Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 19 September 2013
152. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if he will set out the requirements to facilitate upgrading of regularisation of residency status and eligibility for naturalisation in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39012/13]
View answerI have been informed by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service that the person referred to by the Deputy currently has permission to remain in the State until the 26 October 2013 on Stamp 4 conditions. It is open to the person in question to make an application to renew their permission by writing to the General Immigration Division, Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service, 13 - 14 Burgh Quay, Dublin 2.
An application for a certificate of naturalisation from the person referred to in the Deputy's Question was received in the Citizenship Division of the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) in May, 2012. On examination of the application submitted it was determined that the person in question did not meet the statutory residency requirements as set out in the Irish Nationality and Citizenship Act 1956, as amended. The person concerned was informed of this in a letter issued to her on 13 June, 2012.
It is open to any individual to lodge an application for citizenship if and when they are in a position to meet the prescribed statutory requirements. The on-line Naturalisation Residency Calculator can be used as a guide to whether an individual satisfies the naturalisation residency conditions and, if not, give an indication of how long they should wait before making an application.
Queries in relation to the status of individual immigration cases may be made directly to the INIS by e-mail using the Oireachtas Mail facility which has been specifically established for this purpose. This service enables up-to-date information on such cases to be obtained without the need to seek information by way of the Parliamentary Questions process. The Deputy may consider using the e-mail service except in cases where the response from the INIS is, in the Deputy's view, inadequate or too long awaited.
