Ireland Citizenship for Nigerian Citizens

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Our team of immigration experts specialises in assisting Nigerians with any visa applications, including citizenship applications. We provide accurate and reliable information on up-to-date requirements, amongst other related conditions, ensuring that you have a clear understanding of all aspects involved. Let us handle every step of your application and make the process as stress-free as possible.

Nigerian Emigration

For Nigerian emigration matters, please call +2342013306361 or +44 (0) 3316300929

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For immigration/emigration to/from other countries, please call:

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UK –  (+44) 333 4149244

What is Irish citizenship for Nigerians?

Nigerians become full citizens of Ireland and get access to public benefits in Ireland after they naturalise. This grants you full protection and legal status in Ireland. You can vote and be voted for. Upon getting Irish citizenship, you no longer need a visa to stay in the country. This allows you to work, study, and do business in Ireland without a visa or resident permit. You can bring family members outside Ireland to live with you.

Another benefit of Irish citizenship is access to the EU. Irish citizens can travel to countries in the EU and stay for up to 3 months without needing to apply for a visa. Irish citizenship is a door to Europe, giving you access to the continent’s work, business, and study opportunities.

Nigerians move to Ireland and apply for citizenship because of the stable economy and currency. Ireland uses the Euro, the fifth most stable currency in the world. Ireland has a high-quality public education system and free education for children in primary and post-primary levels. This makes Ireland a great choice for Nigerians looking for countries with high-quality educational systems for their children.

Nigerian citizens can acquire Irish citizenship by descent or by naturalisation. There are 3 ways you can naturalise in Ireland:

• Marriage
• Years of legal residence
• Through asylum

Applying for Irish citizenship can be challenging due to the complex requirements, evolving laws, and supporting documents needed. Enlisting the help of immigration solicitors who are experts in Irish immigration law is vital.

Immigration consultants can assess your eligibility, prepare your supporting documents, offer bespoke advice, and apply on your behalf. We can keep you informed on Irish immigration, track your application and expedite the process if necessary. To contact us, call +2342013306361, message us online, or visit our office at 42 Saka Tinubu, Victoria Island, Lagos.

Irish Citizenship Regulations

On July 31, 2023, the Irish government amended the Irish Nationality and Citizenship Acts. Here are the amendments below:

• Children born in Ireland who are not automatically citizens can apply for naturalisation after living in Ireland for 3 years, a reduction from the 5 years that was previously required. The parents must have been living legally in Ireland for these 3 years
• All minor applicants 14 and above must prove they are of good character by presenting a Police Clearance Certificate
• To apply for citizenship, you must meet the residency requirement and live in Ireland for a year before your application date. However, you are permitted to be absent from Ireland for up to 70 days in this year. This is an increase from the previous six-week absence rule
• An additional 30 days of absence is permissible if the applicant can prove their absence was due to exceptional circumstances. These circumstances could be work, study, health, or family issues. The Justice Minister determines if these circumstances are exceptional on a case-by-case basis
• The Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) can now communicate with applicants electronically

Pathways to Ireland Citizenship

Below are the pathways to Ireland citizenship:

Citizenship by Descent

You can claim citizenship by descent if you descend from an Irish national or someone eligible to claim Irish citizenship at birth. If you were born abroad, have Irish grandparents, and your parents registered your birth in the Foreign Births Register, you can also apply for citizenship by descent.

Eligibility Criteria

• If you were born in Ireland after December 31, 2005, to non-Irish or British parents, one parent must have lived in Ireland legally for 3 to 4 years prior to your birth or be a permanent resident of Ireland or Northern Ireland
• If you and your parents were born outside Ireland, your parents were citizens or entitled to citizenship when you were born, and your birth is recorded on the Foreign Births Register, you are eligible for citizenship by descent
• If your grandparents or great-grandparents were born in Ireland but you and your parents were born outside Ireland, you can claim citizenship by descent if your parents were Irish citizens or entitled to citizenship and registered your birth on the Foreign Births Register
• If either of your parents were born outside Ireland but gained citizenship through adoption before you were born, you can apply for Irish citizenship by descent

Citizenship by Marriage

You can naturalise in Ireland if you have been married to or in a de facto relationship with an Irish citizen. You must be living in Ireland or Northern Ireland at the time of your application.

Eligibility Criteria

You must:

• Be at least 18 years old
• Prove you are Nigerian
• Show that you have been married to or are the de facto partner of an Irish national for at least 3 years
• Be living with your partner or spouse when you apply and when your application is approved
• Have been a legal resident in Ireland for 3 years out of the 5 prior to applying for citizenship
• Have lived a whole year in Ireland before the date of your application. You are permitted to be absent for up to 70 days and an additional 30 (at the Minister of Justice’s discretion
• Show willingness to continue living in Ireland after naturalising
• Attend a citizenship ceremony and declare fidelity to the Irish government
• Show you have no criminal records in Ireland, Nigeria, or any other country where you have spent up to 6 months in the past 10 years
• Prove your partner is a legal resident in Ireland

Citizenship by Years of Legal Residence

You can acquire Irish citizenship based on the number of years you have lived in Ireland. You must have spent at least 4 years out of 8 in Ireland and lived 1 year continuously prior to your citizenship application.

