A Simple Guide to Applying for An Irish Passport & Citizenship

There are three ways you may be entitled to apply for an Irish passport which come under the application of Applying for Citizenship by Descent:

  1. If one of your Grandparents was born in Ireland
  2. If one of your Parents was born in Ireland
  3. If one of your Parents was an born abroad but was registered as an Irish Citizen on the Irish Foreign Birth Register at the date of your Birth

If you believe one of these categories apply to you you can apply online to have your birth added to the Irish Register of Foreign Births from which you recevie a Foreign Birth Certificate and can apply for an Irish passport.

However whatever categories applies to your circumstance, you will need to prove your familial link to the Irish relative.

Below is a breakdown of the birth, death and marriage certificates you will need to submit by post AFTER you have applied through the online service.

If one of your Grandparents was born in Ireland

Your Birth Certificate

Your Parents Marriage Certificate (if applicable)

Your Parents Birth Certificates

Your Grandparent/s Birth Certificate/s

Your Grandparent/s Marriage Certificate

Your Grandparents Death Certificate (if applicable)

If One of Your Parents Was Born In Ireland 

The same documents as above without the grandparents documents.

If one of your parents was an born abroad but was registered as an Irish Citizen at the date of your Birth

The same documents as above plus your parent/s certificate from the Irish Foreign Birth Register.

Please note when submitting documents, you must submit official State birth, death and marriage certificates and NOT religious documents like a Church Baptismal or Marriage Certificates. Short or abridged certificates ARE not acceptable.

You will need to submit the certificates themselves and a photocopy of each with your application.

Further details are available from the Irish Dept of Foreign Affairs website here:HERE