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

Application forms and details of the requirements for Foreign Births Registration and related fees in local currencies will be provided on request by the relevant Mission.

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.

Where Foreign Births Registration is applied for on the basis of having a grandparent who was born in Ireland, the following supporting documents are required in addition to the completed application form:

In relation 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;

In relation to the PARENT through whom citizenship is claimed:

• 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;

In relation 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; 

Where the person to be registered is under 18 years, the declarent(parent)  must sign the declaration on the application form and provide two of his/her own photographs.

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.