Irish Citizenship By Marriage
If you are married to or in a civil partnership with an Irish citizen, you may be able to apply for Irish citizenship by naturalisation based on your relationship with your spouse or partner. Applicants must meet certain criteria to qualify, as not everyone married to an Irish citizen can obtain Irish citizenship through this route.
We can assess your eligibility and help you with the application process. Call us today on +353 19039449 to discuss.
Overview of Citizenship through Marriage in Ireland
Irish Citizenship by Naturalisation is a process to obtain Irish citizenship. If you cannot become an Irish citizen by birth (Irish citizen parent) or descent (Irish born grandparent), you may become a naturalised Irish citizen through marriage or time spent in the country.
Spouses and civil partners of Irish nationals are some of the individuals who can claim Irish citizenship by naturalisation. Most applicants must have five years of reckonable residence, made up of one year of continuous residence immediately before the application and four years within the eight years before that.
Irish citizenship by marriage requires a shorter period of residence on the island of Ireland. To apply for citizenship by marriage or civil partnership, you must have been married or in the civil partnership for at least three years and have at least three years of reckonable residence on the island of Ireland in the five years before you apply, including one continuous year immediately before the date of your application.
Being married to an Irish national does not make a foreign spouse or partner automatically entitled to Irish citizenship. There are other criteria they must meet, and decisions are made by Immigration Service Delivery (ISD) on behalf of the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration, who has absolute discretion.
Proposed changes (not yet law): In September 2026, the Government published the General Scheme of the Irish Nationality and Citizenship (Amendment) Bill 2026. For spouses and civil partners, it proposes to increase the required period of marriage or civil partnership and the required residence from three years to five, with two years of continuous residence immediately before applying, and to introduce language and civics tests. This is an outline of proposed legislation and has not been introduced.
Our immigration advisors can advise you or help you prepare a high-quality application. Call us today on +353 19039449 or contact us online via live chat.
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Requirements for Irish Citizenship by Marriage Application
If you want to apply for Irish citizenship by marriage, you should meet the following requirements:
- You are 18 years old or over
- You have been married or in a civil partnership with an Irish citizen for three years or more
- You are still living with your Irish citizen spouse or partner
- You have lived on the island of Ireland (in the Republic of Ireland or Northern Ireland) for at least three of the five years before you apply
- You have lived on the island of Ireland continuously for the year immediately before the date of your application
- You have not been away from the island of Ireland for more than 70 days in the 12 months before your application. A further 30 days may be allowed for exceptional circumstances, such as health, family, employment or study, if you explain them in your application
- You intend to continue living on the island of Ireland after you become a citizen, and you will make a declaration of fidelity to the nation and loyalty to the State
- You are of good character. To meet this criterion, ISD may consider:
- Your criminal record, including offences abroad
- Driving offences
- Ongoing investigations against you
- Pending criminal cases
- Cautions or other warnings from the Gardaí
- Certain civil cases, such as barring orders
- Any adverse immigration history
You will be asked to declare these matters on your application and explain the circumstances. Before a decision is made, you may be invited to complete Garda e-vetting to confirm your record is up to date.
How to Apply for Irish Citizenship by Marriage?
To apply for Irish citizenship by virtue of your marriage or civil partnership, you complete the application through the ISD Online Form Portal, upload your supporting documents and pay the application fee. If you cannot apply online, you can request a paper form through the ISD Customer Service Portal.
Before starting anything, ensure that you qualify to become an Irish citizen by naturalisation. Check the requirements listed on this page to determine if you are eligible. The Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration can waive one or more conditions for certain applicants, including the spouse or civil partner of an Irish citizen or naturalised person. You can reach out to us for advice by calling +353 19039449.
Create an account on the portal, choose the application based on marriage or civil partnership, complete the form and upload your documents. You will need to provide evidence of your identity, nationality, relationship and residence, and certify any documents that require it.
Your Irish spouse or civil partner must sign a spousal declaration before a solicitor, commissioner for oaths, peace commissioner or notary public. The Gardaí cannot witness these declarations, and using one signed by them will delay your application. You will also make a statutory declaration of character as part of the application.
ISD uses a scorecard system. You must show identity documents totalling 150 points. For residence, you must reach 150 points for each required year, using at least one strong official document (100 points), such as a bank statement or Revenue statement, plus supporting documents (50 points each), such as a utility bill or rent agreement.
You and your spouse must also each provide three documents showing the same address for the three months before you apply. Once you submit the form, you cannot edit it, so save a copy for your records.
After you submit, you will receive an acknowledgement email with a link to complete Garda e-vetting. You can track the status of your application through the ISD Customer Service Portal.
If your application is approved, you will be invited to a citizenship ceremony and asked to pay the certification fee. At the ceremony, you make a declaration of fidelity to the nation and loyalty to the State, and declare that you will observe the laws of Ireland and respect its democratic values. Your certificate is sent by registered post, and your name and address will be published in Iris Oifigiúil. If your application is refused, you cannot appeal, but you can apply again when you are eligible.
