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Becoming Irish

Andy From Sligo

sorry if this in wrong thread - I hadnt a clue what to put it in be it politics or legal or what so I will put it in here and if mod's want to move it to a more suitable group that is fine with me...

In July this year I will have been living in Ireland for 27 years. I would have left Britain when I was aged 26 - so I will be on this earth more in Ireland than I was in Britain. Over the years I have been thinking about becoming an Irish Citizen (yes please I would like to become one of you if you will allow me to join your club

)

over the years I have contemplated it a few times , I checked when it used to be Irish punts and it was well over a thousand pounds back then .. and I couldnt afford it. and I have checked a year or 2 back and I think it was around a thousand euro or that mark and I still cannot afford it these days if its around that price now (its a lot of money to shell out, money that I simply dont have) - not only would it be nice and make sense to become an Irish citizen I also feel with 2 Irish born children, and a wife born to both Irish parents I think it would be logical too - not only that but when it comes to Elections I can only vote in Dail and Local elections - no Referendums or vote for Irish president, and cannot get Irish or dual nationality passport either.

Can i please ask has anyone here on boards in the last year or so has transitioned from British citizenship to Irish citizenship and how did it go? - how much did you have to pay? did you have to pay? did you ever find out about any grants or any financial help available to become an Irish citizen? - did it all go smoothly?, how was your experience of it ? was there loads of forms to fill in? what was the ceremony like is it nerve wracking or laid back? - was it like time consuming or lot of red tape or anything that needs to be taking into account when becoming an Irish citizen ?

see I still have it in the back of my mind and (bar the money) I reckon its something I would still like to do one day I plan to stay in Ireland until the day I die , I don't have any plans of moving back to the UK ever and being resident there ever again (and haven't wanted to for the past 27 years so I doubt if i ever will now)

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[Deleted User]

Peregrinus wrote: »

You don't have to choose between being Irish and being Australian; you can be both. I am. So is my wife and my daughter.

So if Ireland is playing Australia or who would you be shouting for? its a great question to ask anyone with dual loyalties or nationalities.

mad muffin

Peregrinus wrote: »

You don't have to choose between being Irish and being Australian; you can be both. I am. So is my wife and my daughter.

Yes, I can have duel citizenship.

Peregrinus

mariaalice wrote: »

So if Ireland is playing Australia or who would you be shouting for?

Ireland. My wife would be shouting for Australia.

[Deleted User]

Peregrinus wrote: »

Ireland. My wife would be shouting for Australia.

To me, that makes you Irish despite your dual nationalities.:P

Graces7

Someone I know was of Irish parents etc, but during the war her father was shot down and in hospital at a base in the UK, She was born there when her mother was visiting her father and has dual nationality

She emigrated to Canada when she was 18 but retained her dual status. Hates Ireland now,

Andy From Sligo

Peregrinus wrote: »

It has never been possible for non-EU immigrants to be naturalised at no cost.

That stuff you think you read? If you read that, somebody was lying to you.

oh right - i am pretty sure i read that its free for some , - but i suppose unless i can find it again we will agree that i dreamt it up

Andy From Sligo

looksee wrote: »

I'm here 45 years, never very much interested in 'being' one nationality or another. I have a British passport. They give me an irrationally generous part-pension, considering I only worked there 4 years in my teens/twenties. I have a contributory pension here. And someone at some early stage when I wasn't paying attention gave me voting capabilities for everything. I don't see the point, if I did become Irish there would always be some busybodies who would make snarky remarks about my accent, I would never actually be Irish.

still British accent after 45 years of living in Ireland still? - ah well i guess I am never going to loose mine then - mind you what I have noticed is that when I talk I think I sound right cockney london accent , but if i am in a shopand here some tourist londoners now they sound really strong cockney accents to me now!

I think every now and again I talk east end london (even though werent born in London) but with a bit of an Irish (sligo) twang (you know think "ah here / whist! / ah now! / its cat / gurrier / you wouldnt be long .. / this day last week / tuesday last and so on ...

