If your grandparent is Irish, you may qualify for Irish citizenship by descent and apply for an Irish passport. With this passport, you can live and work in the Irish without restrictions. Read this guide to learn whether you can obtain an Irish nationality by descent and how to get an Irish passport.
Can I Get an Irish Passport Through My Grandparents?
Under Irish citizenship law, descendants of Irish citizens may be eligible to apply for Irish nationality by descent in certain circumstances. If you were born outside of Ireland but have an Irish-born grandparent, you can claim Irish citizenship and obtain an Irish passport by descent through registration in the Foreign Births Register.
Eligibility for Irish Passport by Descent
To be eligible for Irish nationality and passport by descent, you need to prove that you have direct parental lineage connections to an Irish citizen, generally a parent, grandparent, or great-grandparent. To be exact, you either have a grandparent with Irish citizenship by birth or a parent with Irish citizenship at the time you were born. Here are breakdowns of the eligibility criteria:
- Citizenship by descent through grandparents
If one of your grandparents was born in Ireland, while neither of your parents was born in Ireland, you are eligible for Irish citizenship by descent. In this case, you need to register your birth in the Foreign Births Register.
- Irish citizen parent born outside Ireland
Suppose your parent is an Irish citizen who was born outside of Ireland, and you were also born outside of Ireland, you are eligible for Irish citizenship by descent through birth registration at the Foreign Birth Register.
- Other Irish ancestors
Generally, Irish citizenship by descent primarily focuses on direct lineage through parents and grandparents. However, there are exceptions for claiming citizenship through more distant ancestors, being great-grandparents in this case. The eligibility requirements for claiming Irish citizenship by descent great-grandparent with Irish nationality are:
- Your parent on the Irish side has registered his or her Irish citizenship before your birth.
- You have a reasonable period of legal residence in Ireland for at least 3 years to show that you have a connection to Ireland.
- Applications based on such Irish associations can take up to 30 months to process, which is at the discretion of the Minister.
How to Get an Irish Passport by Descent
Obtaining an Irish passport by descent involves two steps. The first step is registering your birth to the Irish Foreign Births Register. Once approved, you will receive a certificate, which you will need for your Irish passport application. The second is applying for an Irish passport.
Apply for the Irish Register of Foreign Birth
The application can be made online. You need to gather all the required documents before completing the online application. Here is a step-by-step guide.
Step 1. Access the Foreign Birth Registration portal. Click “Begin online Foreign Births Registration application.”
Step 2. Fill out the necessary information. Ensure it is correct to avoid any delays in your application.
Step 3. Print the completed application form. You can find the documentary requirements in the form.
Step 4. Click “Yes” and “Make payment.”
Step 5. Enter your credit/debit card details and finish the payment. Now, your application is successfully submitted online.
Step 6. Sign the printed copy of your application form in front of an appropriate witness. Your witness should also sign and date two of your passport-sized photos and a copy of your state-issued ID.
Step 7. Send your application form and supporting documentation by post to this address: Foreign Births Registration Section, PO BOX 13003, Balbriggan, Co. Dublin, Ireland
Step 8. It takes around 9 months to process a Foreign Birth Registration application. Once approved, you will receive a certificate confirming your registration in the Irish Foreign Births Register, which you will need for your Irish passport application.
Apply for Irish Passport
With an FBR certificate, you may proceed to the Irish passport application. You can either apply for it online via the Department of Foreign Affairs website or through a paper application. It is advised to apply online, which is faster. Here is a step-by-step guide on how to obtain an Irish passport online.
Step 1. Visit the Department of Foreign Affairs portal and click “Apply Online.”
Step 2. Select “First Time” and begin your passport application. Fill in the necessary information.
Step 3. Select “Foreign Births Registration” and click “Next.”
Step 4. Enter your Foreign Births Register Certificate details and click “Next.”
Step 5. Select a passport type. Upload a digital photo and fill in the necessary information for your passport.
Step 6. Review application details. Then, enter your credit/debit card details and finish the payment online. Now, your application is successfully submitted online. Print the Application Cover Page, which lists the documents required to send to the Passport Service.
Step 7. Send required supporting documents by post to the Passport Service. It takes around 20 working days to process a passport application. You can use the Passport Tracker to check the status of your application.
