One Year continuous residence before applying NATURALISATION

[linn]

Hi All,

I recently read the leaflet about Irish Citizenship by Naturalisation, there is a paragragh in the General section:

You must have had a period of one (1) year’s continuous reckonable residence in the State immediately before the date of the application and, during the eight (8) years preceding that, have had a total reckonable residence in the State amounting to four (4) years

Question:

1. What does it mean "one year's continuous ... residence in the State...?

Does it mean I cannot leave Ireland even few weeks to abroad for holiday before I apply for the Naturalisation?

I am wondering if there is any one can explain? Thanks in advance!

[strongbow]

it's one year's reckonable residence. There's no issue if you have to travel for holidays during this period.
http://www.citizensinformation.ie/categ ... ralisation

[victor8600]

I think you are fine as long as you have been registered with INIS for that year (reckonable time criteria apply) and is a resident in Ireland, that is you have lived in Ireland more than half of the year. IMO.

[linn]

it's one year's reckonable residence. There's no issue if you have to travel for holidays during this period.
Citizen Information

Thank you strongbow! The link is helpful. The reckonable residence is actually about the Stamp on ur passport rather than the days you staying in the Ireland.

[v emmy]

it's one year's reckonable residence. There's no issue if you have to travel for holidays during this period.
http://www.citizensinformation.ie/categ ... ralisation

I see no issue either.... BUT....

My immigration officer has had an applicant's application for naturalisation refused solely on the basis that he left the country for one month's holiday at Christmas during the year prior to making application.

He says he has since learned of the same thing happening to others. No other reason for refusal given. The requirement is "1 year's continuous reckonable residence in the State immediately before the date of your application for naturalisation ."

My immigration officer told me he enquired further about this with his most reliable contact in the INIS or GNIB to determine whether this is a new interpretation being applied to every application, and he came back to me saying yes, it is. Leaving for a holiday during the year before making application (i.e. having your passport stamped as entering another country and stamped in Ireland on return - ALWAYS BE SURE IT IS STAMPED ON RETURN) is now being interpreted as NOT having one year's CONTINUOUS reckonable residence.

The operative word seems "continuous" and its new interpretation. Makes no sense to me. My stuff would all still be at my address at which I would continue to pay rent, pay ESB, receive post, park my car while I'm away, etc.

If someone in authority can verify that this is incorrect information, based on a reliable source from the horse's mouth, I'd be very glad to hear it. I'm in a panic trying to get my application in and the letter of receipt back before taking off for Christmas holidays.

If it is the case that this new stricter interpretation is being applied to all applications, the information really needs to get "out there" so people don't waste their time on submitting applications for naturalisation when it will only be refused because they took a holiday during the last year before applying.

[strongbow]

This is the first time that I've heard something like this!

[csr]

if this is true then how about business travellers like me,
I travel Holland once in a month for 2-3 days on business (we have a business facility in Holland). am I not eligible to apply for Naturalisation at all?

[v emmy]

if this is true then how about business travellers like me,
I travel Holland once in a month for 2-3 days on business (we have a business facility in Holland). am I not eligible to apply for Naturalisation at all?

This is what I am wondering too! I am utterly shocked about this. I have been under the same immigration officer in a fairly small town for the last 7-8 years, and I have a lot of confidence in him. He was not certain of the details of this and that is why he contacted the person in the system in whom HE has a lot of confidence.

I am SERIOUSLY hoping that there is a misunderstanding somewhere in this. It just does not make any sense.

I am going to get back to my contact at the Migrant Rights Centre so that they can perhaps get more information, because this new interpretation, if true, seems "draconian," to use a favourite word here. It has massive implications for many of us.... not to mention the pending heart attack I have in the works trying to get all this information together in such a short time!

My contact at MRCI had not heard anything about this happening when I talked to him last week.

There's apparently no point ringing the citizenship department 1890-Tues/Thurs number. I rang them to find out what is the current version of the form. She had no idea what I was talking about. She said Form 8. I was wondering if Version 2.3 - 0509 was the current version. She again said "Form 8." Very frustrating that we have so much trouble getting accurate information.

Maybe someone here with good contacts can add what they know to this??

[nirmal_kishore]

V Emmy
I don't believe that is true. In my case I applied in April 2007 and during the year immediately before the application there have been atleast two instances of reasonable long holidays (about 1 month once and 20 days again) however I don' think that's been seen as a problem - unless ofcourse there have been changes since. I haven't actually received my naturalization yet but it is at what I think is a pretty advanced stage i.e. up to dat Garda verification, external agency checks complete etc..

I do understand the risk involved considering the accuracy (of lack of) of information.

Good luck anyway

[strongbow]

By the way the Irish immigration officials at the airport don't always stamp a non-EU person's passport--sometimes they do, sometimes they dont! So this is not really a fair rule!!

[smalltime]

yeah me too I was on holiday prior to my naturalisation application and last month they asked for my p21, bank statements.

will they wait after 3 years and tell me that i am refused because i didnt have 1 years residence before I applied?

lovely

[nirmal_kishore]

Lovely..
I don't think so.
See Q 12 at http://www.inis.gov.ie/en/INIS/Pages/Citizenship_FAQs

of particular interest is the line "Applicants are informed of any shortfall in their residency, within a matter of weeks from the date the application is received, and will be able to re-apply when they have the required residency."

This to me must cover the issues that you think may affect your application!

good luck

[smalltime]

nirmal_kishore

the "lovely" part that i said was being sarcastic in case you didnt understand

anyway thanks for the link

[v emmy]

I spoke with a staff member today at MRCI and she said she has not heard of this happening to anyone, and MRCI have inquired about this before in recent months. They will be enquiring again about it at a meeting in a couple of weeks.

However, she did say to be on the safe side, it might be in my best interest to pursue getting my application in immediately ... just in case.

She is pretty certain that there is a misunderstanding as to the details. She assured me (and as they emphasize in many places on help pages) that it is the INIS stamps that are the important thing: that there are no lapses or breaks in them, most particularly in the last year before submitting our applications.

I am feeling more confident that the experiences expressed here, her opinion, etc are indicating that there is a misunderstanding somewhere in the way the question was posed or understood and/or the way the answer was given or understood.

It certainly would be nice to know for absolute certain that this is not a recent change of interpretation being applied to applications being currently submitted.

I will apologize in advance for alarming anyone, but I hoped maybe one of the "gurus" here might know with certainty that there is not a new interpretation being imposed now and in recent weeks or months, so I could relax a little.