maybe I'll be lucky, maybe he's died.

[foxtongue]

I've begun pursuing a potentially dangerous course of action, something I've been putting off as long as I possibly could:

I've started the steps required to get my Irish citizenship.

My father's father was born in Cashel. Because of this, according to Irish Naturalization and Immigration Services, I'm eligible for Citizenship Through Descent. Naturally, you might be curious as to why this is a risky proposition, and why I haven't followed through with it before, especially as I've such a bee in my bonnet about getting the heck out of Canada. Well, here's the caveat: even though my family in Winnipeg already has copies of all the tricky, hard-to-find, turn-of-last-century, grandfather-related paperwork, the application also requires documents that relate to my unstable, schizophrenic, murderous father. Very particular documents, the sort that require permission to access, like his full civil birth certificate and copies of his current identity documents.

When I had set up to move to London a few years ago, my plan was to apply for all the paperwork from the safety of another continent, where there would be no possible way he would go so far as to show up at my door with a gun or a sharpened crowbar. My work visa would cover my UK residency until my citizenship was finalized, freeing me to finally wander the EU as I saw fit, but when that move didn't happen, stupidly superseded by the failed Heart of the World project, my citizenship application plans were put on the back burner, only to be considered as an utterly last resort.

Given that my 29th birthday has just come and gone, it seems to be well past time I dust those plans off again. Which raises some interesting questions, like "would contacting my father to get permission, as hazardous and a bad idea as that is, break the terms of the restraining order I have against him?" or "because I have a restraining order, and he has a proven history of extreme violence, is it possible that the government would let me circumvent him entirely?". I really have no idea, nor do I know who to contact to get those answers.

In the meantime, while I call endless office drones, attempting to find out what I need to know, (and to discover who, honestly, I should be calling), the family clan in Winnipeg are my angels, sifting through old boxes, looking for the relevant paperwork to scan and e-mail to me, so I don't have to apply directly to Ireland in the middle of a postal strike.

Comments

[lafinjack.livejournal.com]

...nor do I know who to contact to get those answers.

You could ask on Metafilter, or I could ask for you if you don't have an account there.

And I'll have the spare bedroom free in a couple weeks if you want to get out of Canada and have a jumping-off point from.

[porphyre.livejournal.com]

That's a bloody brilliant idea. I'm only a lurker there, so if you would, I'd be grateful.

[lafinjack.livejournal.com]

No problem, do you know the format? Intro sentence/s, body, pithy title, and tags.

[porphyre.livejournal.com]

I do! I may have struck infogold, though. I'm currently on the phone with the oddly named VictimLink BC, they might be able to help me.

[lafinjack.livejournal.com]

Sounds good, good luck!

[porphyre.livejournal.com]

I've just applied with the government to find out if there's a death certificate on record.

Wierd.

[drcuriosity]

Ditto on the good luck.

And maybe I'll have to visit Ireland some day. *hug*

[porphyre.livejournal.com]

Oh. My. Mercy.

The answering machine message of the Irish Embassy is amaaaaazing. It sounds like a parody of a masterpiece theater intro.

[niac.livejournal.com]

I would love to visit you in Ireland. :) That country is pretty.

[porphyre.livejournal.com]

My education on Ireland mostly involves vintage prints of Sing-A-Long cartoons.

[niac.livejournal.com]

I went in 2006 for work. It was neat. I saw the Giant's Causeway in Northern Ireland. I shot that trip on slide film: http://www.flickr.com/photos/gabrielcain/sets/72157624019787270/with/4589714299/

[porphyre.livejournal.com]

Which was TOTALLY IN ONE OF THE CARTOONS! That's excellent. Ah well.

[galaxychild.livejournal.com]

Saw you at maker faire but don't know you nearly well enough to be brave enough to say hi!

Anyhooo...dear to my heart because I work at a post office (but not part of the union)
1. This last bit wasn't a postal strike - it was a full on lockout by the Canada Post Corp, closing operations so that the workers who did want to work couldn't. They also didn't get paid. Before that, yes, they were striking but rotating every day in different cities so didn't affect mail as much. :)
2. They were legislated back to work yesterday, so you can mail stuff now!

Wish I could be a dual citizen...but Malaysia doesn't allow it! Boo! Good luck!

[porphyre.livejournal.com]

Oh no! Please say hello!

I didn't know the details of the lock-out. That's just dirty pool! Sorry to hear it.

[bloodykitty.livejournal.com]

Totally OT, I did not know your family was from Malaysia!

[galaxychild.livejournal.com]

Yes! Both sets of grandparents moved there for some reason and had my parents there! Chinese people are a big percentage of their population (still a minority though).

[bloodykitty.livejournal.com]

I have a totally skewed perspective of how many Chinese people are in Malaysia because everyone I've met from there is Chinese!

[(Anonymous)]

http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/britishcitizenship/contact/

You should try to speak to someone who works in the nationality casework directorate which is based in the India Buildings in Liverpool.

If you can't get through, try the training department in Cunard buildings as they have some nationality experts based there and they may be able to assist you. Sorry I don't have a current phone number.