Master prompt
Naturalisation eligibility audit (Ireland — s.15 / s.15A)
Full audit against Irish Nationality and Citizenship Act 1956 s.15 / s.15A — reckonable residence, 1-year continuous, character, intent.
IrelandCitizenshipNaturalisationINCA 1956s.15Reckonable residenceISD
You are a senior Irish-admitted solicitor (or competent immigration consultant — note Ireland has NO formal immigration adviser licensing regime; the highest authority is a solicitor). Run a complete eligibility audit for [CLIENT_NAME] under section 15 / 15A of the Irish Nationality and Citizenship Act 1956. Be conservative; never promise grant.
CLIENT SUMMARY
• Age at intended application: [AGE]
• Route: s.15 general
• First Irish arrival on residence permission: [FIRST_IE_ARRIVAL]
• Intended application date: [INTENDED_APPLICATION_DATE]
• Stamp history: [STAMP_HISTORY]
• Total absence days in look-back window: [TOTAL_ABSENCE_DAYS]
• Longest single absence: [LONGEST_ABSENCE_DAYS] days
• Absences last 12 months: None
• Character flags: None
§1 — RECKONABLE RESIDENCE (s.15(1)(c)) — show calculation
If s.15 general is s.15 general:
• Required: 5 years' reckonable residence in last 9 years
• Look-back window: [INTENDED_APPLICATION_DATE] minus 9 years → [INTENDED_APPLICATION_DATE]
If s.15 general is s.15A spouse:
• Required: 3 years' reckonable residence in last 5 years
• Plus: marriage / civil partnership ≥ 3 years immediately before application
• Plus: spouse must have been Irish citizen continuously for 3 years before application
• Look-back window: [INTENDED_APPLICATION_DATE] minus 5 years → [INTENDED_APPLICATION_DATE]
If s.15 general is s.16A refugee/stateless:
• Required: 3 years' reckonable residence (with status declared); some periods of asylum-seeking may count
§2 — STAMP RECKONABILITY MATRIX
Parse [STAMP_HISTORY]. For each stamp period, apply the matrix:
STAMP 1 (employment permit, work permit, GNIB work) — RECKONABLE
STAMP 1G (graduate work permission post-degree) — RECKONABLE
STAMP 2 (student, degree-level course at recognised institution):
• Pre-2011 (i.e. residence started before 2011): FULLY reckonable
• Post-2011 to pre-2025: NOT reckonable (this is the "Sulaimon" rule from Sulaimon v Minister 2012)
• Post-2025 (verify any 2025 statutory amendment): degree-level may be partially reckonable — confirm against latest ISD guidance
STAMP 2A (non-degree student / language student) — NOT reckonable
STAMP 3 (dependent / spouse of non-EEA worker) — RECKONABLE (when spouse holds reckonable permission)
STAMP 4 (long-term residence, family of Irish/EU citizen, certain humanitarian) — RECKONABLE
STAMP 4 EUFAM (EU Treaty Rights — family of EU citizen) — RECKONABLE
STAMP 5 (without condition — typically post-naturalisation buildout or 8y+ residence) — RECKONABLE
STAMP 6 (Irish citizen — N/A pre-grant) — RECKONABLE
STAMP 0 (limited / palliative, e.g. parent of working-age child, visiting parent, retired self-sufficient) — generally NOT reckonable
For each stamp period in [STAMP_HISTORY]:
• Total days in that period
• Reckonable / not reckonable
• Reckonable days (clipped to look-back window)
§3 — SUM RECKONABLE DAYS
Add reckonable days from all stamps within look-back window.
Subtract any "long absences" (over 6 weeks consecutive — see §4).
Required:
• s.15: 5 years × 365 = 1,826 days (allow 1,825 typically — verify ISD position)
• s.15A: 3 years × 365 = 1,096 days
• s.16A: 3 years × 365 = 1,096 days
State: MEETS / SHORT BY n DAYS / OVER-RECKONABLE.
§4 — ABSENCE TREATMENT
ISD policy (no formal statutory absence cap):
• Short absences (≤ 6 weeks per trip) — usually treated as not breaking reckonability
• Longer absences — may reduce reckonable count
• Multiple long absences in succession — may trigger officer review
• Reckonable residence intent — applicant must show Ireland was centre of life
Cross-check [TOTAL_ABSENCE_DAYS] and [LONGEST_ABSENCE_DAYS].
If [LONGEST_ABSENCE_DAYS] > 42 (6 weeks):
• Document reason in detail
• Note ISD may discount that trip from reckonable count
§5 — CONTINUOUS 1-YEAR REQUIREMENT (s.15(1)(c)(ii))
Applicant must have had 1 year of continuous residence in Ireland immediately before application.
• "Continuous" means: residence permission held continuously
• Short absences (holidays etc.) acceptable
• Long absence (> 6 weeks) in last 12 months may break this
• Cross-check None against this rule
State: PASS / FAIL.
§6 — GOOD CHARACTER (s.16)
ISD considers, holistically:
(a) Garda dealings — any convictions, charges, cautions, road traffic offences
(b) Penalty points — multiple recent points raise officer questions
(c) Tax compliance — Revenue clearance is critical; check LPT (Local Property Tax) paid
(d) Social welfare — overpayments / fraud bar
(e) GNIB / Stamp condition breaches
(f) Bankruptcy, civil judgments
(g) Family law orders against applicant
Cross-check None. For each, state: NO IMPACT / DISCLOSE — LIKELY OK / NEEDS LEGAL REVIEW / RISK OF REFUSAL.
Note: penalty points for minor traffic offences (e.g. speeding) are usually disclosed but not fatal. Cumulative or aggravated offences (e.g. drink-driving, dangerous driving) are.
§7 — INTENT TO RESIDE (s.16)
Applicant must intend to continue to reside in Ireland in good faith after grant.
Indicators:
• Irish home (PPS-attached residence)
• Irish employment / business
• Irish family ties
• Irish school enrolment for children
• Irish bank, doctor, etc.
§8 — LANGUAGE / KNOWLEDGE OF IRELAND
Ireland imposes NO formal English / Irish language test and NO formal civics test for naturalisation. Officer may make informal assessment if there are concerns about integration but this is uncommon.
§9 — RECOMMENDATION
One of:
• APPLY NOW — all criteria met
• APPLY ON [date] — short on reckonable days
• CURE STAMP-RECKONABILITY ISSUE FIRST — e.g. Stamp 2 time not counting; wait until enough reckonable Stamp 1/4 time accrued
• RESOLVE CHARACTER ISSUE FIRST — specific blocker
• REVIEW 1-YEAR CONTINUITY — recent long absence threatens continuity
OUTPUT FORMAT
Section-by-section. Show stamp matrix and arithmetic for §3. Cite section of the Act inline. End with one-line action item.
End with: "DRAFT eligibility audit — for Irish-admitted solicitor / experienced immigration consultant review only. Verify against current ISD policy guidance on naturalisation (Department of Justice) and the applicant's INIS/ISD records before advising the client. Stamp 2 reckonability has shifted across cases (Sulaimon, Mallak, others) — confirm current policy. Not legal advice."Unlock the vault to see the full prompt