# Application process Naturalization



## BlueSky (11 Jun 2019)

Hi, is anyone here in the process of applying for irish citizenship, or recently through the process?
My husband applied in Nov '18 and it's a simple enough application - married to me, an Irish citizen, and living & working in Ireland for 20yrs - and he's a UK citizen himself, so the application shouldn't be delayed for any reason.
Today he received a letter from the Dept to say that his application has been 'initially assessed' and has proceeded to the second stage. On the Dept website it says that this initial assessment usually takes 1 week but it has taken 7 months!
I know that they're inundated with applications, but I'm just wondering if anyone here can give me an idea of the timeline, now that his application is at the second stage? The dept helpline wasn't able to give any info aside from the fact that he will receive a letter ' in due course ' 
Thanks!


----------



## HollowKnight (11 Jun 2019)

My wife recently applied through her grandparents for Irish citizenship (cheaper than spouse application). She was born in the UK and moved here age 3. 
It took 9 months and a week to get her CFBR and Irish passport.


----------



## Seagull (12 Jun 2019)

My wife and I applied recently. In my case, it took about 11 months until I received the letter that it's moved to the second stage, and then about a month till I received the letter that the minister planned to approve the application, and to send them the money. My wife has just received her letter that it's moved to the second stage, and that took 13 months.


----------



## BlueSky (12 Jun 2019)

Thanks @Seagull and @HollowKnight  - quite a range in length!


----------



## BlueSky (12 Jun 2019)

HollowKnight said:


> My wife recently applied through her grandparents for Irish citizenship (cheaper than spouse application). She was born in the UK and moved here age 3.
> It took 9 months and a week to get her CFBR and Irish passport.



Would you happen to remember how long into this process she received the letter moving her application along to second stage @HollowKnight ? I'm trying to estimate how much longer my husband's application might take now that he's at 2nd stage... Tnx


----------



## Seagull (13 Jun 2019)

7 months from application to getting the stage 2 letter is better than average. Brexit has resulted in a significant increase in the number of applications, including me.


----------



## Gervan (13 Jun 2019)

I've been living here 20 years. Applied exactly a year ago, and after acknowledgement, have had no further notice. I didn't even know what a second stage letter was until a few weeks ago. 
I emailed to ask how my application was progressing, but just had a standard reply that it is in progress. It doesn't make me any less convinced my parcel of documents has fallen down the back of the shelf.
I am frustrated by hearing of people who applied this year and have already been accepted for citizenship.


----------



## HollowKnight (13 Jun 2019)

BlueSky said:


> Would you happen to remember how long into this process she received the letter moving her application along to second stage @HollowKnight ? I'm trying to estimate how much longer my husband's application might take now that he's at 2nd stage... Tnx


The letter to see application received took about five days. She actually became pregnant and got a letter from gp to say as much which sped up the application. I understand it's much slower now.


----------



## Seagull (14 Jun 2019)

Gervan said:


> I've been living here 20 years. Applied exactly a year ago, and after acknowledgement, have had no further notice. I didn't even know what a second stage letter was until a few weeks ago.
> I emailed to ask how my application was progressing, but just had a standard reply that it is in progress. It doesn't make me any less convinced my parcel of documents has fallen down the back of the shelf.
> I am frustrated by hearing of people who applied this year and have already been accepted for citizenship.


As I said, it was 13 months for my wife to receive the second stage letter. I'd say 12 months is normal currently.


----------



## BlueSky (17 Jun 2019)

Gervan said:


> I've been living here 20 years. Applied exactly a year ago, and after acknowledgement, have had no further notice. I didn't even know what a second stage letter was until a few weeks ago.
> I emailed to ask how my application was progressing, but just had a standard reply that it is in progress. It doesn't make me any less convinced my parcel of documents has fallen down the back of the shelf.
> I am frustrated by hearing of people who applied this year and have already been accepted for citizenship.


It's frustrating when there seems to be a random and unspecified length of time needed, even though we all know that they are inundated. It'd just be good to know are we talking two months more... twelve months more ...? Like the tracking system when you apply for a passport.
I have a friend from the Philippines whose application took 12 months, completed last Nov. And another friend from an EU country, not UK, whose application also took around 12 months and she was at the citizenship ceremony a couple of months ago. I thought that perhaps my husband's case could be a bit quicker as he's from the UK & all documents are in English etc.


----------



## Gervan (18 Jun 2019)

Second stage letter received today. Hurrah.
Wouldn't it be reassuring if there was an online checking facility where one could put in the reference number and get some sort of estimate, however broad.


----------



## BlueSky (8 Aug 2019)

Any further update your end, Gervan? No word our end, and that phoneline is worse than useless! Only available for two hours, two mornings a week, and even then it just rings out and a message says this number is not operational!


----------



## Gervan (8 Aug 2019)

I'm not expecting any news until at least September. I assume the "continuous residence" decision has made everything grind to a halt.


----------

