A Brazilian man living in Ireland has called on the Government to introduce a transition period for people who are approaching the current five-year residency requirement for Irish citizenship.
Ivan, who is 40 and has asked that his surname and other identifying details not be published, moved to Dublin with his wife in July 2022 after accepting a job with a US multinational.
He is among people who could be affected by proposed changes to Ireland’s citizenship requirements.
Under the planned changes, the period of reckonable residence required before applying for Irish citizenship would increase from five years to eight years. Applicants would also face new requirements covering language skills, knowledge of Irish society and civics, and financial self-sufficiency.
The changes could mean that people who have already spent several years building their lives in Ireland may have to wait significantly longer before becoming eligible to apply.
Citizenship application could be delayed by years
Under the current rules, Ivan would expect to reach the five-year requirement in July 2027.
If the proposed changes take effect before then, his eligibility could instead be pushed back to 2030.
The potential change has left him concerned about the uncertainty facing people who have already made long-term plans based on the existing rules.
The Government has acknowledged that people who are close to reaching five years of residency could be affected by the changes.
Ivan said he accepts that the Government has the authority to change Ireland’s immigration and citizenship requirements.
He also said he would be willing to meet additional requirements, including language and civic knowledge tests.
However, he believes people who have already accumulated several years of reckonable residence should be considered separately when the new rules are introduced.
“I understand why Ireland may want citizenship to represent more than simply the passage of time,” he said.
He said he would be prepared to meet new requirements relating to language, civic knowledge, good character and integration.
His main request is for the Government to consider a transition arrangement for people who have already spent a substantial period living and working in Ireland.
Ireland has become home
When Ivan first moved to Ireland, he viewed the country as a possible stepping stone for his career.
His employer is based in the United States and he initially believed that living in Ireland could eventually lead to opportunities elsewhere.
That changed after he settled into life in Dublin.
He said he has since turned down opportunities to move to countries including the United States and Singapore because he now considers Ireland his home.
He currently holds a Stamp 4 permission, allowing him to live in Ireland without requiring an employment permit.
Ivan said the prospect of having to wait an additional three years before reaching the citizenship stage has created uncertainty for him and others in a similar position.
He questioned what could happen to people who have already planned their futures around the existing five-year requirement if the qualifying period is subsequently changed again.
For those affected, he said the difference represents several years of their lives and could leave important personal and professional decisions on hold.
The proposed citizenship changes are expected to affect people at different stages of the naturalisation process, with those who have recently arrived facing the new requirements from the outset and those approaching five years of residence potentially caught between the existing and proposed systems.
