Citizenship residence requirement rises to five years for protection holders

People who hold refugee status or subsidiary protection now generally need five years of reckonable residence in the State before applying for naturalisation. The previous requirement was three years.

The change took effect on 8 December 2025.

Which applications are affected

Applications received before 8 December 2025 continue to be assessed under the three-year rule. The five-year rule applies to applications received on or after that date.

What did not change

The standard requirement for most other non-EEA nationals remains five years of reckonable residence in the previous nine years, including the year immediately before the application. The change removes the shorter residence requirement for protection holders.

What this means in practice

Applicants affected by the change must meet the reckonable residence and continuity requirements over the longer period. Time spent in the protection process before status was granted does not count.

Residence records and details of absences need to cover the full five-year period.