Documents for Irish Citizenship by Marriage Application
The documents required for an Irish citizenship by marriage application may include:
- Proof of your identity and nationality:
- A certified colour copy of the biometric page of your current passport, with the certification form
- A certified copy of your birth certificate
- ISD may still ask to see your original passport
- Identity documents totalling 150 points on the ISD scorecard, including your Irish Residence Permit (IRP) if you are from outside the EEA, Switzerland and the UK
- Proof of relationship with the Irish citizen, such as your marriage or civil partnership certificate
- Evidence that your partner is an Irish citizen, such as their Irish birth certificate, Irish passport or naturalisation certificate
- The spousal declaration signed by your partner
- Proof that you and your partner lived at the same address for the three months before applying, with three separate documents each, such as utility bills, bank statements or rent or mortgage agreements
- Proof of residence for each required year on the island of Ireland, reaching 150 points per year
Certain documents must be certified as true copies by a solicitor, commissioner for oaths, peace commissioner or notary public. These include your and your partner’s birth certificates, your marriage or civil partnership certificate and your passport. Certification must be done in person, and the Gardaí cannot certify documents.
Fees for Irish Citizenship by Marriage Application
The application fee for Irish citizenship through marriage is €175. You pay this online through the ISD portal when you submit your application. If you apply on paper, you pay by banker’s draft drawn on an Irish bank and made payable to the Secretary-General, Department of Justice.
If your application is approved, you must pay a certification fee to receive your Certificate of Naturalisation. The fee is €950 for spouses and civil partners of Irish citizens and €200 for widows, widowers or surviving civil partners of Irish citizens.
The application fee is not refunded if your application is refused or incomplete.
How Long Does it Take to Get Irish Citizenship by Marriage?
ISD states that most, but not all, applications for Irish citizenship are processed within 12 months, although Citizens Information gives a figure of 19 months. Processing time varies depending on the complexity of the application, and applying online reduces the wait.
If you do not submit all the requested documents, you will have 28 days to provide them. You will receive a reminder after 18 days and have a further 10 days to respond. If you miss the deadline, your application will be refused, the fee will not be refunded and you will have to start again.
You should ensure your application is complete and correct. One way to do so is to take the services of an immigration expert. Call us at +353 19039449 or reach out to us through live chat to discuss.
How We Can Help Obtaining Irish Citizenship by Marriage
Applying for Irish citizenship by marriage can be a challenging process. It is more complicated than applying for an Irish visa. You have to calculate if you qualify for reckonable residence, assess that you meet other criteria, gather documents, make a declaration, and more. It helps a huge deal to have Irish immigration experts, with expertise in Irish law, by your side to help with each aspect of the citizenship application. We can help you.
At Total Law, we provide immigration services that are particular about each stage in the citizenship application process to ensure you have a high chance of success. When you decide to go with us, you will get a dedicated immigration consultant to assess your eligibility for citizenship before starting an application. That ensures you don’t spend money on an application if you are not eligible; in such a case, we will also advise on other options if that is the case.
When we have ascertained that you are eligible for Irish citizenship by marriage, we will prepare a high-standard application and submit it on your behalf. Also, we will liaise with Irish immigration on your behalf and share any updates with you along the way.
To get started with becoming a citizen of the Republic of Ireland, get in touch with us today. Call +353 19039449 or contact us online through our live chat or contact form.
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Related pages for your continued reading.
Frequently Asked Questions
Not automatically. When you apply, you declare that you intend to live in Ireland after you become a citizen. If you are a naturalised citizen who lives outside Ireland, the Minister may revoke your certificate of naturalisation after seven continuous years abroad (outside the island of Ireland for spouse applicants), unless you register your intention to retain your citizenship every year using Form 5.
Citizenship can also be revoked where it was obtained fraudulently or the person poses a serious risk to the State.
Reckonable residence means time in Ireland that counts towards eligibility to apply for naturalisation. When applying for Irish citizenship based on your marriage or civil partnership, you must have three years of reckonable residence on the island of Ireland in the last five years, including one continuous year immediately before you apply.
If you are a non-EU/EEA and non-Swiss national, certain periods are counted towards the reckonable residence. They include:
- Time in Ireland on an employment permit (Stamp 1)
- Time on a Stamp 0
- Time on a Stamp 4
- Time as the dependent of a legal resident or an employment permit holder (Stamp 3)
- Time on a Stamp 1G, including the Third Level Graduate Scheme and time as the spouse or partner of a Critical Skills Employment Permit holder or researcher
- Time on a Stamp 5
- Time after refugee status or subsidiary protection is granted
The following periods don’t count:
- Time on a student permission (Stamp 2 or Stamp 2A) unless you apply as a “young adult”
- Time without valid immigration permission
- Time spent waiting for an international protection decision
You can spend up to 70 days outside the island of Ireland in the 12 months immediately before you apply. The day you leave and the day you return are not counted as absences. A further 30 days may be allowed in exceptional circumstances, which you should explain in your application. If you have been away for more than 100 days, you are ineligible and must wait before applying.
You can use the ISD residency calculator to check whether you meet the residence requirements.
Only Irish citizens can get an Irish passport. So, the first step is applying for Irish citizenship by naturalisation through marriage. If you are eligible for Irish citizenship by birth or Irish descent, you can apply through those routes instead.
After obtaining your citizenship, you can apply for your Irish passport online, post, or in person. If you are applying online, you should do so through Passport Online. For application by post, submit through Passport Express, and an application made in person should be submitted through the Passport Office’s counter service.
When applying for an Irish passport, you may be required to complete an identity verification form, then get the form signed and witnessed by a Garda (an Irish police officer). Also, you are to provide the following:
- Recent passport photographs
- Marriage or civil partnership certificate
- Proof of address (mortgage, rent, utility bill payment receipts or contracts)
- Evidence of name (birth certificate, a copy of your Public Services Card, government-issued photo identification document, etc.)
Please call +353 19039449 today for more information or assistance.
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