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Irish Passports and Dual Citizenship
To be able to apply for an Irish passport you first need to have Irish citizenship. Dual citizenship is allowed in many countries, including Ireland and the United States. After gaining Irish citizenship, any child born to you, can also claim Irish citizenship.
Irish Passports and EU
With an Irish passport, you can travel, work and live in any of the fifteen countries of the European Union - Ireland, Great Britain, France, Spain, Portugal, Belgium, Holland, Luxembourg, Denmark, Germany, Austria, Italy, Greece, Finland and Sweden. Irish citizenship can be gained automatically by birth or can be claimed by descent.
Irish Citizenship by Birth
Anyone born in Ireland is automatically an Irish citizen. Children, whose mother or father were born in Ireland, are automatically Irish citizens.
Irish Citizenship by Descent
Anyone born outside Ireland whose grandmother or grandfather, but not his or her parents, were born in Ireland may become an Irish citizen by registering in the Irish Foreign Births Register (FBR) at the Department of Foreign Affairs in Dublin or at their nearest Irish Embassy or Consular Office. Citizenship by descent is not automatic and must be acquired through application. If you wish to apply for Irish Citizenship, you will need the following:
| Required Documentation |
| For your Irish born grandparent: |
- Certified copy of your grand-parents Irish birth certificate if born after 1864, otherwise a church baptismal register together with a search certificate from the General Register Office of Ireland stating that no Irish civil birth certificate exists.
- Certified copy of your grand-parents marriage certificate.
- Notarized copy of proof of identity (e.g. drivers license, passport). If your grandparent has died, a certified copy of the death certificate is required.
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| For the parent from who you are claiming your Irish descent: |
- Certified copy of your parents birth certificate that shows your grand-parents names and the place of birth.
- Certified copy of your parents marriage certificate.
- Notarized copy of proof of identity (e.g. drivers license, passport). If your parent has died, a certified copy of the death certificate is required.
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| For you: |
- Certified copy of your birth certificate that shows your parents names and place of birth.
- If your name has changed (i.e. by marriage), supporting documentation will be required (i.e. marriage certificate).
- Notarized copies of proof of identity (e.g. drivers license, passport).
- Two signed passport-sized photographs
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We can assist in getting those Irish certificates (birth, marriage or death) that are required for a citizenship application. Click on these links (birth, marriage or death) to search for those records that you need.
When you have the neccessary certificates, you will need to complete a Foreign Birth Registration form and send it to the Department of Foreign Affairs or to your nearest Irish Embassy or Consular Office.
Be aware that it can take between 3 months and 1 year for the application to be processed. So if you are thinking of applying, do it as sooner rather than later.
Irish Ancestries provide an efficient family research service based in Ireland.
They will help you "find the roots to your family tree".
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