Andy From Sligo

Graces7 wrote: »

Surely you cannot in the real sense, "Become Irish"?

I get quizzed often and quote my family names from generations back; Irish. I do find that the more I am quizzed the more posh English my accent becomes

The taking Irish citizenship is surely an admin thing ? You cannot change where and what you were born

on that note - my wife's parents both born in county Galway (connemara area) and she also has one brother who was born in Ireland .. but she was born in UK .. to me I call her Irish because both her parents are Irish , but some people say she is British because she was born in the UK ...

so I suppose the question arises about what is more important genes or the place you were born in?

Conall Cernach

Andy From Sligo wrote: »

on that note - my wife's parents both born in county Galway (connemara area) and she also has one brother who was born in Ireland .. but she was born in UK .. to me I call her Irish because both her parents are Irish , but some people say she is British because she was born in the UK ...

so I suppose the question arises about what is more important genes or the place you were born in?

That's simple. Just ask her who would win a fight between King Arthur and Cú Chulainn.

Andy From Sligo

mariaalice wrote: »

Why can't you become Irish people are not defined by there accent.

I met someone a few years back with a very strong londoner accent and said to him (assuming again which i shouldnt do) where abouts in UK are you from, that sounds like a London access and he says to me, no mate i am Irish, I was born just up the road in Geevah mate - ah right i said (then presumed he must of lived in UK for quite some time, maybe from a young age, and just picked up the cockney accent)

Andy From Sligo

Alun wrote: »

My wife and I, both UK citizens, are here 17 years now and we are seriously considering it, mainly because we don't want to lose our EU citizen status post-Brexit. My only major gripe with the process is that we both have to send off our passports with the application with no guarantee as to when we get them back. Why on earth we can't go to their office get our passports checked over and copies made and then get the originals back, or even get a notarized copy made is beyond me.

God, my passport run out years ago , doubt if i even know where it is these days . I am if you like passportlessness - I have no passport , british, EU or irish at the moment. I never go on holiday so I never bothered getting it renewed . last time I travelled back to UK the airline took my Drivers Licence as proof when I said i didnt have a passport (this did limit me to what airport I could travel to, I had to travel to Birmingham or manchester airport rather than where I wanted to fly to which was Luton airport)

but yes this Brexit thing .. I would rather have an EU passport if I was going to apply for one now

Andy From Sligo

Grayson wrote: »

I was born in the UK. My family moved to Ireland when I was 4. My parents, grandparents etc are all Irish. There are people on boards who have been very insistent that I am not Irish and never will be because I wasn't born here. Others are just as insistent that I am not english since my family are Irish.

Certain types of people have very strong views about nationality.

god it must make you feel your in limbo - you dont have any identity issues do you?

Andy From Sligo

victor8600 wrote: »

Can you claim Irish ancestry? If your grandparents were born in Ireland: https://www.dfa.ie/passports-citizenship/citizenship/born-abroad/registering-a-foreign-birth/ . Then you do not have to pay as much (€278).

ah right thanks, I shall have to look into that . My great grandmoter on my mothers side was a Thuoey which I believe is a name from Galway and on my Dad's side his grandmother I think was a Garvey he was telling me.

Andy From Sligo

10000maniacs wrote: »

Not entirely misinformation tatranska, and what did you mean by the Bradford thing?
Here is a breakdown of the costs.

Application on behalf of a minor = €200

Widow, widower or surviving civil partner of Irish citizen = €200

Refugee, stateless person or "programme refugee" (Note: you don't need to be a refugee to be a programme refugee) = No charge

Others = €950

thank you- thats what I must have been thinking of that refugees there is no charge for them .

I left UK in the 90's when Thatcher and her twat government 'forced' me to flee the UK and ended up in ireland (well, no there was more to it than that why my wife and i settled in Ireland really) - but if i use tyrant Thatcher as an excuse then yes I was a refugee

Andy From Sligo

Peregrinus wrote: »

You don't have to choose between being Irish and being Australian; you can be both. I am. So is my wife and my daughter.

my wife has dual nationality status too

jmayo

The Backwards Man wrote: »

No offence Andy, but by the amount of blethering you do I was convinced you were a born and bred Sligo man.

