UK Announces Special Citizenship Route for Irish Citizens After 5 Years, Publishes Fees
- The UK government has confirmed that Irish citizens who have lived in the country for at least 5 years are eligible to apply for British citizenship through a dedicated route
- Applicants must meet strict residency conditions, including limits on the number of days spent outside the UK during the qualifying period
- The Home Office has published the full cost of applying, covering both the application fee and a mandatory citizenship ceremony charge
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The United Kingdom (UK) government has confirmed a dedicated citizenship pathway for Irish nationals, setting out clear eligibility requirements and publishing the fees involved for adults and children alike.
According to the UK Home Office, Irish citizens who have lived in the UK for a minimum of five years may apply for British citizenship, provided they meet a set of additional conditions. Applicants must be physically present in the UK on the exact date five years before the Home Office receives their application, demonstrate good character by respecting UK laws and the rights of others, and must not have breached any UK immigration rules.
Source: UGC
UK Residency rules and time spent abroad
The residency requirements carry specific restrictions on time spent outside the country. Over the full five-year qualifying period, applicants must not have been absent from the UK for more than 450 days in total. In the 12 months immediately before the application, absences must not exceed 90 days.
Certain periods of time spent in the UK do not count towards the qualifying years. These include any time during which a person was exempt from immigration control, such as diplomats, members of diplomatic households or staff, and visiting armed forces personnel.
When submitting an application, individuals are required to provide as much detail as possible about their time abroad, using personal records such as boarding passes or emails. The Home Office will then cross-reference its own records and correct or supplement the information where necessary.
How much British citizenship cost
The Home Office has published a clear breakdown of application fees. An adult applying for British citizenship through this route must pay a total of £853 (N1,500,732), made up of a £723 (N1,271,948) application fee and a separate £130 (N228,704) citizenship ceremony fee.
For parents applying on behalf of children, the cost is £607 (N1,067,873) per child. Children under 18 whose parents cannot afford the fee may be eligible to apply for a fee waiver. Should a child turn 18 while the application is still being processed, an additional £130 (N228,704) ceremony fee will apply.
The Home Office noted that special circumstances, such as being unable to remain in the UK at the start of the qualifying period due to health issues or travel restrictions, or having been asked to leave the UK during that time only for the decision to be later overturned, may be taken into consideration when assessing applications.
In a similar report, Legit.ng published that the UK announced the annual cap of 8,000 applicants for special graduate visa.
UK: British nationals eligible for citizenship
Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that the UK announced its citizenship route open to four groups of British nationals who do not hold full British citizenship, including who can apply and the fees involved.
But not every British national qualifies: people who hold another country’s citizenship are excluded, while children born abroad to a parent who gains citizenship through this route do not automatically become British citizens.
Source: Legit.ng
