Irish Citizenship Application October 2018. Waiting for Approval.

I am an EU Citizen, married to an Irish Citizen and resident in Northern Ireland since almost 28 years. I applied for Irish Citizenship in early October 2018. In July I got the last letter stating that my application is now being prepared for submission to the Minister and that I will be informed in due course whether it has been approved. I have not heard anything since. I know due to the Court Ruling there has been a backlog in dealing with Citizenship Applications. I applied for Citizenship to ensure that I can stay in my home with my family after Brexit (should it happen) and because I refuse to apply for Settled Status. I feel more Irish anyway and as a German Citizen I am allowed Dual Nationality with another EU Country. Is there anyone here in the same boat and is also waiting for approval? I had hoped this would be more straightforward. The Irish Solicitor, who helped me with my Application said, it shouldn’t take longer than 6 months. I am just hoping it happens before the end of 2020, or I might have to relocate across the ‘border’ while waiting and hoping for Approval.

Well your solicitor is really out of touch. All applications are on hold at the moment, pending the court review. Even without the court case, the vast majority of straightforward cases takes more than 6 months to complete this year. You can read individual details on the timeline thread for each year.

You are on the last stage it looks like but you will need to wait for next ceremony. Which probably will be next year or maybe even the one after as too many people in the waiting list due to court decision in August.

I have not had approval yet. That stupid court ruling- couldn’t have come at a worse time.

I applied in May'2018 on 5 yrs residency base and still waiting for the approval and I am not sure even which stage I am on. They mainly reply to me with the same reply that 'it is on process etc..'

Bornbeautiful wrote: ↑

Sun Nov 10, 2019 10:04 pm

I have not had approval yet. That stupid court ruling- couldn’t have come at a worse time.

Yeah, but at least you in the last stage. I've applied in end of August and only in Summer moved to 2nd stage.

Stage one assesses the application for eligibility. Passports are usually returned after about six weeks (though it appears to sometimes take longer). Inis aims to let people know quickly if they’re not eligible, and often allows applicants a chance to submit missing documents. Anecdotally, complex situations can take a long time at this stage; one South American long-term resident here applied for citizenship in April 2017 and only moved from stage one this year.

Stage two is the bulk of the process up to approval or refusal. Information is verified, extra information is sought (eg evidence of residence, or from other agencies), and an applicant’s “good character” is checked out. A timeframe for this stage is impossible to give, the manager said, and some who think theirs is a straightforward application might find it otherwise.

Stage three is the end: the information goes to the Minister for approval or refusal.

Article with stages
https://www.irishtimes.com/life-and-sty ... -1.4039191

Don't get your hopes up. I applied in September 2018 and I only got my second stage letter this summer. We are all probably on the same boat and we won't hear back from them until the court case is resolved.

Yay- just heard that the court ruling has finally been overturned. But big backlog I suppose. At least things can move again!!