Ireland Sets Out New Residence Period for Foreigners Seeking Citizenship

• Ireland's Government approved priority drafting of legislation that proposes to raise the residence requirement for citizenship by naturalisation
• The proposal seeks to increase the qualifying period from five years to eight years for most applicants seeking Irish citizenship
• New language tests and a civics exam are also part of the proposed changes, alongside a self-sufficiency requirement for applicants

Ireland is proposing to significantly raise the bar for foreigners seeking citizenship by naturalisation, with the qualifying residence period set to increase from 5 years to 8 years for most applicants under a new legislative proposal.

On September 9, 2026, Ireland's Minister for Justice, Jim O'Callaghan, and Minister of State for Migration, Colm Brophy, received Government approval for the priority drafting of legislation to amend the Irish Nationality and Citizenship Act.

It is important to note that this is not yet a law. It is a proposal that has been approved to move forward into the drafting stage.

What the proposed Irish citizenship changes mean

Beyond the extended residence requirement, the General Scheme of the Bill also proposes that applicants pass language tests in English, Irish, or Irish Sign Language, as well as a test on Irish civics, society, and politics.

Applicants would also be required to demonstrate that they are financially self-sufficient.

The Irish government stated that citizenship by naturalisation should be viewed as an earned privilege, not simply something that comes automatically after a set number of years.

The proposed reforms are also intended to bring Ireland in line with the practices of other European Union member states.

What Ireland's ministers said about citizenship reforms

Minister Jim O'Callaghan said the proposed reforms were balanced and necessary, while stressing that Ireland still values the contributions migrants make to the country.

Minister of State Colm Brophy added that Irish citizenship is one of the most significant legal statuses the state can grant, and that it should reflect genuine participation in Irish society.

He further noted that language proficiency and financial independence are reasonable expectations given how permanent and significant citizenship is.

For Nigerians and other Africans living in Ireland or planning to relocate there, this proposal represents a notable shift. Under the current framework, most applicants need five years of lawful residence before qualifying.

If the proposed legislation is passed, that wait would extend to eight years.

Ireland publishes some Nigerians' visa status

Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that Ireland's Department of Justice published visa decisions for applications processed through its Abuja mission.

Dozens of Nigerian applicants received decisions, with a significant number of applications either approved or refused during the period.

Proofreading by Funmilayo Aremu, copy editor at Legit.ng.