Citizenship
Entitlement to Citizenship
The Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform is responsible
for determining entitlement to citizenship in accordance with the
Irish Nationality and Citizenship Acts, 1956 to 2004.
Every person born on the island of Ireland before 1 January, 2005
is entitled to be an Irish citizen.
The citizenship of a person born on the island of Ireland on or after 1 January, 2005 depends on the citizenship of the person's parents at the time of the person's birth or the residency history of one of the parents prior to the birth. An information notice explaining the changes that have taken effect since 01 January 2005 is available from the website of the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform.
Under the Irish Nationality and Citizenship Acts, 1956 to 2004, a person who was born outside Ireland is automatically an Irish citizen by descent if one of that person's parents was an Irish citizen who was born in Ireland.
Foreign Births Registration
A person born abroad to a parent who, although not born in Ireland, was otherwise an Irish citizen at the time of the person’s birth, can become an Irish citizen by applying for Foreign Births Registration, either to the Irish Diplomatic or Consular Mission nearest to where the applicant normally resides or, if resident in Ireland, to:
Consular Section
Department of Foreign Affairs
St. Stephen’s Green
Dublin 2
Telephone: (01) 408 2555
For the Munster area:
Department of Foreign Affairs,
1A South Mall,
Cork
Tel : 021 4944763 / 021 4944777
Application forms and details of the requirements for Foreign
Births Registration will be provided on request by the Department
of Foreign Affairs or the relevant Mission. Alternatively,
application forms can be downloaded here:
FBR Application Form FB1A (PDF 459kb) - for
Applicants over 18 years.
FBR Application Form FB1B (PDF 476kb) - for Applicants
under 18 years.
Each applicant for Foreign Births Registration is required to produce sufficient documentation including birth, marriage and death certificates and other relevant records for him/herself and the parent, (and grandparent, if relevant) through whom citizenship is claimed to confirm the applicant's entitlement to Irish citizenship.
Details of related fees in local currencies will be provided on request by the Department of Foreign Affairs or the Irish Diplomatic or Consular Mission nearest to where the applicant normally resides.
Where Foreign Births Registration is applied for on the basis of having a grandparent who was born in Ireland, the following original documents are required in addition to the completed application form:
Documents relating to the APPLICANT:
- Full civil birth certificate (including details of parents);
- Civil marriage certificate (if applicable);
- Copy of current passport or identity document;
- Two photographs of applicant (signed and dated by the witness from Section E on application form);
- Copy of Identification (If a child does not hold a current passport then a school report or letter from the school will suffice);
- Proof of Address;
- Application form completed in full;
- Appropriate fee.
Documents relating to the PARENT (through whom citizenship is
claimed):
(These certificates MUST be included)
- Full civil birth certificate (including details of parents);
- Civil marriage certificate (if applicable);
- Copy of current passport or identity document, if alive, or death certificate;
- If application relates to a minor, parent must supply proof of address;
- If parent has been naturalized or obtained foreign birth registration, original certificates must accompany the application.
Documents relating to the GRANDPARENT BORN IN IRELAND from whom citizenship is claimed:
- Full civil birth certificate if born after 1864, otherwise a baptismal certificate; together with proof that no civil registration exists;
- Civil marriage certificate (if applicable);
- Copy of current passport or identity document, if alive, or death certificate;
It should be noted that additional information may be requested in
support of the application.
Where the person to be registered is under 18 years, the declarant
(parent) must sign the declaration on the application form
and provide two of his/her own photographs(signed and dated by the
witness from Section E of the application form).
Irish Birth, Marriage and Death certificates may be obtained from
the General Registrar's Office. For more detailed information
please click here.
Please Note: Application forms can not be submitted via e-mail. Original application form and documentation should be sent to the Department of Foreign Affairs or the nearest Irish Mission.
Naturalisation
Consideration of all applications for Irish citizenship by naturalisation is a matter for the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform. Further information concerning naturalisation is available from the website of the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform.
