Question on gaining citizenship/changing status

Oh, Irish nationals are so lucky!!!

This is good to know.  TA for the research.   

Well I rang the home office to ask about this and was told two things. First that I had to ring the nationality office (??) and then that I just should wait until it expires and call the HO back then to find out what to do. I got the feeling the lady didn't know what to do with me, tbh.

So what is the nationality office and is there anywhere I can look online to see what it is I will be doing once the expiration date comes up?

The nationality office is based in Liverpool and their number is on the Home Office web site.

What was it you wanted to ask them?

Vicky

I am not sure, I was told by the Home Office woman that I should be speaking to them regarding the change in my status, but she also said to wait until my current status expires (2007) to do so. So I'm a little confused there.

I am also curious, you had mentioned I could go for British citizenship - how would I do so, would that be based upon my Irish citizenship, and would I apply for the British citizenship 5 years from now? Does my time as the spouse of an EU citizen count towards legal residency; does the fact that my husband, who holds British/Irish citizenship, used his Irish citizenship for my legal residency mean that I can't claim British citizenship as his spouse - but will do so on my own Irish citizenship?

You should be able to claim British citizenship based on your husband's british citizenship, I am sure of it.  You need to find out when/if you can get an ILR or right of abode stamp on your British passport...I suspect the latter.  Then, when you have right of abode in your British passport, and have been in the UK for 3 years, you should be able to get British citizenship.  Tri-nationality!


Vicky

Would I write to the HO for the right of abode stamp? - which passport should it go in, the American or Irish? Should I find a lawyer/adviser to help with this?

You shouldn't need a lawyer for this sort of thing really.

The Irish Passport is a big 'right of abode' in itself, so you need to see if you can get right of abode in the US passport, which, to be honest, i am not sure about.  You do need to ask the Home Office about this. 

Vicky

Thanks very much - it was your posts that got me thinking about this to begin with

Stella Marie Question... How did you become an Irish Citizen?  My Husband has both a UK and an Irish passport, so I'm wondering if I can do the same sometime in the future.

http://oasis.gov.ie/moving_country/migration_and_citizenship/becoming_an_irish_citizen_through_marriage.html


Vicky

Gr.  They *just* changed it so they have a residency requirement now. 

Figures, now that we want to move there. 

Don't forget that the residency requirement is the 'island' of Ireland, so Northern Ireland would fit too.


Vicky

Well, my husband is an Irish citizen, so we're just trying to figure out what the heck we need to do now to move there from the UK.  Nothing on his part, but the new info for spouses who aren't from the EU...me...isn't really clear.

You are living in the UK, and married to an Irish citizen, and want to move to Ireland? You should have no problem as the spouse of an Irish citizen to move there.
This was the nearest thing I could find online to explain what you need to do:
http://www.ris.ie/residentprocess/

If you plan to live in Northern Ireland, you are still under UK jurisdiction so your status in the UK remains the same. If you want to become an Irish citizen, you will meet the residency requirements if you are living on the island of Ireland, north or south.

14 months?  Wow, it didn't even take that long to get our US visa for him!  That's depressing.