Is my understanding correct that when/if this is implemented, spouses of EU citizens who live in Ireland via EU Treaty on Stamp 4 EUFAM won’t have their time living here counted as reckonable reaidence?? This is crazy
My spouse is an EU citizen (non Irish)- we have been living in Ireland for 4 years so far. I have Stamp 4 EUFAM permission. I thought that in 1 year we both could apply for Irish citizenship, but reading this page on the government website dated November 2025… I am not so sure anymore
Specifically it says (quote):
“It is also proposed that the Act be amended to exclude residency accrual for naturalisation purposes for those who are residing in Ireland on temporary permissions including time spent in the State on the basis of:
Temporary Protection under the Temporary Protection Directive 2001/55/EC (which has been activated in respect of the invasion of Ukraine);
as an EU Treaty rights applicant; and
a Stamp 0 permission applying to dependent elderly relatives, retirees and certain temporarily visiting academics”
I'm in the same boat, EU citizen with spouse non EU on Stamp 4 EU Fam for 4 years. Bought a house last year so definitely staying in Ireland as our home forever. Will there be another way for my spouse to gain citizenship in future should that proceed?
The provision about excluding EU Treaty applicants is mad. They literally give us Stamp 4 EUFAM. And now what? After leaving here for 5 years with full working rights and ability to do business as spouses of EU citizens living in Ireland we have to spend 5 more years until we are eligible for citizenship? And then 2 more years to actually get it? That’s 12 years.
They should really clarify what they mean by “as an EU Treaty rights applicant”
Given the context, it seems likely that refers to the time spent in the State as an applicant while waiting for your EU Treaty Rights application to be processed (during which applicants are usually issued some sort of temporary permission, since those applications usually take months to process), not the time living in the State after you've actually been issued a Stamp 4 EUFAM permission.
Uff, reading the paragraph again there and you might be on to something. Thanks for your comment! That is fair enough so as the time would start from when the actual visa started not that piece of paper one would have gotten before with the temporary right until the decision is made.
That would be better than excluding the EU Treaty permission from time accrual altogether. But if I am honest, I don't see a reason to do it if the application was approved. All they are doing is punishing people for the DOJ department taking a lot of time to adjudicate EU Treaty petitions. For example I know that on immigration boards there were stories of people getting Stamp 4 for 6 months twice until their case was approved. Is that really so important to have them wait extra 6 months/12 months before they can apply? Seems petty, considering that Stamp 4 is a full fledged permission that allows working without restrictions, as well as setting up business and is the "safest" stamp there is
It should've never counted anyway, the time required is still far too low.
What do you mean “it should have never counted”? Why do you believe that my time spent here on Stamp 4 EUFAM as a spouse of EU citizen exercising EU Treaty rights should not count towards citizenship?
I should remind you that Stamp 4 is a reckonable residence stamp when it comes to citizenship and EUFAM part is there to make it easy to travel within EU with your spouse without having to get EU visas if non eu spouse needs them
Why do you need it if he's a eu citizen already?
I'm a EU national married to irish and I've never considered changing my citizenship, gives no advantage at all. In ireland for 8 years.
She is an EU citizen, I am non eu who is here on Stamp 4 EUFAM based on EU Treaty rights