Irish Citizenship

Becoming an Irish Citizen

There are three ways to become an Irish citizen—birth, naturalization, and descent.  

Birth

If you were born in the Island of Ireland on or before December 31, 2004, you are an Irish citizen.

If you were born outside of Ireland to a parent who was born in the island of Ireland on or before December 31, 2024, you are automatically an Irish citizen. You do not need to apply for citizenship and are eligible to apply for an Irish passport.

Naturalization

Naturalization is when you become a citizen of another country, usually because you have been living there for a number of years. To apply for naturalization in Ireland, you must be physically resident in Ireland for a certain length of time.

You can learn more about Irish citizenship through naturalization here.

Descent

If one of your grandparents was born in the island of Ireland you are entitled to Irish citizenship, but you must first join the Foreign Births Register (FBR).

If one of your parents was an Irish citizen at the time of your birth, even though they were not born in Ireland, you are entitled to Irish citizenship, but you must first join the Foreign Births Register.

Irish Citizenship Through Descent

All applications to the Foreign Births Register are made online through the website of the Irish Department of Foreign Affairs.

Preparing to Apply to Join the FBR

NOTE: If your parent was born in the island of Ireland before 2005, you are automatically an Irish citizen and you do not need to make a citizenship application.

To join the FBR, you must prove your eligibility for Irish citizenship by providing official biographical documents that trace the relationship between you and your Irish citizen relative.

Gathering the necessary documents can take a long time.

It is strongly recommended that you have all the required documents before submitting an online application.

Your application will not be processed until your physical documents have been received via mail by the FBR office in Ireland.

To find a list of documents needed for your FBR application, click the button below.

Processing Times

Currently, FBR applications are being processed in 8-12 months.

Applications will not be processed until all required documents have been received via mail by the FBR office in Dublin, Ireland.

Fees

An application for the FBR costs €278

Important to Note

  • Only original documents are accepted. An ‘original’ document does not need to be the document issued at the time of the life event (e.g. birth, marriage, death) but does need to be issued directly by an official government agency. Photocopies, scans or laminated documents are not allowed.

  • Documents not in English or Irish must be translated and certified.

  • Your witness must be an approved authority (Notary Public in the U.S.).

Finding Irish Birth Certificates

Before applying, gather as many details as possible about your parent or grandparent:

  • Full name (consider variations or Irish spellings)

  • Date of birth (or approximate year)

  • Place of birth (townland, parish, or county)

  • Parents’ names (if known)

This information will assist in locating the correct birth record.

You can order a full standard birth certificate online through Ireland’s Health Service Executive. A standard birth certificate costs €20