sile

Hello,

I am an American planning on moving to the UK and in the process of obtaining my Irish Citizenship by Descent. The Irish Consulate told me that once I obtain my citizenship I will still then need to obtain an Irish passport in order to stay in Ireland (should I choose to do so) for longer than the usual three months.

Does anyone know if I also need the Irish Passport in order to live / become ordinarily resident in the UK, or will having my Irish Citizenship be sufficient?

Also, does anyone know if it would be better to apply for the passport once in the UK at the Irish Consulate, or to apply here in the US? I would like to do it wherever I am most likely to get it faster.


Thanks.

JAJ

You need an Irish passport to prove your status to Immigration officials in the United Kingdom. You would also need your passport to prove entitlement to work, healthcare, etc. in the United Kingdom.

In the Republic of Ireland itself, you might be able to get away with using an Irish citizenship registration certificate but outside the country, you'll probably need the passport. For example, Irish citizens in the United Kingdom need to use either an Irish birth certificate (which you won't have) or an Irish passport to evidence their work rights. See:
http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/si...df?view=Binary

As an American citizen living in the United Kingdom, you should be aware of your ongoing U.S. federal tax and (in some cases) bank account reporting requirements. You should also be aware that certain popular investments in the U.K. carry a risk of unfavorable U.S. tax treatment.

Would you plan to become a British citizen in due course, if you remain living in Britain?

sile

Thanks for your reply. In reference to my not having an Irish birth certificate, since in order to get my Irish Citizenship my birth will be entered in the Foreign Birth Registry in Ireland, would that not be the same thing?

As to British Citizenship, yes, it would be my intention to apply for it in due course if everything goes as I hope and I love living there

sile

I am not so concerned about right to work, but certainly would want to be eligible for healthcare coverage. BTW, do people normally buy private health coverage to have in addition to NHS, and if so, is it costly?

rebeccajo

How do you presume to pass through customs at any airport as anything but an American if all you have is a US passport?

WEBlue

I wouldn't say it's "normal". Some do & some don't. My husband could opt for a private healthcare plan through his employment in the UK. For a few years he did this & then he dropped it. It's supplementary, basically, & can get you extras like quicker specialist consultations & more timely operations done in nicer hospitals. But even if you have private health insurance, the primary care is your NHS GP, & some people never need or want more than the NHS.

WEBlue

Yes, this is the point you need to understand. If you enter either country with an American passport, you'll be stamped in as a visitor/tourist, with no right to any NHS healthcare beyond the most basic of emergency care; no right to either work OR volunteer; and the necessity that you must leave whenever your tourist stamp says you must (usually 6 months).

Generally it's difficult to do things like rent long-term or buy property, or open a bank account, or get basic services, on your US passport with the stamp that labels you a tourist. So unless you have pots of money to throw around to circumvent these problems, you may run into difficulties if you don't enter either country on your Irish passport.

Are you talking about ROI citizenship by descent? Have you researched this? RE moving to the UK with an ROI passport, Wikipedia says:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British...lic_of_Ireland

sile

I would absolutley be entering as an American!


I will be coming over there with my American passport and my Irish citizenship whilst waiting for my Irish passport to come through.

rebeccajo

Then you can't take up residency in the UK.

sile

Thanks, I appreciate the info. I am planning to come overhaving obtained my Irish citizenship by descent whilst waiting for my Irish passport, which, if things go according to plan, I should have within 3-4 months after arriving.

I did not realize that having Irish citizenship was only half of what would be needed to live anywhere in the EU and that I would also need the Irish passport.

sile

Right, I see that now. But I can come over as a tourist or visitor for 6 months. I would hope that when I get y Irish passport I can then stay without going away and coming back again.

rebeccajo

"[Republic of] Irish citizens seeking to become British citizens are usually required to live in the UK and become naturalised after meeting the normal residence and other requirements, unless they can claim British citizenship by descent from a UK born or naturalised parent."

That's the requirement for naturalization in the UK. That's not the requirement for admission or residency.

Sile can walk into the UK on her Irish passport and take up legal residency.

rebeccajo

You would have to leave again.

sile

why?

rebeccajo

Because Americans can't live in Britain without a visa in their passport.