Irish person obtaining British passport - a little bit lost!

[MikeD1990]

Hi all.

I was born in the Republic of Ireland in 1990. Both my parents are also born and to that point lived in ROI. At the age of 1 I moved to England, and have lived here permanently for 25 years. I have an Irish passport, which as far as I'm aware makes me an Irish Citizen but a UK Resident. I'm also a UK home owner / tax payer for what it's worth.

I have a few questions that I'd really be grateful if anyone can give me pointers on, I've been very lost trying to understand how it works in my situation when Googling!

1) Would I be entitled to apply for a British passport in my situation?
2) If so, could anyone point me towards any information on what I would need to do?
3) Would obtaining a British passport also make me a British citizen? And a British National? Confused
4) Would obtaining a British passport require me to give up my Irish passport, or can I have both (dual nationality?)

Thanks a million to anyone who can help on this. Appreciate I'm probably asking some silly questions, but the more I search on this stuff the more my head hurts!

[Casa]

You would first have to apply for British citizenship under residency rules and only after being granted BC you would you be entitled to apply for a British passport.
You would be able to retain your Irish citizenship.
https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/s ... 1-2016.pdf

[ohara]

1) Would I be entitled to apply for a British passport in my situation?
2) If so, could anyone point me towards any information on what I would need to do?
3) Would obtaining a British passport also make me a British citizen? And a British National? Confused
4) Would obtaining a British passport require me to give up my Irish passport, or can I have both (dual nationality?)

Short and sweet answers although Casa has answered thoroughly above -

1) No. Only British citizens can apply for a British citizen passport.
2) Once you are a British citizen, simply apply for passport online or pick up application from post office.
3) No. There are many types of British nationality but they are mainly all irrelevant now other than British citizenship. You can't get a British citizen passport until you are a British citizen anyway.
4) No. A passport is just a travel document anyway. Ireland and the UK both allow multiple citizenship, so you will not lose (or be forced to renounce etc) your Irish citizenship if you do become a British citizen. https://www.gov.uk/becoming-a-british-c ... -can-apply

You should not require ILR or PR. As an Irish citizen in the UK, you are automatically and immediately free of immigration time restrictions when you arrive.

[MikeD1990]

1) Would I be entitled to apply for a British passport in my situation?
2) If so, could anyone point me towards any information on what I would need to do?
3) Would obtaining a British passport also make me a British citizen? And a British National? Confused
4) Would obtaining a British passport require me to give up my Irish passport, or can I have both (dual nationality?)

Short and sweet answers although Casa has answered thoroughly above -

1) No. Only British citizens can apply for a British citizen passport.
2) Once you are a British citizen, simply apply for passport online or pick up application from post office.
3) No. There are many types of British nationality but they are mainly all irrelevant now other than British citizenship. You can't get a British citizen passport until you are a British citizen anyway.
4) No. A passport is just a travel document anyway. Ireland and the UK both allow multiple citizenship, so you will not lose (or be forced to renounce etc) your Irish citizenship if you do become a British citizen. https://www.gov.uk/becoming-a-british-c ... -can-apply

You should not require ILR or PR. As an Irish citizen in the UK, you are automatically and immediately free of immigration time restrictions when you arrive.

Thank you so much! All starting to make a bit more sense to me

You mention I shouldn't require ILR or PR, I'm familiar with ILR but what does PR stand for?

Also do you know if I have to do the Knowledge of Language and Life in the UK (KOLL) test? Would seem strange if I need to do it having been here for my entire life, but at the same time I can't see anything on the exemptions which applies to me Unless I don't need it because I already have ILR?

Thanks again - really appreciate you folk who take the time to help out with this stuff.

[noajthan]

Thank you so much! All starting to make a bit more sense to me

You mention I shouldn't require ILR or PR, I'm familiar with ILR but what does PR stand for?

Also do you know if I have to do the Knowledge of Language and Life in the UK (KOLL) test? Would seem strange if I need to do it having been here for my entire life, but at the same time I can't see anything on the exemptions which applies to me Unless I don't need it because I already have ILR?

Thanks again - really appreciate you folk who take the time to help out with this stuff.

Not sure what you're trying to achieve here (or why).

I don't think member ohara meant you don't need ILR/PR so go ahead and apply for citizenship.

I think ohara meant that due to the CTA (and special relationship between UK and Eire) you don't need ILR/PR to be in UK. You have full rights here (short of privilege of British passport) so I suspect the point was: why would you even need citizenship.
Even after Brexit the CTA is not going away.

If you, as a Union citizen/EEA national, did want to apply for citizenship I would expect you would have to acquire permanent residence (PR) here first ie under EU free movement regulations. Not sure.

But be aware that British citizens who are dual nationals are no longer recognised as EEA nationals (in the context of immigration) under current UK law.
Some Irish dual nationals have actually renounced their British citizenship in order to sponsor family members under EU law.

This related (although old topic) may help:
http://www.immigrationboards.com/britis ... 99399.html

[Richard W]

I don't think member ohara meant you don't need ILR/PR so go ahead and apply for citizenship.

I think ohara meant that due to the CTA (and special relationship between UK and Eire) you don't need ILR/PR to be in UK. You have full rights here (short of privilege of British passport) so I suspect the point was: why would you even need citizenship.

But if Ohara did mean it, then technically he is correct - provided the OP has the 'qualifying CTA entitlement'. (A day trip to Calais cancels the entitlement.) The OP will need 3/5 years residence, depending on whether the OP has a British spouse.