Eligibility Criteria

You must:

• Be at least 18 years old
• Prove that you are Nigerian
• Been a full and legal resident of Ireland for at least 4 years. The years spent on a study visa do not count
• Have lived in Ireland for a whole year prior to your application. You can have 70 days of absence plus 30 days (at the Minister of Justice’s discretion)
• Show evidence of legal residency for every year spent in Ireland
• Attend a citizenship ceremony and declare fidelity to the Irish government
• Not have been convicted of any criminal offence in Ireland, Nigeria, or any country you have lived in for at least 6 months

For young adults 18 to 23 years of age

• Prove you entered Ireland legally as a family member
• Prove you are financially dependent on your parents
• Show that you are in secondary or tertiary school in Ireland

For minors

• Be below 18 years old
• Have Irish citizen parents
• Lived in Ireland for 3 years
• Applications must be submitted by the parents of the minor

Citizenship Via the Asylum Route

Nigerians granted asylum in Ireland can apply for citizenship after living in the country for 3 years. The 3 years are counted from the day you entered Ireland as a refugee.

Eligibility Criteria

You must:

• Be at least 18 years old
• Show you have a refugee declaration signed by the Justice Minister of Ireland
• Prove you are Nigerian
• Show you have been living legally in Ireland for 3 years

The Ireland Citizenship Application Procedure for Nigerian Citizens

Nigerians can submit Irish citizenship applications online or by post.

To apply online:

• Visit the website of the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) and complete the citizenship application form
• Upload your supporting documents
• Tick the Statutory Declaration box as evidence you understand the full implication of your application
• Pay the citizenship fee
• Send your application

To apply by post:

• Request the application form by sending an email to [email protected]
• Pay the application fee via bank draft
• Send the completed application form, bank draft, and supporting documents to:

Citizenship Division
Department of Justice Office
Rosanna Road
Tipperary Town
Tipperary
E34 N566
Ireland.

Required Documents

• Signed, dated, and completed application form. You fill out Form 8 if you’re an adult and Form 11 for minors born after January 1, 2005
• Valid Nigerian passport. The validity of your Nigerian passport is vital because it helps you reach the 150 points for identity without additional documentation
• Certified Irish Residence Permit that covers all the years you claim as reckonable residence in Ireland
• Statutory declaration for adults, signed before a lawyer practicing in Ireland, Notary Public, Peace Commissioner, or the Commissioner for Oaths
• Receipt of the application fee payment
• If you are married to an Irish national or applying with your spouse, you must provide a copy of the certified marriage certificate
• Certified birth certificate copy of you and your children, if you’re applying with them or for them
• Permission to Remain documents issued by the INIS
• Irish passport of your partner or spouse if you are applying via the marriage route
• Marriage or birth affidavit if you don’t have marriage or birth certificates
• Employment letter on official letterhead showing your hiring date and role
• Three months’ statement of all your bank accounts
• All passports are held in Ireland with all approved visas included, even if the passport or visas are no longer valid
• 2 recent passport photographs with your signature and date of application behind
• Tax statement from Revenue Commissioners for every year you spent in Ireland
• Payslip of the past 3 months
• Rental contract showing your address in Ireland
• Completed change of address form if you have lived in more than one address since coming to Ireland

Before submitting your application, use this calculator to check the number of reckonable years as it applies to you. On the naturalisation scorecard, you must score 150 points each for residency and identification, or your application will be rejected. Use this document to check your points based on the document you have.

Processing Time

Immigration Service Delivery, on behalf of the Department of Justice, may take up to 19 months to decide on your application.

Fees

• €175 for adult applicants
• €200 for minor applicants and spouses/partners of deceased Irish nationals
• €0 for refugees
• €950 for the citizenship ceremony

What Happens After My Application?

After the application, you’ll get an e-vetting link and an application number. You’ll get notified if your application is approved. If not, you will be told why. You cannot appeal a refusal. However, you can reapply. Applicants who think they were not treated fairly during the application process can go to the High Court and request a judicial review.

Ireland Citizenship Ceremony for Nigerians

If your application is approved and you are an adult, you must pay the naturalisation certificate fee and attend a citizenship ceremony.

Scan and upload your Irish Residence Permit and Nigerian passport to the application portal. You’ll be scheduled for the ceremony. You are allowed to come to the ceremony with only one adult guest. Children are not allowed. On that day, you are expected to register upon arrival and present your Nigerian passport as proof of your identity.

