The Immigration Blog

RECENT COURT OF APPEAL JUDGEMENT RELATING TO REFUSAL OF NATURALISATION APPLICATION FOLLOWING ROAD TRAFFIC OFFENCES

On the 7th of January 2025, the Court of Appeal issued a judgment in the proceedings M and the Minister for Justice refusing to overturn the High Court’s judgement that the Minister's decision not to grant a naturalisation certificate was lawful.

Lengthy delays in the processing of Join Family visas  

As of the 29th of April 2025, the Immigration Service Delivery have updated their visa decisions page outlining which visa applications and visa appeals are currently being processed by the Dublin visa office. A notable change is that the dates of join family visa applications currently being processed has been updated. The most recent decision made on a join family visa application, where the sponsor is in category B, was issued for an application received by the Visa Office on the 22nd of November 2023. Appeals of the same category received on the 7th of December 2022 are also now being issued with decisions.
CITIZENSHIP CEREMONY UPDATE

MINISTER FOR JUSTICE COMMENCES NEW LEGISLATION ALLOWING FOR REVOCATION OF IRISH CITIZENSHIP BY NATURALISATION

Section 19 of the Irish Nationality and Citizenship Act 1956 empowers the Minister to revoke naturalised Irish citizenship in certain circumstances and sets out the procedure to do so. Following the decision of the Supreme Court in the case of Damache v Minister for Justice [2021] IESC 6, this procedure could not be utilised as it was found to be unconstitutional. The Supreme Court held that the process as provided for in Section 19 of the Irish Nationality and Citizenship Act 1956 did not contain sufficient procedural safeguards to meet the high standards of natural justice applicable to a person facing such severe consequences.
CHANGES TO INTERIM LIST OF ELIGIBLE PROGRAMMES (ILEP) AND IMPLEMENTATION OF NEW ‘TRUSTED IRELAND’ QUALITY MARK FOR STUDENT IMMIGRATION PURPOSES

CHANGES TO INTERIM LIST OF ELIGIBLE PROGRAMMES (ILEP) AND IMPLEMENTATION OF NEW ‘TRUSTED IRELAND’ QUALITY MARK FOR STUDENT IMMIGRATION PURPOSES

Immigration Service Delivery (ISD) has published updated criteria for programmes to be included on the Interim List of Eligible Programmes (ILEP) on 21st March 2025.
New guidelines for naturalisation through Irish associations

UPDATED GUIDANCE ON APPLYING FOR NATURALISATION THROUGH IRISH ASSOCIATIONS

On the 2nd of April 2025, the Department of Justice published updated guidelines for those looking to apply for Irish citizenship via Irish associations. 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.
RECENT HIGH COURT JUDGMENT UPHOLDS REFUSAL OF APPLICATION FOR NATURALISATION BY IRISH ASSOCIATIONS

RECENT HIGH COURT JUDGMENT UPHOLDS REFUSAL OF APPLICATION FOR NATURALISATION BY IRISH ASSOCIATIONS

The High Court has recently delivered a judgement in DD v the Minister for Justice [2025] IEHC 67 upholding the refusal of a decision to refuse an application for naturalisation.  

CURRENT EXPERIENCES OF THE IMMIGRATION SERVICE DELIVERY PORTALS

In 2023, the Minister opened the Immigration Service Delivery (ISD) Forms Portal. This portal provides applicants with an opportunity to submit a number of immigration applications to the Minister. This includes an application for renewal of immigration registration, an application for naturalisation for adults and minors and other specific immigration applications including de facto partner applications and applications for extension of student permissions.

TEMPORARY PROTECTION IS BEING EXTENDED TO MARCH 2026 FOR UKRAINIAN REFUGEES

On the 25th June 2024, the European Council has decided to extend temporary protection for nearly four million Ukrainians until 4th March 2026. Temporary protection is an EU emergency tool that is utilized in certain conditions that create many refugees. This protection was adopted in 2001 after the large-scale displacement from the armed conflict in the Western Balkans. It was finally used for the first time in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

The Immigration Blog

RECENT COURT OF APPEAL JUDGEMENT RELATING TO REFUSAL OF NATURALISATION APPLICATION FOLLOWING ROAD TRAFFIC OFFENCES

On the 7th of January 2025, the Court of Appeal issued a judgment in the proceedings M and the Minister for Justice refusing to overturn the High Court’s judgement that the Minister's decision not to grant a naturalisation certificate was lawful.

