The Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration published a new Policy Document on Non-EEA Family Reunification on the 26th November 2025 (‘the 2025 Policy Document’). This has replaced the previous version published in December 2016. The 2025 Policy Document sets out established criteria to be met to facilitate family reunification for certain categories of persons who are legally resident in the State. There are a number of key changes in this revised version of the Policy Document, which we have provided an overview of below.

The Department of Justice has recently issued updated information regarding registration requirements for minors. Those who are required to register for the first time must do so as early as possible when they reach 16 years of age.

An update from the Department of Justice, dated the 14th of August, confirms that the next Citizenship Ceremonies will take place at the Convention Centre, Dublin, on Monday, the 15th of September and Tuesday, the 16th of September 2025.

Berkeley Solicitors would like to congratulate our client who has received an approval of a naturalisation application based under Irish Associations, on the basis of the updated guidelines.  The Irish Nationality and Citizenship Act 1956 provides that the Minister for Justice has the discretion to grant a certificate of naturalisation where the applicant is of Irish descent of Irish associations, despite the normal conditions for naturalisation not being met.