Ireland is planning major changes to its citizenship-by-naturalisation rules, including extending the required residence period from five to eight years and introducing a language test for the first time. The proposed changes would also affect applicants already progressing through the current five-year pathway.
Eight Years of Residence Proposed
Under the planned system, applicants would need two years of continuous residence immediately before applying, plus six years of residence within the previous ten years. This would increase the current requirement of five qualifying years to eight.
The Justice Minister confirmed that people already partway through the existing five-year period would not be protected by transitional arrangements if the new rules come into force.
New Language Requirement
Ireland also plans to introduce a language test, accepting Irish, English or Irish Sign Language. Currently, Irish citizenship applicants are not required to demonstrate language ability.
The proposed language requirement would bring Ireland closer to several other EU countries that already assess applicants’ language skills.
Ireland Compared With Other EU Countries
The proposed eight-year requirement would place Ireland above countries such as Germany, France, the Netherlands, Portugal and Luxembourg, where five years is generally required.
However, some EU countries have longer requirements. Denmark requires nine years, while Austria and Spain generally require ten years. Sweden has also moved toward an eight-year residence requirement.
Impact on Investment Migration Applicants
The changes would also affect investors who obtained residence through Ireland’s former Immigrant Investor Programme, which closed to new applications in February 2023.
Their qualifying residence period begins from the date they received Stamp 4 residence, meaning the proposed three-year increase would apply to them in the same way as other applicants.
Additional Residence Restrictions
The government is also considering separate measures affecting which types of residence count toward citizenship. These include proposals concerning Stamp 0, certain welfare recipients, and residence under the Temporary Protection Directive.
For internationally mobile applicants, the proposed increase from one year to two years of continuous residence immediately before application could be particularly significant.
Legislation Has Not Yet Been Drafted
The proposals are not yet law. The Justice Minister is expected to seek approval to begin drafting the Irish Nationality and Citizenship (Amendment) Bill 2026, after which the proposed legislation would undergo further scrutiny.
Citizenship by Descent Unaffected
The planned changes would not affect citizenship by descent. Individuals eligible through an Irish parent, grandparent or great-grandparent would continue to use the Foreign Births Register route.
Potential Fee Changes
Ireland may also review its citizenship fees. The current charges are €175 for an application and €950 following a successful decision, and the government has indicated that these fees could be reassessed against those charged by other EU countries.
Summary
Ireland plans to increase the citizenship-by-naturalisation residence requirement from five to eight years and introduce a language test for the first time. The proposed rules would require two years of continuous residence before applying and could affect applicants already counting their residence under the current system. The changes are not yet law and still require legislation.
