dmax wrote:hi
we are living in belfast ( northern ireland - uk ) my wife is thai national living here for past 8 years under EEA family permit. my wife has now been granted PR in uk. i am dual national of both ireland and uk with irish and uk passports. i am living her together with my thai wife and excercising my EU treaty rights.
can my wife now apply for naturalisation ? or citizenship based on being married to an eea national . we have a 5 year old baby born in belfast also.
please tell us what she can apply for wether naturalisation or citizenship.
greatly appreciated thankyou
Of course she can apply for naturalization as an Irish citizen if you had had an Irish passport for the whole time that she has been here. She will apply on form 8. See here:
http://www.inis.gov.ie/en/INIS/Pages/WP11000014.
(i) are married to each other, have been married to each other for a period of not less than 3 years, and are living together, as attested to by affidavit submitted by the citizen to the Minister in the prescribed form, or
(ii)are civil partners of each other, have been civil partners of each other for a period of not less than 3 years, and are living together, as attested to by affidavit submitted by the citizen to the Minister in the prescribed form,
is, in the case of a spouse, in a marriage recognised under the laws of the State as subsisting,
had, immediately before the date of the application, a period of one year’s continuous residence in the island of Ireland,
had, during the 4 years immediately preceding that period, a total residence in the island of Ireland amounting to 2 years,
intends in good faith to continue to reside in the island of Ireland after naturalisation, and
has, before a judge of the District Court in open court, in a citizenship ceremony or in such manner as the Minister, for special reasons, allows—
made a declaration, in the prescribed manner, of fidelity to the nation and loyalty to the State, and
undertaken to faithfully observe the laws of the State and to respect its democratic values."
This is very clear; there is no question. She has been resident in the ISLAND of Ireland for the 3 years preceding her application.
The application form is here:
http://www.inis.gov.ie/en/INIS/Form%208 ... y%2014.pdf.
What is not clear? Don't get caught up in the terminology (citizenship/naturalization). She MUST apply on form 8.
She could have applied years ago!
