Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 17 December 2015
349. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality to set down the status of eligibility for naturalisation of a person (details supplied) in Dublin 11 who is anxious to obtain renewal of stamp 4 in the interim; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46070/15]
View answerOfficials in the Citizenship Division of the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service inform me that there is no record of an application for a certificate of naturalisation from the person referred to in the Deputy's question. All non-EEA nationals are required to keep their permission to remain in the State up to date at all times and failure to do so may adversely affect an application for a certificate of naturalisation.
As the Deputy will appreciate, the granting of Irish citizenship through naturalisation is a privilege and an honour which confers certain rights and entitlements not only within the State but also at European Union level and I know the Deputy will appreciate that it is important that appropriate procedures are in place to preserve the integrity of the process.
Persons making an application for a certificate of naturalisation are required to provide satisfactory evidence of their identity and nationality. This is usually in the form of a currently valid passport and may include other original supporting document, such as a birth certificate and marriage certificate. In rare circumstances where an applicant cannot produce their passport, birth certificate or other supporting documents the applicant will be required to provide a full explanation. Such explanation should be supported by satisfactory evidence that they have attempted to obtain such documentation and correspondence from the relevant authorities responsible for the issuing of passports and birth certificates in their country, clearly stating the reasons the documentation cannot be provided. The Citizenship Division will consider the reasons given and, if satisfied it is for reasons genuinely beyond the applicant's control, may suggest alternative means to the person to assist in establishing their identity.
Queries in relation to the status of individual immigration cases may be made directly to 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 INIS is, in the Deputy's view, inadequate or too long awaited.