Step 8. Your passport and documents submitted will be sent to you separately. When you receive your passport, you should sign it immediately.
Has Your Application Been Witnessed?
When signing your FBR application form, you must have it witnessed by a person personally known to you but have no direct relationship with you. Your witness should also sign, date, and stamp two of your passport-size photos and certify a photocopy of your ID as a true copy of the original. If your witness does not have a stamp, you need to include his/her business card with your application. The witness must practice one of the following professions:
- Police Officer
- School Principal
- Teacher
- School Secretary
- Pre-school Manager
- Montessori Teacher
- Lecturer
- Member of Clergy
- Medical Doctor
- Dentist
- Nurse
- Physiotherapist
- Speech Therapist
- Pharmacist
- Lawyer
- Notary Public
- Commissioner for Oaths
- Peace Commissioner
- Bank Manager
- Assistant Bank Manager
- Accountant
- Elected Public Representative
- Vet
- Chartered Engineer
Documents Required for Irish Passport by Descent Application
You need to gather the following documents for the Irish Register of Foreign Birth application. If any of the documents listed below are in a language other than English or Irish, you need to submit certified translations of them.
Documents relating to the applicant:
- Completed, signed, and witnessed FBR application form;
- Four recent passport-sized photos (two of which must be signed, stamped, and dated by your witness);
- Original Birth certificate;
- Original Marriage certificate (if married);
- Original Change of name document (if applicable);
- Photocopy of government-issued ID (i.e., passport, driver’s license) certified by your witness;
- Two original proofs of address (i.e., utility bills, bank statements);
Documents relating to the Irish citizen parent:
- Birth certificate of Irish-born grandparent;
- Marriage certificate of Irish-born grandparent (if married)
- Photocopy of state-issued ID certified by your witness.
The required documents for the Irish passport application include:
- A recent digital color photo (715 x 951 pixels) in JPEG format, no larger than 9MB;
- Identity verification form;
- Original or a certified color copy of FBR Certificate;
- Birth certificate;
- Original Marriage certificate (if married);
- Proof of address (i.e., utility bills, bank statements);
- Proof of name (i.e., a letter from the local government health services)
- Photocopy of state-issued ID.
Processing Time for Irish Passport by Descent
Generally, the processing time for foreign birth registration can take around 9 months. The processing time for the Irish passport application online is 20 working days, while the paper application takes around 8 weeks. Therefore, it is advised to apply for a passport online to save time.
Fee for Irish Citizenship by Descent Application
The fee for Irish citizenship by descent application differs depending on the age of the applicant. When you submit your application, the payment will be made online with a credit/debit card.
- Applicant 18 years of age and over:
Registration plus Certificate: €270
Postage and handling fee: €8
Total: €278
- Applicant under 18 years of age:
Registration plus Certificate: €145
Postage and handling fee: €8
Total: €153
FAQs
How many generations do you need for an Irish passport?
To qualify for Irish citizenship by descent, you generally need to be able to trace your Irish ancestry back three generations.
Can I get an Irish passport through my grandparents if they are dead?
Yes, you can still get an Irish passport through your deceased grandparents as long as you provide the necessary documentation to prove your Irish ancestry through at least one of your grandparents.
Can I get Irish citizenship if my great-grandparents are Irish?
If you have at least one Irish great-grandparent, you may qualify for Irish citizenship on the premise that your parent on the Irish side has registered his or her Irish citizenship before your birth.
What is the fastest way to get Irish citizenship?
Generally, there are two ways to get Irish citizenship: through naturalisation or ancestry. If your parent or grandparent is Irish, you can establish citizenship through ancestry, which is easier and faster than naturalisation.
How can I get an Irish passport by naturalisation?
To get an Irish passport by naturalisation, you need to meet the following criteria:
- You must be at least 18 years of age;
- You have legally lived in Ireland for five years continuously;
- You must be of good character.
- One exception is that if you’re married to an Irish citizen, you may be eligible after three years of residence in Ireland.
Conclusion
Even if you are a UK citizen, you can get an Irish passport by descent through your Irish grandparents. Although claiming Irish citizenship by descent can be long and complex, with this complete guide on Irish citizenship by descent and how to obtain an Irish passport, you are confident to start the application process.
Erin Lo