Irish Citizenship by Descent
Irish Citizenship by Descent
Are you seeking to apply for Irish Citizenship? Over 80 million people across the world claim Irish descent. It’s an astonishing number and one that reflects the intricate history of Ireland, its people and descendants around the world.
What many people of Irish descent may not know is that they may be entitled to Irish citizenship. The requirements vary depending on your circumstance. So who can apply for Irish citizenship?
- If you were born outside of Ireland to Irish parents you can apply to the Foreign Births register to register your birth.
- If one of your grandparents was born in Ireland, but neither of your parents was born in Ireland, you can apply for Irish citizenship by descent.
Irish citizenship by descent may seem straight forward but you will have to corroborate various genealogical records to apply. This is where the team at Oak Ancestry can help. We search for and obtain the necessary Irish genealogical records required to help you apply. We can provide you with the original records and a step by step guide to the application process.
Get in touch and take the first step today!”
Are You Entitled to Irish Citizenship by Descent?
Citizenship by descent is a form of birth-right citizenship. It means that if you have ancestors (such as parents, grandparents, or even great-grandparents) originally from Ireland then you may be eligible to become a citizen of Ireland yourself. An Irish citizen by descent is a person born outside of the island of Ireland but may have family members who hold Irish citizen status. You cannot automatically pass on an Irish citizenship to any child who is born abroad, so the child must apply themselves.
Under the Irish Nationality and Citizenship Act of 1956, people born outside Ireland can claim Irish citizenship. As part of this act, one’s parent or grandparent must have been born in Ireland. If you are unsure of your entitlement to Irish citizenship then we have all of the information that you need. You are entitled to Irish Citizenship if you were:
- Born on the island of Ireland before 1 January 2005
- Born in Ireland after 1 January 2005 and your parents were Irish citizens at the time of your birth
- Born abroad but your birth parents are from Ireland
Citizenship by descent is a form of birth-right citizenship. It means that if you have ancestors (such as parents, grandparents, or even great-grandparents) originally from Ireland then you may be eligible to become a citizen of Ireland. You cannot automatically pass on an Irish citizenship to any child who is born abroad, so the child must apply themselves.
If the relative through whom you are entitled to Irish citizenship was not alive at the time of your birth, or, indeed, is not alive today- as long as they are a parent or grandparent- you are still entitled to Irish citizenship. A person can also derive citizenship through an Irish parent whether or not your parents were married to each other at the time of your birth.
Before applying, the applicant must first apply to have your birth registered in the Foreign Births Register. If you are entitled to register, your Irish citizenship is effective from the date of registration.
How to Begin Your Application
Applying for Irish citizenship through descent can be a complicated process and at Oak Ancestry we are here to help you out as best as we can. For a more detailed outline of information for applying for citizenship, check out our How to Apply page.
Here is a brief outline of the typical steps that you will need to take in order to obtain an Irish passport and citizenship through descent:
Step One: Discover Your Ancestors
Your first step to discovering whether or not you are eligible for citizenship by descent is to have an initial conversation with your family members. If you are living outside of Ireland, discover how your family ended up where they are currently living.
Once you have gathered any amount of information, you can begin your genealogy research process.
Step Two: Determine Eligibility for Irish Citizenship by Descent
As you will see on the Irish Citizens Information Website, requirements for eligibility with regard to Irish citizenship by descent include current official civil records obtained through Irish genealogical research. Typically, you must provide significant evidence towards proving a direct lineage between you and your Irish ancestors.
This is where Oak Ancestry can step in to help you out. We have the ability to trace back family histories using information provided by you to source genealogical records with regard to your potential Irish ancestors. When you hire a genealogist at Oak Ancestry, we can immediately begin the first step of a seamless and fast application to obtain your Irish citizenship by descent.
During this step the applicant must also ensure that they are eligible to apply for a dual citizenship between Ireland and their native country. There is a list of countries all across the world that do not accept dual citizenship status, so it is important that you check your current situation prior to applying for status in Ireland.Step Three: Locate and Gather all the Required Documents
Once you have proven your entitlement to citizenship then it is time to begin gathering all the documentation you need to prove that you are entitled to claim citizenship through ancestry. This documentation will be necessary for your application to be processed. Records required are the birth certificates of you and your ancestors (civil or parish), marriage, divorce, proof of address and naturalization certificates. Your current passport is also a necessary requirement for the application process.
Step Four: Submit Your Application
Once you have everything completed and all of the relevant documents required, then it is time to submit your application to the Irish Department of Foreign Affairs. If your application is approved then your details will be added to the foreign births register and you will receive your Irish Passport soon after.