After registration, you’ll get a booklet containing the national anthem, conditions on which the citizenship can be revoked, and steps on how to apply for an Irish passport and register as a voter. You will also get an Ireland emblem.

A judge presides over the citizenship ceremony. You must make the declarations as asked by the judge and take a fidelity oath to abide by the laws of Ireland.

Your certificate will be sent to you a few weeks after the ceremony.

Getting Your Irish Passport

You cannot use your naturalisation certificate as a travel or identity document. You’ll need to apply for a passport. The Irish passport is valid for 10 years. You can apply for a passport via Passport Online or Post Passport.

To apply online:

• Visit the Passport Online website
• Add your photo. A photo provider can take your picture and give you a unique code for the picture that you can add to your application. Alternatively, they can send the photo to you via email or any other storage means. You can ask someone to take your picture with a smartphone or digital camera. It must be a picture of you from head to waist
• Complete the online form
• Print out and complete the Identity Verification form
• Pay the application fee
• Print out the application cover page
• Send the form, your photo, and other original supporting documents to the address on the application cover page

To apply by post, visit a post office or Garda station with a witness who is part of the Garda Siochana and fill out form APS 1. Add 4 passport photographs. Your witness must fill out section 9 of the APS 1 form and sign behind two of those passport photographs.

Applying for Irish Passport in Nigeria

You can apply for an Irish passport in Nigeria by applying via Passport Online and submitting your documents at the Irish Embassy at 11 Negro Crescent, Maitama District, Abuja, Nigeria. You’ll pay an additional €15 postage fee.

Documents Required

• Identity Verification form
• Birth certificate
• Marriage certificate if you’ve changed your last name
• Rental contract or bank statement showing your address
• Certificate of naturalisation

Fees

• For a 34-page passport online, you’ll pay €75
• For a 66-page passport online, you’ll pay €105
• For a 34-page passport by post, you’ll pay €80
• For a 66-page passport by post, you’ll pay €110

Processing Times

• 20 working days if you apply online
• 8 weeks if you apply by post

Post-Citizenship Services for Nigerian Citizens

Our immigration solicitors can offer support beyond assisting you in acquiring citizenship. We can:

Assist with an Ireland passport: If you are in Nigeria and need an Irish passport, we can guide you through the application process by gathering your documents, submitting your application, and tracking it on Passport Online.

Guidance on Maintaining Dual Citizenship: Nigeria and Ireland allow dual citizenship, so you do not need to renounce one citizenship for the other. IAS can offer guidance on how to comply with the laws of Nigeria and Ireland so you can live without hassles in both countries.

Family Reunion: You can sponsor your family living in Nigeria to join you in Ireland. Our family reunion service provides support on how to bring your spouse and dependent children to Ireland.

Support with Investment and Business Opportunities: Acquiring Irish citizenship gives you access to quality investment opportunities. Ireland is an EU member state, which means you have visa-free access to other countries in the EU.

Benefits of Ireland Citizenship for Nigerians

Here are some advantages of becoming an Irish citizen:

Access to the EU: Irish citizenship gives you access to the EU. With an Irish passport, you don’t need a visa to enter other countries in the EU. You can study in some of the finest schools in the continent for 90 days. Should you need to stay longer, you will need to register with the immigration service of the country you’re in.

Opportunities for Employment: Ireland is home to leading global brands like Facebook, Dell, IBM, and Apple, which have Irish offices. Irish citizenship allows you to work without requiring work sponsorship. You can also get employed and work in any other country in the EU without a visa application or sponsorship.

Security and Stability for Families: Ireland has a stable economy that supports families. The minimum hourly salary in Ireland is €12.70, the second-highest wage rate in the EU. Ireland is the third safest country in Europe.

How Can IAS Help?

IAS is a leading immigration law firm that specialises in offering immigration service support to Nigerians. We have a team of lawyers accredited to practice in Nigeria and Ireland. You’ll receive support throughout your citizenship application process with their expert assistance. Our services include:

Immigration Consultation: Before you start your application, we will hold a session to learn about your immigration plans and determine how best to support them.

Bespoke Advice: After assessing your circumstances, we can advise you on the best way to actualise your goals.

Visa Compliance: We know how stringent the rules of visa applications are, but we are experienced enough to tell you what you need to do to maintain compliance when applying for a visa.

Business Immigration Assistance: Do you need to set up a business or move an existing business to Ireland? Our business immigration service can help you establish your presence in Ireland while complying with employment laws.

Get Ireland Immigration Advice Online or in Our Office: For comprehensive immigration support, eligibility checks, document preparation, and bespoke visa advice contact us. Visit our office at 42 Saka Tinibu Way, Victoria Island, Lagos, Nigeria, call us at +2342013306361, or message us online.