Reckonable permissions for Naturalisation

In order to apply for Irish Naturalisation you must have lived in the State for a certain length of time. The specific requirements for an ordinary application (based on your own residency and not based on marriage or associations) are that you:

1. Have a period of 365 days* (1 year) continuous reckonable residence in the State immediately before the date of your application for naturalisation and;
2. During the 8 years before that, have had a total reckonable residence in the State of 1,460 days* (4 years)

Reckonable residence means residence in Ireland that counts towards becoming eligible to apply for naturalisation.

It is the period of lawful residence in Ireland excluding any time spent as an asylum seeker or on a student permissions. Section 16A of the Irish Nationality and Citizenship Act 1956 (as amended) deals with the “Calculation of period of residence in relation to application for naturalisation”.

According to such provision, certain periods of residence are counted towards the reckonable residence you need to qualify for naturalisation. Please see below some examples of periods that are counted for reckonable residence:

1. Time spent on Stamp 0;
2. Time spent on Stamp 1A (paid accountancy training);
3. Time spent as the spouse or partner of a Critical Skills

Employment Permit holder or on the Third Level Graduate Scheme (with Stamp 1G);

4. Time spent in Ireland on an employment permit (usually with a Stamp 1 Irish Residence Permit);
5. Time spent on a Stamp 4;
6. Time spent as the dependent of an employment permit or other legal resident (usually with Stamp 3);
7. Time spent on a Stamp 5 (Without Condition as to Time);

Please see below some examples of periods of residence that are not reckonable:

1. Time spent on a student permission (usually with a Stamp 2 or Stamp 2A IRP) unless you are making an application as a ‘young adult’;
2. Time spent in Ireland while you were undocumented;
3. Time spent while you were an international protection applicant.

Please note that the Minister for Justice has absolute discretion in determining applications for naturalisation, including the assessment of reckonability of residence permissions.

If you would like to speak to someone about your entitlements to apply for citizenship or any immigration related matter, please feel free to contact our immigration law team at info@mcgrathmullan.ie.