Irish Citizenship FAQs
Who can become an Irish citizen ? Frequently asked questions on who can become an Irish citizen.
My parents were both born in Great Britain and so was I. Am I entitled to Irish citizenship based on my Irish grandparents ?
Yes, you are entitled to Irish citizenship by descent if any of your grandparents was born in Ireland, but you must first register your birth in the Foreign Births Register.
I am a US citizen but my mother was born in Galway. I know that I can apply for an Irish passport, but do I have to renounce US citizenship to become an Irish citizen ?
No. Since your mother was born in Ireland, you are already an Irish citizen by descent, whether you have an Irish passport or not. The Irish Government does not require you to renounce your US citizenship when exercising your right to apply for an Irish passport.
My girlfriend and I are both Chinese citizens. We have been working in Ireland since early 2012 on work permits, and we had a baby boy late in 2015. Is the baby entitled to Irish citizenship ?
Yes. As you have been legally resident in Ireland for 3 of the 4 years prior to the birth of your child, you will be considered to have had a genuine link to Ireland, and the baby will be entitled to Irish citizenship.
I am a British citizen whose parents were born in Ireland. If I apply for an Irish passport, will I have to give up my British citizenship ?
No. If you are an Irish citizen, you may hold dual citizenship, that is, citizenship of another country. British citizens are also allowed to hold dual citizenship. This means that you do not have to renounce your British citizenship when you apply for an Irish passport.
I am Indian, and have been living and working in Wexford on a series of work permits for the last 4 years. When I will be eligible to apply for naturalisation ?
When you have lived in the State for a total of 5 out of the last 9 years, including the last full year before the date of application, you will be eligible to apply for naturalisation.
Can I become an Irish citizen through naturalisation after 2 years here as a language school student ? I am Chinese.
No. You need to have at least 5 years “reckonable residence” in the State to be considered for naturalisation, or at least 3 years if you are married to an Irish citizen. Also, time spent here on a student visa does not count at all for “reckonable residence”, so your “reckonable residence” is zero.
I'm an Australian citizen and have been legally resident in Ireland since 2010. In 2012 I married an Irish citizen. Can I now apply for Irish citizenship ?
Yes. As you have been married to an Irish citizen for over 3 years, and have enough “reckonable residence” in the island of Ireland, you can apply to become an Irish citizen through marriage.
I am an Irish citizen, living in Wales with my South African partner. We are getting married and intend to continue living in Wales. Does my new husband automatically become an Irish citizen ?
No. You would have to be married for at least 3 years, and you would have to be living as a married couple in the island of Ireland for at least 3 years also.
I am a British citizen with a British passport. I am originally from Nepal and have been living in Northern Ireland for 4 years. Can I become an Irish citizen ?
No, unless you are applying as the spouse of an Irish citizen to whom you have been married for 3 years. To become an Irish citizen through naturalisation you would have to be living in the Irish State for at least 5 out of the last 9 years.
I am French, married to an Irishman and living in Ireland for 8 years. If I become an Irish citizen, can also keep my French citizenship ?
The Irish Government does not require you to renounce your French citizenship on becoming an Irish citizen.
Can a Russian woman, with an Irish citizen child, (now living in Russia) receive Irish citizenship ?
No. She has no entitlement to Irish citizenship on the basis of her child’s citizenship.
Get More / Informaion Source : CitizensInformation.ie