Section 16 Citizenship Applications

[Rollomay]

Hi everyone,

I’m considering applying for Irish citizenship under Section 16 (Minister’s discretion, descent/association). It seems a bit of a game changer or has it made it harder?

I’ve seen reports that there are about 1,500 pending applications, but when I check Reddit and other forums, I find conflicting information—some say no one has been successful, others suggest cases are just moving very slowly.

A few things I’d really like to know:
• Has anyone here applied since the 2025 amendments?
• How long are processing times in reality compared with what’s published (30 months+)?
• Has anyone actually received a positive decision yet?
• In practice, do people think Section 16 is a real option, or is it unlikely to succeed?

Any first-hand experiences or reliable updates would be very welcome. Mind you this forum seems so much quieter these days.

Thanks!