Irish Citizenship by Descent for UK Citizens

You were Born in Ireland Before January 1st, 2005

If you are a UK national born in Ireland before January 1st, 2005, you can claim to be an Irish citizen. You can go ahead and apply for an Irish passport. All you need to do is to show an Irish government-issued birth certificate which indicates that you were born in Ireland.

You were Born in Ireland on or After January 1st, 2005

If you were born in Ireland on or after January 1st, 2005, you must meet further eligibility requirements before you can claim Irish citizenship. Below are the extra eligibility requirements.

You Have Irish or UK Parent(s)

If one or both parents were Irish or UK citizens when you were born, you can claim Irish citizenship. This stands even if the parent who was an Irish or UK citizen died before you were born.

Your Parents Are Not Irish or British Citizens

If your parents are not Irish or British citizens, what determines whether you can lay claim to an Irish citizen is your parents’ place and status of residence. Your parent(s) must have lived in Ireland or Northern Ireland for 3 out of the 4 years before they gave birth to you.

Do note that years in Ireland as a student or waiting for a refugee application approval is not part of the required 3 years. Alternatively, you can meet this requirement if your parent(s) have permanent residence status in Ireland or Northern Ireland.

You were Born to an Irish Parent Outside Ireland

If you have a parent who is an Irish citizen but was born to them abroad, you can lay claim to Irish citizenship by descent.

You were Born in Ireland But Have No Citizenship Elsewhere

If you were born in Ireland without citizenship in another country, you can claim to be an Irish citizen.

You were born Abroad

You are still eligible for Irish citizenship by birth or descent if you have a late Irish parent.

You Have Irish Parents Who were born Outside of Ireland

If you were born outside Ireland to Irish parents who were also born outside of Ireland, you can lay claim to Irish Citizenship. To do this, you must register your birth with the Foreign Births register. This does not apply if your parents were abroad because of public service to the state. Your Irish citizenship starts after you register, not when you were born.

Irish Passport Via Ancestry or Irish Grandparents

If you and your parents were not born in Ireland, but one of your grandparents was, you are entitled to become an Irish citizen. However, you must first register with the Foreign Births register.

Irish Citizenship by Descent Through Other Irish Ancestors or Association

You cannot claim Irish citizenship if none of your parents or grandparents was an Irish citizen when you were given birth to. Generally, you cannot also claim Irish citizenship because your non-immediate relation, like a cousin, uncle or aunt, is an Irish citizen. However, you can be granted Irish citizenship by Association based on blood ties or adoption at the minister’s discretion.

If you intend to lay claims following this route, you have to ensure that:

• You have legally stayed in Ireland for at least 3 years. This goes to prove you have a tie to Ireland.
• Your application is not based on an Irish citizen whose relation to you doesn’t go further than a great-grandparent.
• Your application is not based on the fact that you are the parent, grandparent, sibling or cousin of an Irish citizen.
• Your application can take up to 2 years to process.

Irish Citizenship By Adoption

If an Irish citizen adopted you, you have also become an Irish citizen.

If you were adopted abroad, your parents would have to enter your adoption record into the Register of Intercountry Adoptions. This gives your adoption legal status in Ireland.

The FBR application is an online process. However, the actual process begins much before filling up the online application form. Here’s a step-by-step breakdown of how you can register yourself with the FBR:

1. You must first check whether you are eligible, as well as required, to register with the FBR. Adult applicants must apply themselves, while parent(s) or legal guardian(s) can on behalf of a minor applicant
2. Once you have confirmed your or the minor applicant’s (if you are applying on their behalf) eligibility for the Foreign Birth Registration process, start arranging for the required supporting documents. Required documents may vary depending on your circumstances (e.g., adult applicants vs minor applicants, applicant’s parent(s) became an Irish citizen through naturalisation vs through entry on the FBR, etc.)
3. Fill up the online application form on the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade website, and submit electronically when complete. You need an email address to apply

1. Pay the required fees
2. Print a paper copy of the submitted application form and sign the same
3. Have your signed form, supporting documents, and two of your passport photos witnessed by an appropriate person. They must know you personally but are not a relative of yours. The witness must sign and date the documents, and stamp your form with their official stamp. They should also include their contact telephone number and email address. If they do not have an official stamp, their business card must be sent
4. Send the form, supporting documents and photos to the relevant office (which will either be a specific Irish embassy/consulate or a PO Box address in the State), the full address of which will be printed on the top right-hand corner of your application form

Irish embassies in the UK, the US, Canada and Australia do not process Foreign Birth Registration applications any more, so if you are applying from any of these countries, your application will be processed in Dublin.

