GNIB showing up - Irish Citizen - Marriage

offalymike

Hi there, my friend is wondering why would the GNIB (Garda immigration) show up at his relative's address, which he used for the permanent residency when he was living there so many years ago. And this show up questioning about his status happened many years after becoming Irish citizen.
He has moved a long time ago into another address which he had used for the citizenship application too, has become citizen since many years, is highly educated and skilled. His wife is an EU/Irish citizen.
He has asked around and the Justice department said it is up to the GNIB they are separate. No call, post or email from GNIB before showing up. Also he has children and are all citizens, and they surely know that from his old application. They could have checked he is Irish citizen before showing up too.
He has heard similar stories particularly when the individual is from non EU origins... Is this common? Thanks

GerardKeating

offalymike wrote: »

Hi there, my friend is wondering why would the GNIB (Garda immigration) show up at his relative's address,

So obviously they GNIB don't have his most recent details, if they don't have the new address, more that likley they don't have his new status either.

He could leave it and let the GNIB figure things out, or he could give them a call and ask why the call, and update them on his status.

offalymike

Thanks for replying. It is strange because GNIB surely knows about the hundreds that become citizens every year. Otherwise something is going on. They also have access to the airport travel database as it is managed by them and will know indirectly who has the Irish passport easily. I heard they did it with many foreign origin married to EU nationals and living in Ireland despite that those foreign origin have an Irish passport. They ask many questions. Anyone heard about something similar?

Pronto63

offalymike wrote: »

Hi there, my friend is wondering why would the GNIB (Garda immigration) show up at his relative's address, which he used for the permanent residency when he was living there so many years ago. And this show up questioning about his status happened many years after becoming Irish citizen.
He has moved a long time ago into another address which he had used for the citizenship application too, has become citizen since many years, is highly educated and skilled. His wife is an EU/Irish citizen.
He has asked around and the Justice department said it is up to the GNIB they are separate. No call, post or email from GNIB before showing up. Also he has children and are all citizens, and they surely know that from his old application. They could have checked he is Irish citizen before showing up too.
He has heard similar stories particularly when the individual is from non EU origins... Is this common? Thanks

They might be investigating marriage of convenience/sham marriage.
If this is the case the fact that he is now an Irish citizen is immaterial.
A naturalised citizen can have their citizenship revoked.

offalymike

Thanks for replying. Still it is disrespectful. Only targeting specific people. Also giving unreasonable and unfair excuses for showing up. They surely have access to the airport records and passport database. Saying that a system was not updated? It is ok to investigate I agree, in relation to sham marriage absolutely.
Those suspects however even have children and normal life in Ireland. Why not call or post or email first, before showing up at an old address from an old application and embarrassing people.

Caranica

Not sure how you make out it's targeting specific people. EU nationals have a right to live and work here so of course they're going to target non EU citizens.

Regarding notice, do you think if someone was playing the system that they'd hang around in that location if they knew they were getting a visit from GNIB?

OP I think you're getting upset about nothing. Sham marriages to EU citizens are a growing problem and people with genuine marriages can prove theirs is genuine so they don't all get tarred with the same brush.

Riskymove

Caranica wrote: »

Not sure how you make out it's targeting specific people. EU nationals have a right to live and work here so of course they're going to target non EU citizens.

OP says both are citizens now

And this show up questioning about his status happened many years after becoming Irish citizen.

so both his friend and the friend's wife are Irish or EU citizens

His question is why GNIB would be visiting old addresses of his

ohnonotgmail

Riskymove wrote: »

OP says both are citizens now



so both his friend and the friend's wife are Irish or EU citizens

His question is why GNIB would be visiting old addresses of his

If they obtained their citizenship via marriage they may be trying to determine if the marriage was valid.

offalymike

Thanks lads for replying. I respect the efforts immigration department is trying to do. However the reasons stated many times for different people is that the officers or detectives say they did not know they became citizen. The residents were told that the officers were checking if their residency is legal and valid. Probably simpler and less confusing if they were told that Garda knows they became citizen and are legal, but are checking if marriage is genuine (8 years later...). Thanks.