approval letter)

5. Ceremony Invitation Letter

Many of my friends have had their approvals without a stage 2 letter and and advanced stage letter.

Multiple teams who process them- they have nothing to do with which team gets the approvals in.

Once you’ve submitted it, I would merely wait for a receipt and confirmation and the approval letter. It can be unnerving and annoying- trust me, been there, done that. I’ve just let go. I have zero control of things and it’ll come when it comes.

There is absolutely no consistency in this so don’t get caught up over things.

Again, it’ll come when it comes. Some have been waiting for 3 years, some got it in 4 months.

[littlerr]

Your statement above "... they are organising a large scale virtual ceremony" sounds very definite (and very positive!). Have you heard more about these ceremonies than has been reported in the media? If so, could you elaborate for us?

Hi, it was just based on the first small scale virtual ceremony and the press release. They did say that they will announce the plan very soon, although I wouldn't hold my breath on it.

A decision regarding future virtual ceremonies will be made in the coming weeks and an announcement will be on our website.

[5121472]

I wonder if everyone is still getting the funny and stupid ''continues to be processed'' emails or has anyone got any indication that their application is on advanced stage or waiting to be submitted to the Minister etc? Anything different?

Hi there,

My application has been on ‘advanced stage’ for several months now and I received a letter that was sent on the 15th of July stating that it continues to be processed the normal way.

That's unbelievable and ridiculous - I no longer trust them.

[5121472]

It's mid of August and there is no news on the next ceremony. Having a Virtual ceremony of only 21 people is no good I believe. Those 21 had got their approvals anyway. It's about the massive backlog. Apparently, our new Minister doesn't seem to realise this, as there is complete Silence after the mini ceremony.
I wonder why is it taking them so long. Testing is done and there are no results yet.
Any news from your side, your TD's, your lawyers folks?

[Chap1122]

Complete silence here.Applied Feb 2019 , second stage letter June 2019 and then copy paste emails.
Got FOI and it seems that the only work done was in first week and then no one touched it.

It's a unfair opaque system.

[kalyna]

Maybe it is silly but I keep sending them emails asking about updates on the ceremony. Just to remind that there are people, who have got their approval and paid for application more than half a year ago, are still waiting...Same copy and paste reply but I don't want to let them forget about us. Even though whoever is replying to our emails don't have any relation to the decision making I feel better doing what I can do.

[twista]

Perhaps ask you local TD. They can also contact the Department and enquire as to when the next ceremony will occur or a timeline for any virtual ceremony.

[zoie777777]

I had initiated through TD it appeared to me it was complete waste of time as they've received same copy pasted email, a month ago through solicitor investigate of warebout of my file as it was cleared on FOI I applied earlier that everything has sorted out with my application, I demanded for a decision through solicitor a month ago ...again same copy paste we'll let you know when process is completed.

God knows what this department is upto and how this whole system works. Absolutely useless case handlers who are just waiting to add piles and piles of files for no reason whatsoever.

[zoie777777]

I have learned something , everything you try to take from the government you will never get it unless you push them and force them to give it to you , otherwise if you leave your hopes with them you will never get it trust anyone that have been waiting a long time for a decision with out any reason sent them to high court you will get your rights from the night court

can I ask how long will court take? if you go through judicial review because it seems the second last option.

please reply

[hdsgnr]

I don't think it's likely to have one big scale ceremony simply because it will be difficult to verify and track everyone attending. What we could possibly get is few smaller ceremonies like in Canada:

Since April 1, Canada has held over 1,000 virtual citizenship ceremonies.

https://www.cicnews.com/2020/07/virtual ... #gs.dn3p7d

But for that purpose they have to shorten the ceremony a lot and make sure they still meet legal requirements.

It will require a lot of the resources of this already small department, so I'm skeptical.
I just can't see them making dozens/hundreds of ceremonies stretching for a month with the minister and judge attending.

Likely outcome will be another ceremony or two with 20/40 people to settle things down for a while.

Hopefully I'm wrong.

[5121472]

If they want, they can have multiple short ceremonies in one day by just focusing on the legal requirements and not going too much in details but all we see from the Facebook page of our new young minister is that she is only gallivanting and going from one place to another and not even talking about it any longer. Let's hope she gets serious about this and give us all an update and this awkward situation is over. We are all left in a limbo for a long long time. 2 or 3 years is a joke.

[Hussein Kubadi]

I wonder if everyone is still getting the funny and stupid ''continues to be processed'' emails or has anyone got any indication that their application is on advanced stage or waiting to be submitted to the Minister etc? Anything different?

Hi there,

My application has been on ‘advanced stage’ for several months now and I received a letter that was sent on the 15th of July stating that it continues to be processed the normal way.

Hi dear my friend.

My application has Been on (advanced stage since 27/ June / 2019. They have sent me that Stupid processed normal way letter more then Hundred times and they always said that We will be in touch with you soon when your application signed by minister of Justice. Only one sign takes almost two years.