Also, note that if you are claiming Irish citizenship via an Irish grandparent, you will need to file your application through the Department of Justice, and the final decision in your cases will be at the discretion of the Irish Minister for Justice.

Documents Required for Adult Applicants

Supporting evidence for adult applicants will again vary based on whether:

• Their parent became an Irish citizen through naturalisation OR through entry on the FBR OR through Post Nuptial Citizenship Declaration
• Their parent was born abroad and became an Irish citizen post adoption
• They are applying on the basis of an Irish-born grandparent

The following documents are required in all of the above scenarios:

• A printed copy of the Foreign Birth Registration application form filled in and submitted online, (duly signed and dated by the applicant as well as signed, dated and stamped by an appropriate witness)
• Original civil birth certificate showing their parental details
• Original civil marriage certificate or any other document proving change of name if different from that in the birth certificate
• A photocopy of the applicant’s current state-issued photo ID, certified by the same witness
• Two original proofs of residential address
• Four recent, passport size, colour photos, two of which must be signed by the same witness

In addition, submit the following documents of your Irish citizen parent (as applicable):

• Original civil birth certificate showing their parental details
• Original civil marriage certificate or any other document proving change of their name if different from that in the birth certificate
• A photocopy of their current state-issued ID certified by an appropriate witness, or their original civil death certificate (if applicable)
• Their original Irish Naturalisation Certificate/Foreign Birth Registration Certificate/Post Nuptial Citizenship Certificate, or original proof of Irish citizenship at the date their adoption came into effect

If your parent became an Irish citizen via adoption, or if you are applying on the basis of an irish grandparent, you must submit the following documents of your said grandparent:

• Original civil birth certificate showing their parental details
• Original civil marriage certificate or any other document proving change of their name if different from that in the birth certificate
• A photocopy of their current state-issued photo ID, or their original civil death certificate (if applicable)

Documents Required for Minor Applicants

Supporting documents for a child applicant will also vary based on whether:

• Their parent became an Irish citizen through naturalisation OR through entry on the FBR OR through Post Nuptial Citizenship Declaration
• Their parent was born abroad and became an Irish citizen post adoption
• They are applying on the basis of an Irish-born grandparent

The common documents include:

• A printed copy of the Foreign Birth Registration application form filled in and submitted online, (duly signed and dated by the applicant as well as signed, dated and stamped by an appropriate witness)
• Original civil birth certificate showing their parental details
• Any change of name document if their current name is different from the one in their birth certificate
• A photocopy of the child’s current state-issued photo ID certified by the same witness
• Any original document that shows the child’s residential address
• Four recent, passport size, colour photos, two of which must be signed by the witness

Plus, relevant documents for their Irish citizen parent (as applicable):

• Original civil birth certificate showing their parental details
• Original civil marriage certificate or any other document proving change of their name if different from that in the birth certificate
• A photocopy of their current state-issued ID certified by an appropriate witness, or their original civil death certificate (if applicable)
• Their original Irish Naturalisation Certificate/Foreign Birth Registration Certificate/Post Nuptial Citizenship Certificate, or original proof of Irish citizenship at the date their adoption came into effect
• Two original proofs of residential address
• Four recent, passport size, colour photos, two of which must be signed by the witness

If the application is made by a legal guardian instead of the Irish citizen parent, who is not named as a parent on the child applicant’s birth certificate, proof of guardianship/parental responsibility must also be submitted, along with two original proofs of their residential address and four recent, passport size, colour photos (two of which must be signed by the witness).

If the application is made on the basis of the child’s grandparent (or if the child’s parent was adopted), the following documents relating to the said grandparent must be submitted:

• Original civil birth certificate showing their parental details
• Original civil marriage certificate or any other document proving change of their name if different from that in the birth certificate
• A photocopy of their current state-issued photo ID certified by an appropriate witness, or their original civil death certificate (if applicable)