Huge Desire for Irish Passport as Post-Brexit Immigration Rules Loom
As the UK enters its transitional period set to last between now and 1 January 2021, citizens all over the world with Irish heritage are surging to register their right for Irish citizenship in a bid to retain a European passport.
Northern Ireland born applications rose dramatically. Prior to the EU referendum, only 72,241 NI born residents sought an Irish passport. Yet by 2019, this figure more than doubled as the State received up to 145,674.
As for those born in Great Britain, applicants have similarly flocked to register their rights which can be done either through marriage, civil partnership, Irish ancestry or naturalisation. The latter dictates applicants must have lived in the State for a period of time before being eligible while heritage routes must be backed-up with evidence such as family member’s birth certificates.
Figures rose from 35,859 before the EU referendum to 89,564 last year from Great Britain. This suggests that anxiety is continuing to grow in the UK over future prospects and rights once the UK has finally divorced the European Union.
Britons disgruntled with the Brexit outcome have found a new way to remain in the EU. By doing so, they have retained benefits such as Free Movement across the remaining EU members states, European health insurance and access to European funding schemes such as Erasmus+ to study or work abroad.
Being born on the island of Ireland is the easiest route to qualify as an Irish citizen and gain that desirable Irish passport. However, the State also allows applicants to trace through their ancestry and lodge a claim if just one grandparent was born within Ireland’s perimeters.
Other popular routes include passing ‘reckonable residence’ to seek citizenship by naturalisation. This entails residing in Ireland for some time, usually three or five years. Being married to an Irish national or in a long-term partnership can further advance any claim to citizenship.
The relaxed rules coupled with the emboldened passport suggests Ireland stands on the precipice of prosperity. Any exodus of Britons from the UK and abroad into the State, bringing with them their youth, businesses, innovation and employment prospects, will only fuel Ireland’s booming economy even further.
As the UK is set to turn its back on Europe, an ironic twist in the Brexit saga might just be that as the UK loses its financial stability and powerful stronghold on the global stage, Ireland continues to make gain after gain.