An independent guide to the proposed citizenship rules

Proposals published Sept 2026 · Not law yet

Will the new citizenship rules affect you?

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01

What's proposed

These are the main changes in the General Scheme of the Irish Nationality and Citizenship (Amendment) Bill 2026, published on 21 September 2026. None of it is law yet.

Rule Now → Proposed Source
Residence 5 years out of the last 9→8 years out of the last 10, including the 2 years just before you apply Head 5 ↗
Spouses and civil partners of Irish citizens 3 years→5 years Head 6 ↗
Language No test→Show you can use English, Irish or Irish Sign Language Head 5 ↗
Civics No test→Show you know how Irish society, government and the Constitution work Head 5 ↗
Money No rule→A minimum income, no welfare or housing support in the last 2 years, and no tax or court debts Heads 5, 7 ↗

Citizenship by birth or descent is not affected. The minimum income figure has not been set.

02

Where the Bill is now

Last checked: 9 Oct 2026

The General Scheme is an outline. The full Bill has not been published yet. It has to pass the Dáil and the Seanad before it becomes law, and the tests need separate rules after that.

  1. General SchemeDone · 21 Sep 2026
  2. Committee scrutinyNext · no date set
  3. Bill publishedNot yet
  4. DáilNot yet
  5. SeanadNot yet
  6. Signed into lawNot yet
  7. Rules for the testsNot yet

What happens next: the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Justice reviews the outline and can recommend changes. Then the Government writes the full Bill. The Government has said it wants the law in place by the end of 2026, but it has not set a date.

03

Are you likely to be affected?

You've lived here about 4 or 5 years

Short answer

Not decided yet.

Today you need 5 years. The plan is 8. On 5 October the Minister said the Government is considering "a more generous scheme" for people who are already here. Nothing has been agreed.

Irish Examiner, 5 Oct ↗

You're married to an Irish citizen

Short answer

Not decided yet.

Today spouses and civil partners need 3 years. The plan is 5, and the language and civics tests would apply to you too. It is not clear yet how couples who are already close to 3 years will be treated.

General Scheme, Head 6 ↗

You've already applied

Short answer

Partly answered.

The outline says the new residence rules won't apply to applications made before the law starts. It does not say whether the new tests will. We'll update this when the full Bill is published.

General Scheme, Head 9 ↗
04

What the tests might look like

Very little is known so far. The details will be set in rules made after the law passes. We list what is missing instead of guessing.

Known

  • There would be a language test in English, Irish or Irish Sign Language.
  • There would be a new test on Irish civics, society and politics.
  • It would apply to spouses of Irish citizens as well.
  • The Minister could waive the tests for some groups. The groups have not been named.
  • The details come in rules made after the law is passed.

Not known yet

  • What level of English you need? Not known
  • Whether certificates like IELTS count? Not known
  • What the civics test covers? Not known
  • How much the tests cost? Not known
  • Where and how you take them? Not known
  • Who does not have to take them? Not known
  • When the tests start? Not known
05

How other countries do it

Ireland hasn't said which model it will follow. This is how four other countries run their citizenship tests.

CountryQuestionsTo passStudy material
United Kingdom24, in 45 minutes18 correct (75%)Official handbook, sold in shops
Germany33, in 60 minutes17 correctAll 310 possible questions published free
Australia20, including 5 on values75%, and all 5 values questions rightFree official book, Our Common Bond
United States20, asked aloud12 correctAll 128 possible questions published free
IrelandNot decidedNot decidedNot published yet

Sources: gov.uk · EinbTestV, BAMF · Home Affairs · USCIS

06

Be careful who you pay

  • No one can guarantee you'll pass. The test hasn't been written yet.
  • There are no "official" prep courses. The Government hasn't approved any course, including ours.
  • You can't "register early" for the new rules. If anyone asks for money to hold your place, walk away.

For advice on your own case, talk to a solicitor or Citizens Information.

07

Sources

Everything on this page comes from these. The main one is the General Scheme of the Bill (PDF, gov.ie).

  1. Citizenship a privilege, says minister ahead of overhaul RTÉ · 7 Sep 2026
  2. New citizenship rules would require eight years’ residence, language test and civics exam Irish Examiner · 7 Sep 2026
  3. Citizenship rules to be tightened with longer residency and language test TheJournal.ie · 7 Sep 2026
  4. Rules for seeking Irish citizenship to be tightened under proposals due to go to Cabinet The Irish Times · 7 Sep 2026
  5. New rules for Irish citizenship: How will they work? The Irish Times · 7 Sep 2026
  6. Irish citizenship: Martin confirms migrants will wait eight years Newstalk · 7 Sep 2026
  7. ieExplains: What are the proposed changes to citizenship rules and what effect may they have? Irish Examiner · 8 Sep 2026
  8. Government approval secured for the priority drafting of the Irish Nationality and Citizenship (Amendment) Bill 2026 gov.ie · 9 Sep 2026
  9. ‘Disappointed and shocked’: Protesters criticise proposed new rules for Irish citizenship The Irish Times · 9 Sep 2026
  10. The Irish Times view on new citizenship regulations: tough talk and vague intentions The Irish Times · 9 Sep 2026
  11. Sinn Féin 'open' to reviewing pathways to citizenship, McDonald says TheJournal.ie · 9 Sep 2026
  12. Language test among new requirements proposed for Irish citizenship applicants Irish Post · 10 Sep 2026
  13. More than 13,000 waiting over a year for citizenship decisions Irish Examiner · 16 Sep 2026
  14. New "hostile" immigration laws criticised by opposition Dublin People · 16 Sep 2026
  15. New citizenship rules 'will be difficult for some people' RTÉ · 17 Sep 2026
  16. ‘I fell in love with Ireland’: Joy at citizenship ceremony despite looming new rules The Irish Times · 17 Sep 2026
  17. Taoiseach signals five-year citizenship rule may be retained for workers already in Ireland TheJournal.ie · 24 Sep 2026
  18. 'Ireland is my home': New citizenship rules could leave Julia waiting 22 years to become Irish Irish Examiner · 29 Sep 2026
  19. Government accused of ‘moving the goalposts’ on citizenship residency rules Irish Examiner · 30 Sep 2026
  20. Political parties eye compromise on citizenship reforms amid claims of ‘lies’ being spread The Irish Times · 30 Sep 2026
  21. Taoiseach criticised for misrepresenting how citizenship rules work TheJournal.ie · 2 Oct 2026
  22. Government considering 'more generous scheme' for people close to qualifying for citizenship Irish Examiner · 5 Oct 2026
  23. Government “making life miserable for immigrants” with new rules, Dáil hears Dublin People · 7 Oct 2026

Translations into Português, 中文 and Polski are on the way.