Why am i NOT Irish yet?

Authentic

Ok so i dont know if there have been previous threads about this, if there are im sorry but im writting this in more of a frustration than anything else

i have lived in Ireland (Dublin more precisely) for about 8 years, came over here when i was 12 now im approaching 21 and yet again i have to go through the tedious process of getting a greencard and a visa, all which entail me getting up at 3 AM !!! as the line in the immigration office is so long.

Anyways, due to all that I just started wondering recently... why the hell am i not irish yet?

I live in Ireland...my best friends are irish...my second and third level of education were completed(college being completed) in...yes you guessed it Ireland...my girlfriend is irish...my demeanour is irish...my accent is irish...i know irish history and background more than any other non-irish person i have met

Like i said i lived here for over 8 years, only time leaving the country to go on holidays yet Im still not irish...my parents applied for citizenship but were refused...not 100% sure on the details, however i did read the attorneys letter explaining it once, and it was along the lines of Brian Lennahan telling the attorney in writting that my parents cant be given citizenship at the current time due to the recession, which to this day i cant understand how thats an excuse for not being given citizenship...

I tried to apply 2-3 years ago, but was given some bureaucratic/redtape excuse again...

and for argument purposes (what those arguments would be i dont know but anyways) no, im not from Nigeria,Poland,Latvia etc etc

so im still asking myself why am i not Irish yet?

blueythebear

Authentic wrote: »

Ok so i dont know if there have been previous threads about this, if there are im sorry but im writting this in more of a frustration than anything else

i have lived in Ireland (Dublin more precisely) for about 8 years, came over here when i was 12 now im approaching 21 and yet again i have to go through the tedious process of getting a greencard and a visa, all which entail me getting up at 3 AM !!! as the line in the immigration office is so long.

Anyways, due to all that I just started wondering recently... why the hell am i not irish yet?

I live in Ireland...my best friends are irish...my second and third level of education were completed(college being completed) in...yes you guessed it Ireland...my girlfriend is irish...my demeanour is irish...my accent is irish...i know irish history and background more than any other non-irish person i have met

Like i said i lived here for over 8 years, only time leaving the country to go on holidays yet Im still not irish...my parents applied for citizenship but were refused...not 100% sure on the details, however i did read the attorneys letter explaining it once, and it was along the lines of Brian Lennahan telling the attorney in writting that my parents cant be given citizenship at the current time due to the recession, which to this day i cant understand how thats an excuse for not being given citizenship...

I tried to apply 2-3 years ago, but was given some bureaucratic/redtape excuse again...

and for argument purposes (what those arguments would be i dont know but anyways) no, im not from Nigeria,Poland,Latvia etc etc

so im still asking myself why am i not Irish yet?

You can't obtain Irish Citizenship automatically. You must apply for it. The reason you are not Irish yet is because you applied two or three years ago, were refused and do not appear to have applied again.

You should apply again and address the reasons why you were refused 2 or 3 years ago. Or better yet, consult a solicitor who can prepare the application for you and ensure that you are given the greatest chance of success.

I understand your frustration. The whole process is not transparent and takes far too long but it's like the lottery, if you're not in it, you can't win it.

Authentic

blueythebear wrote: »

You can't obtain Irish Citizenship automatically. You must apply for it. The reason you are not Irish yet is because you applied two or three years ago, were refused and do not appear to have applied again.

You should apply again and address the reasons why you were refused 2 or 3 years ago. Or better yet, consult a solicitor who can prepare the application for you and ensure that you are given the greatest chance of success.

I understand your frustration. The whole process is not transparent and takes far too long but it's like the lottery, if you're not in it, you can't win it.

i realise i didnt make it clear on if or not i applied, like i said i wrote it more out of frustration, sorry about that

i have applied recently, again recieved a reply with some red tape excuses and even got told by the solicitor in laymans terms "oh i wouldnt bother applying again"

is there some definite criteria i MUST fulfill?

like i said lived here for 8 years, only being absent for holidays (month or so) each year, have not had any criminal record both in Ireland or my home country...

like i said...just..so..damn..frustrating

alchemist33

Authentic wrote: »

so im still asking myself why am i not Irish yet?

You obviously haven't attained the required levels of cynicism and anger yet, although you appear to be getting there on the latter.

