Are you considering applying for Irish citizenship and moving to the Emerald Isle? You’re not alone. In recent years, Ireland has seen a significant influx of immigrants, with 141,600 people entering the country in the year leading up to April 2023.
Life in Ireland offers a unique blend of rich cultural heritage, stunning landscapes, and a friendly, welcoming community. As an Irish citizen, you can enjoy the benefits of living in a country known for its high quality of life, excellent education system, and robust healthcare. Plus, having an Irish passport makes it easy to travel and work anywhere in the European Union.
Whether you wish to reconnect with your Irish roots, are married to an Irish citizen, or are a long-term resident looking to settle for life, there are several ways to become a citizen of the Republic of Ireland. Here is everything you need to know about the different paths you can take.
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How to Become an Irish Citizen
There are two main ways to establish Irish citizenship: through naturalization or ancestry.
Establishing citizenship through ancestry is extremely easy. Becoming a citizen through naturalization takes quite a bit longer.
Ireland is also one of the easiest countries to get dual citizenship.
Dual citizenship allows you to maintain citizenship in your country of origin and also have access to an Irish passport, which has many benefits.
How to Get Irish Citizenship by Naturalization
To obtain your certificate of naturalization, you must first meet a set of residency requirements known as ‘reckonable residency’. To prove reckonable residence, you must live in Ireland for at least five out of the last nine years.
It’s acceptable to live there on and off over the years, but you must have lived in the country for one year prior to applying and for a minimum of 1,460 days over the last eight years.
Keep your immigration residence up to date during that time, as you’ll need to be able to prove that you were legally in Ireland on those dates. You can use permission stamps issued by Irish immigration officials to prove this.
If you’re either married to or in a civil partnership with a citizen of Ireland, the process doesn’t take as long. You can apply for citizenship through naturalization if you have been with your spouse or civil partner for three years.
How to Qualify for Irish Citizenship by Descent
One of the easiest ways to obtain Irish citizenship is by proving that you have Irish ancestry.
To qualify under Irish law, you’ll need to prove that you’re the child or grandchild of Irish citizens. If you have Irish grandparents or have at least one Irish parent born in Ireland, you may meet the eligibility requirements for citizenship through ancestry.
You might even qualify for citizenship through ancestry if one of your great-grandparents was born in Ireland. But in order to do so, your parents must have established their own ancestry with the Foreign Births Register. If one of your parents did so, you can qualify just by having a great-grandparent born on the island of Ireland or in Northern Ireland.
Born after 1986? Your parents would have needed to register before you were born.
If you were born before 1986, your parents could have registered between 1956 and 1986. The time of your birth matters because of regulations set by the Irish Nationality and Citizenship Act 1956.
It’s recommended that each generation registers with the Foreign Births Register. This will make ancestral citizenship possible for future generations of your family.
Even if you’re not interested in becoming an Irish citizen yourself, you should still register your foreign birth so that your children still have the option to establish citizenship in the future.
See Also: The Expat’s Guide to Moving to Ireland
How to Apply for Irish Citizenship through Ancestry
If you were born outside the country and want to earn citizenship through ancestry, visit the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA). The first step in the application process is to register your foreign birth with the Foreign Births Register.
When applying for foreign birth registration, you’ll have to include regulation-size photos with your passport application. You’ll also need to sign and date your application yourself, as well as have the signature of a witness.
Keep in mind that not just anyone can be a witness. Examples of acceptable witnesses include doctors, lawyers, police officers, and school principals.
According to the Department of Foreign Affairs, the application with the Foreign Births Register includes a fee. As of February 2024, the fee for adults over the age of 18 is 278 Euros (approximately $300 USD). Applicants under the age of 18 must pay 153 Euros (approximately $165 USD).
Typically, approval takes about nine months, but it may be up to a full year before your application is processed.
For those who were born in Northern Ireland before January 1, 2005, you have an entitlement to claim Irish citizenship. This means that you can choose to be an Irish citizen and apply for an Irish passport if you want to.
Note: It’s important to mention that, unlike the Republic of Ireland, Northern Island is not a member of the European Union (EU). Northern Ireland is part of the United Kingdom, which means it’s no longer a member of the EU due to changes that occurred under Brexit. People born in Northern Ireland may be considered British citizens, Irish citizens, or hold dual citizenship as both.
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How to Apply for Irish Citizenship through Naturalization
To apply for citizenship through naturalization, you’ll first need to fill out the appropriate application form. There are a variety of different applications. Your choice will depend on your age, circumstances, and where you are from.
Basic Requirements
There are a few basic requirements to complete the citizenship application and process.
You must:
- Be 18 or older or married to an Irish citizen (children’s applications are completed by a parent or guardian)
- Meet Ireland’s legal residence requirements by living there for at least five of the last nine years
- Have intentions to continue living in Ireland
- Make a declaration of fidelity at an official citizenship ceremony
- Be of good character (which requires a criminal history check by Ireland’s national police, also known as the Garda Síochána)
Don’t be discouraged if you don’t quite meet these requirements.
The Minister for Justice may grant you citizenship without meeting these requirements if you have Irish associations, are in Irish public service, are a refugee, or are “related by affinity” to an Irish citizen. These are just a few of the reasons that the Minister may grant you citizenship outside of the official rules.
How you apply depends on how you prove naturalization, whether or not you are a Swiss national, and other factors.
It is not required that you be able to speak English or Irish Gaelic in order to apply. In fact, Ireland is one of only three EU nations that does not have a language proficiency requirement for citizenship.
Documents and Fees
Before applying, make sure that you have all the necessary documents (such as your marriage and birth certificates). These documents vary by application type.
There are two fees. The application fee is 175 Euros. If your application is approved, you may have to pay additional fees (up to 950 Euros).
To learn more and access the appropriate forms, visit the INIS website.
Learn More: Irish Health Insurance for Foreigners
Irish Citizenship Benefits
You can enjoy various benefits by becoming an Irish citizen, and one of those benefits is how easy it is to travel.
Globally, Ireland ranks third when it comes to travel freedom. An Irish passport allows you to travel visa-free (or visa upon arrival) to 192 countries worldwide. This list includes most European nations, most South American countries, and the UAE. In some countries, such as Mexico and Canada, you can stay as long as 180 days.
Another benefit to Irish citizenship is the ability to vote in Irish elections. Not only can you vote in elections, but you can run in an election for a position in the Irish government.
To Sum Things Up
The Irish government allows foreign nationals to become Irish citizens in several ways. You can do so through ancestry or naturalization, and naturalization takes even less time if you’re married to an Irish citizen.
Since Ireland allows for dual citizenship, you can retain your passport from your home country and enjoy the travel freedom that comes with having an Irish passport.
There are other benefits as well.
The cost of living in Ireland can be high but is still comparatively lower than in some countries, including the United States. And while expats who live in Ireland opt for international major medical insurance, Ireland does have a universal healthcare system. You do not necessarily need to be an Irish citizen in order to qualify.
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- Work with an insurance expert at no additional cost
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Do you live abroad or hope to become a citizen of a foreign nation? Check out our article on how to get citizenship in another country.
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