You may become an Irish citizen through naturalisation, birth, descent, association, or if you are married to or are in a civil partnership with an Irish citizen.
Please note that if you were born on the island of Ireland before the 1st January 2005, you are entitled to an Irish citizenship.
Naturalisation:
If you are a foreign national (EU/EEA or non-EU) who has lived in Ireland lawfully for 5 years out of the last 9 years you may be eligible for an Irish citizenship through naturalisation.
Before you apply for an Irish citizenship through naturalisation please make sure you meet certain criteria, such as:
- you are over 18 years old
- you lived in Ireland for more than 5 years out of the last 9 years
- your intention after obtaining Irish citizenship is to reside in Ireland
- that you are of a good character (a law abiding citizen) – some criminal convictions can be waived but must be disclosed in the application
- that you will attend the citizenship ceremony and make the declaration of fidelity
The Minister of Justice and Equality has a right to waive any of the listed conditions above in order to grant you Irish citizenship, for example:
- if you are of Irish descent
- if you are a naturalised parent applying on behalf of a minor (under 18 years old)
- if you are recognised as a refugee
- and others.
If you are unsure that you qualify for an Irish citizenship, please contact this office for a consultation. Further details and personal circumstances of an individual will be discussed during the consultation.
Birth
If you were born on the island of Ireland after the 1st January 2005 you may claim an Irish citizenship:
- if at least one of your parents was an Irish citizen at the time of your birth
- if at least one of your parents who is a foreign national has legally resided in the State for at least 36 months in the 48 months prior to your birth, then you may be eligible for an Irish citizenship.
Irish Descent
If you were born abroad/outside of Ireland, you might be eligible for an Irish citizenship through Irish descent:
- if one of your grandparents was an Irish citizen at the time of your birth but neither of your parents were.
Please note that you must first register with Foreign Birth Registration.
Irish Association
You may be entitled to an Irish citizenship through Irish association, such as:
- blood
- affinity
- adoption to an Irish citizen
You will need to prove your connection with documentary evidence.
Married to an Irish citizen or in civil partnership with an Irish citizen
You must be married to an Irish citizen for at least 3 years before you can be considered for an Irish citizenship.
Conditions that you must meet:
- You must have 3 years out of the 5 years of reckonable residence
- Your marriage must be recognised as valid under Irish laws
- You must be living with your Irish spouse as a married couple or civil partners
- Permitted holiday travels are 6 weeks in a year including the year before applying
Cost of Irish Citizenship:
- Application fee of €175 is payable to the General Secretary, Department of Justice & Equality
- When you are approved for an Irish citizenship – a fee of €950 must be paid to the Department of Justice & Equality before you are invited to attend the Citizenship Ceremony
Tips
- Please note that having criminal convictions (including traffic offences) does not disqualify you from applying for Irish citizenship
- The year prior to making the application should be represented by Stamp/s that are endorsed in your passport and that Stamp or Stamps should not have any gaps in dates. Unless those gaps can be explained.
- You are allowed to travel outside of Ireland for holiday/s in the last year before making your application for the Irish citizenship.
- Criminal Convictions must be disclosed in your Irish citizenship application because the Garda Report will be available to the office.
If you have any questions or are unsure about any given information, then please contact this office to book a consultation.