Hello everyone,
I'm still waiting. Apparently, I'm one of the 2,059.
https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/q ... naturalise
My timelines are as follows:
Applied Date: 20/10/2021
Application received Date: 21/10/2021
Acknowledgement: 03/06/2022 letter + payment receipt (but, no passport submitted with application)
E-Vetting Invitation received (by email): 03/10/23
E-Vetting Link received by email: 13/11/2023
E-Vetting Disclosure viewed: 29/11/2023
To summarize, it's been almost 29 months since I submitted my application (paper application), and about 22 months since my acknowledgment letter (which stated 23 months..., but I've never known if that's from the date of submission or the date of the acknowledgement letter). And yep, I'm one of the folks for whom the Division completely lost a passport, to which of course they won't own up.
I emailed the Division asking for an update on 28 Jan 2024, I included the timeline information above, and they replied on 02 Feb 2024 only with, "Dear Sir/Madam, Thank you for your email. Processing of your application is well advanced and you will be informed of the Ministers decision in due course." They don't even address me by name, and clearly didn't even look up my application. Since then, I've emailed them once a month, and plan to continue doing so. Nothing since 02 Feb.
I know I'm not alone. I'm just so frustrated seeing all the posts from people who've applied since me (or even since Jan 2023) who are fully naturalized and carrying passports. I'm of course delighted for them, but the lack of feedback/updates/information from the Division and the false claims about taking applications in the order of receipt is infuriating. Every day, I think, "will the letter be in the post." I don't think that the people in the Division understand how important it is and how distressing it can be to continue waiting. I just want it done, so I can stop worrying about it.
The Minister claims in most of her templated parliamentary question responses that her Department is regularly contacting applicants who are still waiting, but I've an example of an email blast that was sent last year that I never received. I included that example in an email to one of my TDs, a local City Cllr, and ultimately to the Minister's office directly (which I think finally led to my e-vetting invitation). I'm worried something as simple as an incorrectly transcribed email address into the distribution list has prevented me from receiving any updates from the Division.
So,...
1. Anyone still waiting for a decision (from any years, but especially from 2021), have you received any updates from the Division that would have been sent to all applicants within the last 4 months? If so, would you share that, please?
2. Any advice on if and what I should do at this point? Just wait? Pursue a JR?
In the meantime, it's imminently time for me to renew my Stamp 4... Sigh.