(sorry, I can't help, but I know Pakistani folk who got citizenship after a lesser period. Keep trying!)

blueythebear

Authentic wrote: »

i realise i didnt make it clear on if or not i applied, like i said i wrote it more out of frustration, sorry about that

i have applied recently, again recieved a reply with some red tape excuses and even got told by the solicitor in laymans terms "oh i wouldnt bother applying again"

is there some definite criteria i MUST fulfill?

like i said lived here for 8 years, only being absent for holidays (month or so) each year, have not had any criminal record both in Ireland or my home country...

like i said...just..so..damn..frustrating

It depends on your status in the State. Are you here on the basis of a student visa? If so, you do not fulfill the criteria for reckonable residency to apply for Citizenship. The fact that you applied recently and got rejected recently suggests that you did not fulfill the reckonable residency criterion for Citizenship.

If this is the case, you would need to change your permission to remain in the State and I'd suggest talking to your solicitor again about doing so.

Authentic

blueythebear wrote: »

It depends on your status in the State. Are you here on the basis of a student visa? If so, you do not fulfill the criteria for reckonable residency to apply for Citizenship. The fact that you applied recently and got rejected recently suggests that you did not fulfill the reckonable residency criterion for Citizenship.

If this is the case, you would need to change your permission to remain in the State and I'd suggest talking to your solicitor again about doing so.

yea i am on a student visa, and i actually did apply for a different status and was refused as well (this was just before the citizenship refusal)

my dad came over here 13-14 years ago on a work permit, and applied for stamp 4 but i think he wasnt given this, but i do believe he was given stamp 2

does this affect my status personally in some way?

jakdelad

the reason your not irish
is because your not irish
what your looking for is to be irish citizen c/w passport
just because you live in a country for a certain number of years
does not automaticly make you a native

Authentic

jakdelad wrote: »

the reason your not irish
is because your not irish
what your looking for is to be irish citizen c/w passport
just because you live in a country for a certain number of years
does not automaticly make you a native

well you made a contribution here

blueythebear

Authentic wrote: »

yea i am on a student visa, and i actually did apply for a different status and was refused as well (this was just before the citizenship refusal)

my dad came over here 13-14 years ago on a work permit, and applied for stamp 4 but i think he wasnt given this, but i do believe he was given stamp 2

does this affect my status personally in some way?

You're unfortunately in a bit of a grey area in that case. Student visa conditions do not count towards the required 5 years of reckonable residency and the scenario where people come here as minors and get schooled here is fraught with difficulties.

Unfortunately I'd probably recommend a second opinion from another solicitor as you'll need to change your status to stamp 4 and probably have your parents apply for Citizneship again.

Monife

Why don't you apply for de facto visa on the basis of your partnership to your Irish girlfriend. If you have been living together (with documentary evidence - bills in both names, lease in both names, joint bank account etc) for at least 2 years, then you will definitely qualify. The status you receive is stamp 4. After 5 uninterupted years on this, you can apply for citizenship.

Also, you will not be granted citizenship if you recourse to public funds.

Check out the Irish Immigration website.

Dandelion6

Monife wrote: »

If you have been living together (with documentary evidence - bills in both names, lease in both names, joint bank account etc) for at least 2 years, then you will definitely qualify.

There is no "definitely" in Irish immigration law... you ought to qualify if you meet these criteria but it is a discretionary status like every other.

Eliste

Right, having gone through this myself, I have some advice for you.

1- talk to a lawyer. Bring them all your visas and everything else so he can see the picture clearly. Your time here may not qualify if your visas are certain classes. A solicitor can clear that up for you.

2- start thinking long term. Even if you qualify for it and apply today, youre going to be waiting probably another 2+ years for the government to make up it's decision. Yes, you'll have to keep getting visas in the meantime. Yes, it sucks. Just prepare yourself that this isn't going to happen over night, or even anytime soon. Knowing that will help.

3- make certain you don't get yourself on the dole, get yourself picked up by the Garda, and that you are never in Ireland without a proper visa. Let any of those happen and it could mean you get turned down.

sorry I don't have better news for you, but this is the reality of almost all citizenship issues in most countries. It's never fast, and it's usually unpleasant.