Bernard Durkan
Ceist:240. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if he will grant naturalisation in the case of persons (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42409/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraTuesday, 10 October 2017
Ceisteanna (240)
Freagraí scríofa
I am advised by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service, INIS, of my Department that there is no record of a current application for a certificate of naturalisation in respect of the persons with the family name referred to by the Deputy. A determination on whether an applicant satisfies the statutory criteria attendant to naturalisation can only be made after an application is received.
It is open to any individual to lodge an application for citizenship through the naturalisation process if and when he or she is in a position to meet all the statutory conditions for naturalisation under the Irish Nationality and Citizenship Act 1956, as amended. Detailed information on Irish citizenship and naturalisation, as well as the relevant application forms, is available on the INIS website at: www.inis.gov.ie. The website also contains guidance on the completion of an application for naturalisation and an online residency calculator, which may be of assistance in establishing if the statutory residency requirements are met.
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 documents, 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, where possible, be supported by satisfactory evidence that the applicant has attempted to obtain such documentation and correspondence from the relevant authorities or embassy responsible for the issuing of passports and birth certificates in their country, clearly stating the reasons the documentation cannot be provided. INIS 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 his or her identity and nationality.
Queries in relation to the status of individual immigration cases may be made directly to the INIS of my Department 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.