[twista]

I'd imagine a lot of the current delays comes down to their inability to do the large scale citizenship ceremonies because of COVID. Apart from the recent 'pilot' virtual ceremony, there has been no clarification about if/when a large scale virtual ceremony might be carried out. They have merely said that they have would make a decision in due course. Local TDs might be able to get further clarification them about this and timeframes for any possible virtual ceremony. I can't see a physical ceremony happening anytime in the near future the way things are.

[Andy2019]

I'd imagine a lot of the current delays comes down to their inability to do the large scale citizenship ceremonies because of COVID. Apart from the recent 'pilot' virtual ceremony, there has been no clarification about if/when a large scale virtual ceremony might be carried out. They have merely said that they have would make a decision in due course. Local TDs might be able to get further clarification them about this and timeframes for any possible virtual ceremony. I can't see a physical ceremony happening anytime in the near future the way things are.

I am Absolutely agreed!!
Physical ceremony won't be in next few years, defenetly.
Only hope for Virtual Ceremonies.
They must provide that opportunity to the rest of people who are waiting for a last step on this Long path.

[Stanina]

It looks like Dail will resume next week. Hopefully some TD will ask about ceremony status.

What is the process to ask your TD to do such request?

[5121472]

It looks like Dail will resume next week. Hopefully some TD will ask about ceremony status.

What is the process to ask your TD to do such request?

Just go to https://www.whoismytd.com/ website and search for your TD and send them an email.

[5121472]

Here is the reply that my local Minister has got from them. I will be travelling during the months of November and December and I'll be really pissed, if they don't hold a ceremony in early October.

Dear Minister,

Due to Covid-19 safety guidelines there are no plans to hold a Citizenship ceremony at this time, this includes virtual ceremonies.

Your constituent may check our website regularly for any updates or announcements through the following link:

http://www.inis.gov.ie/en/INIS/Pages/CO ... ouncements

We trust this is of assistance.

INIS

[johnpromise01]

OMG bad news.. We have to wait over 2020

[ChristinaLeary]

Ok I am not questioning the authenticy of your information / email but as far as i know, INIS does not deal with queries in relation to citizenship ceremony. If you look at the INIS automatic reply, it mentions that they won't respond to queries other than relevnat ones.

So i guess better is to ask a TD raise the question to the minister in the dail on the update regarding virtual ceremonies as that is the most authentic information . Please i request you to approach any TD or ask your local TD to raise this question in the dail so we all can benefit from it.

Thanks

[twista]

I agree Christina. While the Department said it was only a pilot virtual ceremony, there was quite a bit of fanfare and media coverage of this. It would seem strange to hold off on rolling this out, particularly with virtual citizenship ceremonies rolled out in other countries like UK, US, Canada, Australia and considering that we don't know when physical ceremonies will happen again anytime soon. I think clarity about what they propose to do about it is needed.

[Vasya]

Ok I am not questioning the authenticy of your information / email but as far as i know, INIS does not deal with queries in relation to citizenship ceremony. If you look at the INIS automatic reply, it mentions that they won't respond to queries other than relevnat ones.

So i guess better is to ask a TD raise the question to the minister in the dail on the update regarding virtual ceremonies as that is the most authentic information . Please i request you to approach any TD or ask your local TD to raise this question in the dail so we all can benefit from it.

Thanks

My TD got exactly the same reply from INIS -- they don't have plans to ho hold any ceremony at this stage, including virtual ceremonies. I think their reply is very clear. I'll plan to follow up with the TD, and ask the TD to raise the question to the minister in dail.

[Stanina]

OMG bad news.. We have to wait over 2020

..or 2021. As covid will stay for at least few years with us.

[ChristinaLeary]

Ok I am not questioning the authenticy of your information / email but as far as i know, INIS does not deal with queries in relation to citizenship ceremony. If you look at the INIS automatic reply, it mentions that they won't respond to queries other than relevnat ones.

So i guess better is to ask a TD raise the question to the minister in the dail on the update regarding virtual ceremonies as that is the most authentic information . Please i request you to approach any TD or ask your local TD to raise this question in the dail so we all can benefit from it.

Thanks

My TD got exactly the same reply from INIS -- they don't have plans to ho hold any ceremony at this stage, including virtual ceremonies. I think their reply is very clear. I'll plan to follow up with the TD, and ask the TD to raise the question to the minister in dail.

Thank you Vasya. Please ask your TD and let us know on the forum and i guess it will be published in the Dail as to what minsiter says as she mentioned to have a virtual ceremony if the pilot is successful. I guess virtual is the only plan now with Corona not going away in the near future. I hope it make some sense to them

[GoWentGone123]

I don't believe they will just delay the virtual ceremony. Last pilot ceremony was during worse period of COVID so i guess they will be able to work a way out now when things have actually improved. Predictions keep coming that COVID might still be here for next few year so i don't think that delaying is an option.

[GoWentGone123]

Like i know someone who got second stage letter and another person whose referee got a call within a week of submission of his application. This all means that they are working and there will be ceremonies to complete the process.