72,000 Irish passports issued around the world

Of the 4,041 passports issued to South Africans last year, many did not involve the descendants of Irish emigrants. One senior garda said: "These would be people who might have applied for asylum, had married an Irish citizen or otherwise sought naturalisation at some point."

Asylum seekers from a number of other African countries also successfully applied for Irish passports, the Department of Foreign Affairs said. A total of 271 people born in Nigeria qualified for citizenship last year in spite of the low rate of success in applying for refugee status by individuals from that country. Around 700 people from India and Pakistan were also granted Irish passports along with 72 from the DR Congo, 130 from Egypt, 171 from Kenya and 189 from Israel.

Most remarkable were the 1,004 people from Zimbabwe, many of whom had long-standing Irish heritage, who were granted passports. A source in the Department of Foreign Affairs explained: "You may have a large community of people who are entitled to Irish citizenship but have never taken up the option. If the political system in their country becomes unstable or a war begins, you may then have a glut of applications."

More than 50% of all the Irish passports handed out last year went to people born in other European states. Of the 71,212 applicants, only 9.4% were from Africa and just 0.79% hailed from South America.

Fionn wrote:This is somehow very strange:

- 72000 Irish passport were issues last year wolrdwide
- Backlog at INIS is 16500 and the processing time for these applications will be ~ 2 years. That makes approx 9000 applications a year

Are they trying to tell us that over 60000 applications have been processed abroad last year (at embassies? consultes? etc in Africa and everywhere else). I'm not sure if that can be true, unless they're selling these passport in the weekly market..
May be I should go back home and apply there..I might get my passport in 2 weeks

More than 50% of all the Irish passports handed out last year went to people born in other European states. Of the 71,212 applicants, only 9.4% were from Africa and just 0.79% hailed from South America.

archigabe wrote:72,000 Irish passports issued around the world

Of the 4,041 passports issued to South Africans last year, many did not involve the descendants of Irish emigrants. One senior garda said: "These would be people who might have applied for asylum, had married an Irish citizen or otherwise sought naturalisation at some point."

Asylum seekers from a number of other African countries also successfully applied for Irish passports, the Department of Foreign Affairs said. A total of 271 people born in Nigeria qualified for citizenship last year in spite of the low rate of success in applying for refugee status by individuals from that country. Around 700 people from India and Pakistan were also granted Irish passports along with 72 from the DR Congo, 130 from Egypt, 171 from Kenya and 189 from Israel.

Most remarkable were the 1,004 people from Zimbabwe, many of whom had long-standing Irish heritage, who were granted passports. A source in the Department of Foreign Affairs explained: "You may have a large community of people who are entitled to Irish citizenship but have never taken up the option. If the political system in their country becomes unstable or a war begins, you may then have a glut of applications."

More than 50% of all the Irish passports handed out last year went to people born in other European states. Of the 71,212 applicants, only 9.4% were from Africa and just 0.79% hailed from South America.

Fionn wrote:This is somehow very strange:

- 72000 Irish passport were issues last year wolrdwide
- Backlog at INIS is 16500 and the processing time for these applications will be ~ 2 years. That makes approx 9000 applications a year