Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of extending the right to apply for UK citizenship without a fee to people born in the Republic of Ireland and who have lived in the UK for most of their life.

Under Common Travel Area arrangements Irish citizens have the right to enter and live in the UK without requiring permission. The same right is enjoyed by British citizens in Ireland.

Those who were born in the Republic of Ireland before 1949 are able to opt for British subject status, which then enables them to register as a British citizen if they wish to do so, based on a period of residence in the United Kingdom. If a person wishes to become a British citizen rather than a British subject, they must make such an application and pay the required fee.

Irish nationals born after 1949 can become British citizens by naturalisation. Irish nationals are regarded as settled in the UK and so are able to apply for citizenship after 5 years residence in the UK (3 years if the spouse or civil partner of a British citizen). This is a quicker route to citizenship than for other nationals. There are currently no plans to make an assessment of applications for citizenship without a fee.