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Irish Citizenship

Every person born in Ireland is an Irish citizen. This includes persons born in an Irish ship or aircraft, regardless of its location.

Any person, either of whose parents was born in Ireland, is an Irish citizen.

A person with one grandparent born in Ireland may claim Irish citizenship through foreign birth registration. This can be a painstaking process and requires conclusive documentary proof that the applicant is indeed the grandchild of the person born in Ireland. Applications should be made through the local Irish Consulate or Embassy.

Irish citizens may hold dual citizenship. However, the Department of Justice advises that persons wishing to attain multiple citizenship should check with the authorities in the other states involved.

Naturalisation:

Applications for naturalisation should be made to the Department of Justice.

The following conditions must obtain before the Minister will confer citizenship:

The applicant must be resident in the State
The applicant must be 18 years of age or older.
The applicant must have resided in the State legally for five of the nine years preceding the application. The last year of this period must have been one of continuous residence.
The applicant must satisfy the Minister that they are of good character.
The applicant must satisfy the Minister that they intend to reside in Ireland after naturalisation.
A legible photo copy and the original of the following documents must be submitted with the application form:
- Passport
- Garda Siochana Certificate of Registration (Green Book)
- Certificate of Registration with the Medical Council if you are a doctor
- Birth Certificate (Plus certified translation if not in English)
- Certificate or letter from the Revenue Commissioners that all all tax due has been paid, to include personal income tax, company tax, PRSI and VAT.
- Marriage certificate (plus certified translation if not in English)
- Documentary evidence of financial circumstances (e.g. bank statements for the previous twelve months)
- Payslip / statement of earnings from employer.
  ALL the above must be submitted or the application will be returned.
Upon approval a fee of £500 is payable and the applicant must make a formal declaration of fidelity to the nation and loyalty to the State in open court before a Judge of the District Court.
Persons studying in Ireland may not make an application, however, time spent studying in the State may possibly count towards the five-year naturalisation criterion, if the applicant subsequently finds employment and settles in the State.
Applicants are reminded that permission to remain in the state and employment permits (if applicable) should be kept up to date during the period that the application is being considered.

It should be borne in mind that the Minister for Justice grants naturalisation at his or her "absolute discretion" and it takes upwards of 18 to 24 months after application is made for a decision to be reached. Currently the process is taking an average of 19 months.