Processing time for Irish naturalisation process now almost two years

Minister for Justice Helen McEntee: 'For a broad range of reasons, some cases will take longer than others to process'. Picture: Gareth Chaney/Collins Photos

Waiting times for Irish naturalisation have soared to nearly two years, new figures show.

In 2016, the average processing time for citizenship applications was six months, but Justice Minister Helen McEntee has revealed, in response to a parliamentary question, that number has grown to 22 months.

Ms McEntee said the reason behind the delays included both the Covid-19 pandemic and the 2019 High Court ruling in the case of Roderick Jones. 

In 2019, the Court of Appeal ruled that an "unworkable" and "unduly rigid" High Court finding that applicants for Irish citizenship must have unbroken residence here in the year before they apply should be overturned.

Ms McEntee said she was conscious of the effect delays were having, but said her department had gotten through a large number of applications.

I am deeply conscious of how important the granting of naturalisation is to those who apply for it and my department continued to accept and process citizenship applications throughout the pandemic and during all levels of public health restrictions," she said.

"For a broad range of reasons, some cases will take longer than others to process. In some instances, completing the necessary checks can take a considerable period of time.

"In addition, the combined impact of the 2019 High Court judgment in the Jones case, and the necessary health restrictions arising from the pandemic, has unfortunately resulted in the processing time for standard applications increasing.

"The current average processing time for naturalisation applications is 22 months. However, it should be noted that last year, my department made 11,512 citizenship decisions, which is the highest level since 2015."

However, the figures released to Sinn Féin's Pa Daly show that just 3,551 cases were processed in 2020.

Sinn Féin's Pa Daly. Picture: Don MacMonagle

Mr Daly said that the backlog needs to be cleared and waiting times brought down.

"It's having a real effect on people," he said.

It needs to be addressed by whatever means — people, money, or space. 

If there was a line for elected representatives to reach INIS [Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service], that would allow us to communicate with people. During Covid, there was a dedicated team for PUP, and it was brilliant.

"The people who are waiting need that bit of hope and clarity. 

People on that list are here for years and want to make that next step. It's an important step. A lot of people are waiting here."

In one instance, a mother has described the impact of the delays on those stuck in the system. 

Hannah, who has been in Ireland for 18 years has been waiting 27 months for her childrens' applications to be processed, despite both being born here. 

She said the situation has made travel to her country of birth impossible.

"I've got mine, and we applied at the same time, so I don't get why the children's are held up," she said.

I can't travel home because they have no passport. They can't do school trips, we're just left in limbo."

Hannah, who did not wish to reveal her full identity, said that a particular difficulty is a lack of communication from INIS.

"There's no response — they don't really care," she said. 

"They tell you they'll be back in due course, whatever that means. Until they come back, we have to wait and see."