Lengthy delays in the processing of Join Family visas  

As of the 29th of April 2025, the Immigration Service Delivery have updated their visa decisions page outlining which visa applications and visa appeals are currently being processed by the Dublin visa office. A notable change is that the dates of join family visa applications currently being processed has been updated. The most recent decision made on a join family visa application, where the sponsor is in category B, was issued for an application received by the Visa Office on the 22nd of November 2023. Appeals of the same category received on the 7th of December 2022 are also now being issued with decisions.
CITIZENSHIP CEREMONY UPDATE

MINISTER FOR JUSTICE COMMENCES NEW LEGISLATION ALLOWING FOR REVOCATION OF IRISH CITIZENSHIP BY NATURALISATION

Section 19 of the Irish Nationality and Citizenship Act 1956 empowers the Minister to revoke naturalised Irish citizenship in certain circumstances and sets out the procedure to do so. Following the decision of the Supreme Court in the case of Damache v Minister for Justice [2021] IESC 6, this procedure could not be utilised as it was found to be unconstitutional. The Supreme Court held that the process as provided for in Section 19 of the Irish Nationality and Citizenship Act 1956 did not contain sufficient procedural safeguards to meet the high standards of natural justice applicable to a person facing such severe consequences.
CHANGES TO INTERIM LIST OF ELIGIBLE PROGRAMMES (ILEP) AND IMPLEMENTATION OF NEW ‘TRUSTED IRELAND’ QUALITY MARK FOR STUDENT IMMIGRATION PURPOSES

CHANGES TO INTERIM LIST OF ELIGIBLE PROGRAMMES (ILEP) AND IMPLEMENTATION OF NEW ‘TRUSTED IRELAND’ QUALITY MARK FOR STUDENT IMMIGRATION PURPOSES

Immigration Service Delivery (ISD) has published updated criteria for programmes to be included on the Interim List of Eligible Programmes (ILEP) on 21st March 2025.
New guidelines for naturalisation through Irish associations

UPDATED GUIDANCE ON APPLYING FOR NATURALISATION THROUGH IRISH ASSOCIATIONS

On the 2nd of April 2025, the Department of Justice published updated guidelines for those looking to apply for Irish citizenship via Irish associations. 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.
RECENT HIGH COURT JUDGMENT UPHOLDS REFUSAL OF APPLICATION FOR NATURALISATION BY IRISH ASSOCIATIONS

RECENT HIGH COURT JUDGMENT UPHOLDS REFUSAL OF APPLICATION FOR NATURALISATION BY IRISH ASSOCIATIONS

The High Court has recently delivered a judgement in DD v the Minister for Justice [2025] IEHC 67 upholding the refusal of a decision to refuse an application for naturalisation.  

CURRENT EXPERIENCES OF THE IMMIGRATION SERVICE DELIVERY PORTALS

In 2023, the Minister opened the Immigration Service Delivery (ISD) Forms Portal. This portal provides applicants with an opportunity to submit a number of immigration applications to the Minister. This includes an application for renewal of immigration registration, an application for naturalisation for adults and minors and other specific immigration applications including de facto partner applications and applications for extension of student permissions.

TEMPORARY PROTECTION IS BEING EXTENDED TO MARCH 2026 FOR UKRAINIAN REFUGEES

On the 25th June 2024, the European Council has decided to extend temporary protection for nearly four million Ukrainians until 4th March 2026. Temporary protection is an EU emergency tool that is utilized in certain conditions that create many refugees. This protection was adopted in 2001 after the large-scale displacement from the armed conflict in the Western Balkans. It was finally used for the first time in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.