The Irish Department of Justice has announced that significant changes will be made to the citizenship application process in Ireland. One of the key changes relates to passport requirements. New applicants for citizenship are no longer required to submit their original passport with the initial application. Instead, applicants can provide a full-color copy of their entire passport, including all previous passports containing relevant stamps. The color copy must be certified and submitted with the application form, and can be certified by a solicitor, commissioner for oaths, or notary public.

In addition to the passport requirement change, the citizenship application process will now follow a scorecard approach. Applicants will be required to achieve a score of 150 points for each year where proof of residency is required, by submitting proofs with a predetermined point value until they reach the required score. Applicants must also accumulate a total of 150 points to establish their identity. If an applicant is not able to achieve 150 points, they should contact the Department of Justice for further assistance.

Overall, these changes are expected to streamline the citizenship application process and make it more accessible for eligible applicants.