Pot and kettle man.

Andy From Sligo I think you are on here under false pretences as you are not technically from Sligo as you have now admitted.
It is time for a name change.

BTW trivia question to test your Sligoness, what do you think of Eamon O'Hara ?

Andy From Sligo

jmayo wrote: »

Pot and kettle man.

Andy From Sligo I think you are on here under false pretences as you are not technically from Sligo as you have now admitted.
It is time for a name change.

BTW trivia question to test your Sligoness, what do you think of Eamon O'Hara ?

yes I shall get straight onto boards and change it to Andy in Sligo if it suits you sire, first thing in the morning ...

jmayo wrote: »

BTW trivia question to test your Sligoness, what do you think of Eamon O'Hara ?

he's not bad, but I am not that much into country and western music TBH ...

Grayson

Andy From Sligo wrote: »

god it must make you feel your in limbo - you dont have any identity issues do you?

Weirdly yes but not in the way you think. I grew up in the midlands but never really felt part of it. Everyone there was from families that went back generations. I think I was the only person in the school who didn't have relatives in the school. I never really fit in there.
I've lived just outside dublin for the last 20 years and feel more at home there than ever did in the midlands.

LirW

I'd have my original citizenship revoked if I'd want the Irish one. Good thing is it's an EU one so no problems there. I'm not sure if I'll ever be ars3d to go through the process, might do it for my son, who has the same.
Problem is once he's 18 he'd have to do military service back home and it's an utter waste of time, especially since he didn't really grow up there. The issue is that if they check his passport and he wouldn't undergo the selection process for the service they could arrest him at the airport, if he ever considers going to university there for example. Massive pain.

Andy From Sligo

LirW wrote: »

I'd have my original citizenship revoked if I'd want the Irish one. Good thing is it's an EU one so no problems there. I'm not sure if I'll ever be ars3d to go through the process, might do it for my son, who has the same.
Problem is once he's 18 he'd have to do military service back home and it's an utter waste of time, especially since he didn't really grow up there. The issue is that if they check his passport and he wouldn't undergo the selection process for the service they could arrest him at the airport, if he ever considers going to university there for example. Massive pain.

God yeah - I should think so . What country military service required compulsory at 18 if you dont mind me asking?

LirW

Austria. Either 6 months military service or 9 months social service for all men over the age of 18 unless you have a medical or psychological issue that would deem you unsuitable. And usually they'd be connected to other problems you could face. A popular thing was to fake hearing problems and a lot of men pulling that one off ended up failing their medical exams that you need for your driving license, so you can't get that one either.

uck51js9zml2yt

professore wrote: »

My wife is in almost the same boat, except she's an EU citizen. Living here over 20 years and can't vote in any elections except the European Parliament ones. And bizarrely her home country elections, even though she has no clue about the politics there anymore.

When you're raising a family and paying taxes you don't generally have 1250 lying around just for academic purposes... but the pension thing got me thinking...

The pension got my attention as well. She's EU and currently we'd loose more than we'd gain.. kids are entitled to both passports and free healthcare in her country till their 18.
Not sure if they'd loose it if she became Irish!!

minikin

https://youtu.be/2T1D9-94xOU?

Andy From Sligo

LirW wrote: »

Austria. Either 6 months military service or 9 months social service for all men over the age of 18 unless you have a medical or psychological issue that would deem you unsuitable. And usually they'd be connected to other problems you could face. A popular thing was to fake hearing problems and a lot of men pulling that one off ended up failing their medical exams that you need for your driving license, so you can't get that one either.

that is really surprising and interesting. you know how other countries say "a stint in the army will sort them out" as when they come across some thuggy kids (OK I suppose we better call them men after the age of 18) , so actually in Austria they are still called up these days for military service! - interesting that.

Do you know if it has any effect on crime etc and does in fact work over there and turn them into respectable citizens?

[Deleted User]

LirW wrote: »

Austria. Either 6 months military service or 9 months social service for all men over the age of 18 unless you have a medical or psychological issue that would deem you unsuitable. And usually they'd be connected to other problems you could face. A popular thing was to fake hearing problems and a lot of men pulling that one off ended up failing their medical exams that you need for your driving license, so you can't get that one either.

Surprised it's not compulsory for women as well

jmayo

bluewolf wrote: »

Surprised it's not compulsory for women as well

AFAIK that's Israel and I must say they have the most attractive military as a result.

Donald Trump

mad muffin wrote: »

Yes, I can have duel citizenship.

Does that mean you can fight for Ireland?

En garde!!

Donald Trump

Feck off all yiz Mexican hoors. I'm gonna build me wall around the country soon.

I will of course build it across the North of Cork. tey can feck off. I will then build it along the border but cut across the bottom of Donegal to keep the Nordies and the Donegal people out.

LirW

Andy From Sligo wrote: »

that is really surprising and interesting. you know how other countries say "a stint in the army will sort them out" as when they come across some thuggy kids (OK I suppose we better call them men after the age of 18) , so actually in Austria they are still called up these days for military service! - interesting that.

Do you know if it has any effect on crime etc and does in fact work over there and turn them into respectable citizens?

It doesn't change crime rates really, there are plenty of young men with no interest engaging in military activities and they simply do social service. Elderly care, disabled care, working with homeless people or in addiction prevention programs. Interestingly, the largest employer of them is the Red Cross, the ambulance system would break down without them.
There was a referendum a few years back to abolish the compulsory service and the majority voted for keeping it because they were very well aware that services would face a major crisis without young men serving.

Does it turn them into better people? Depends, I find that the ones doing social definitely benefit from it.
In the military it hugely depends on what you do. If you're deemed exceptionally able you can actually do some really good courses there, like becoming part of the mountain hunter elite unit if you decide to stay on for a few years or become a helicopter pilot.
If you're average or below that you'll have 4 weeks of basic training and then most likely end up in some stupid job like cleaning the same van twice a day or carrying stuff around. Since the level of alcoholism is very high within the military a lot of the lads end up drinking a lot during the time and find themselves with a huge lack of motivation because the basic jobs there are very depressing.

Women are not serving because it's still a very conservative country and there are conservative and right wing parties in government that have a very backwards view of women. A woman can serve on a voluntary basis but sexism and sexual assault is still a huge problem.

Keep in mind that Austria is a country with a very powerful police force. They mean business. Crime rates are different because there is a zero tolerance policy for any kind of crime. You get fined and they'll hurt you big time.
There was a legendary case of a house with a few squatting punks in it, some sleazy land developer wanted the multi storey building evicted, brought punks into the former commercial unit but they teamed up with the tenants that are about to be turfed out with some really disgusting methods and they occupied the building. The police departed 1700 (!) men to clear the building out.

https://www.vice.com/en_uk/article/nnq9dd/pizzeria-anarchists-evicted-912

I know it's Vice but it happened exactly like that.

Something like small time burglary is prosecuted heavily. If you'd tear down a Lidl and go looting you'd most likely face military with tanks and helicopters.
If you litter, they fine the sh1t out of you and believe me they pursue the debt and you will pay.

The whole society has huge respect for their police and military forces because they get their stuff done.
All that under the reign of a super conservative and now very right government but that's something for another day.

I hope I could shed a bit of light on it.

Donald Trump

LirW wrote: »

Austria. Either 6 months military service or 9 months social service for all men over the age of 18 unless you have a medical or psychological issue that would deem you unsuitable. And usually they'd be connected to other problems you could face. A popular thing was to fake hearing problems and a lot of men pulling that one off ended up failing their medical exams that you need for your driving license, so you can't get that one either.

Sure isn't that how oul' Adolf got his start back in the day?