Lexi Webster
If you are an Australian citizen with Irish heritage, you may be eligible for Irish citizenship. Irish citizenship can be obtained through birth, descent, marriage, or naturalisation. If you were born in Ireland before 2005, you are automatically an Irish citizen. If you were born after 2005, your entitlement to Irish citizenship depends on your parents' citizenship and residence history. You can also apply for Irish citizenship if you have an Irish-born parent or grandparent or fulfil certain residency criteria, such as living in Ireland for five years before applying. Irish citizens have various rights and benefits, including the right to live and work in any EU member state and access to certain free healthcare services in Europe.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Citizenship by birth | If born in Ireland before 1 January 2005, you are an Irish citizen by birth. |
| Citizenship by descent | If your parent or grandparent was an Irish citizen when you were born, you can apply for citizenship through the Foreign Birth Register. |
| Citizenship by marriage | If you are married to or in a civil partnership with an Irish citizen, you can apply for citizenship if you have lived in Ireland legally for 3 out of the 5 years before the day of your application. |
| Citizenship by naturalisation | If you have lived in Ireland for 5 years prior to applying, you can apply for citizenship by naturalisation. |
| Dual citizenship | Ireland allows dual citizenship. |
| Rights and responsibilities | Irish citizens have the right to vote in elections and be elected in Ireland and elsewhere in Europe. They also have the right to live and work freely across all EU member states and access some free healthcare in Europe. |
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What You'll Learn
Citizenship by birth
If you were born in Ireland before January 1, 2005, you are an Irish citizen by birth. If you were born in Northern Ireland before January 1, 2005, you are also entitled to claim Irish citizenship. This means that you can choose to be an Irish citizen and apply for an Irish passport.
If you were born on or after January 1, 2005, your entitlement to Irish citizenship depends on the nationality or residence history of your parent(s). If you were born in Ireland after this date and do not qualify as an Irish citizen by birth, you can apply for citizenship by naturalisation after completing five years of residence in Ireland.
If you were born outside of Ireland, you are automatically an Irish citizen by birth if either one or both of your parents was born in Ireland and was entitled to Irish citizenship. If your parent(s) are Irish citizens but were not born in Ireland, you can claim citizenship through the Foreign Births Register. If your grandparents were born in Ireland, you may also be able to claim citizenship through the Foreign Births Register.
If you are not entitled to Irish citizenship by birth or descent, you can apply to become an Irish citizen by naturalisation. To do this, you must have five years of reckonable residence in the nine-year period ending on the day before your application and have resided in Ireland legally for the 12-month period before your application.
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Citizenship by descent
If you were born outside of Ireland, you are automatically an Irish citizen by birth if either of your parents was born in Ireland and was an Irish citizen at the time of your birth. If your parent was born in Ireland but was not an Irish citizen at the time of your birth, you may still be eligible for citizenship by descent. If your grandparent is an Irish citizen, either by birth or registration in the Foreign Births Register, you may also be eligible for citizenship by descent. However, having an Irish grandparent does not make you an Irish citizen; you will need to apply for citizenship by descent.
To claim Irish citizenship by descent, you must prove your lineage and meet all legal requirements. This may require submitting official documentation relating to three generations, including birth, marriage, and death certificates. Applications for citizenship by descent are submitted online, along with supporting documents proving Irish lineage. If your documentation is suitable and correct, it will generally take about nine months to one year to receive the certificate of citizenship. The registration fee and certificate cost for a citizenship by descent application is €270 when completed online, with an additional non-refundable postage and handling fee of €8. For those under the age of 18, the cost of registration and certificate is €145, plus the non-refundable postage and handling fee of €8.
If you are claiming citizenship by descent under an Irish great-grandparent, you must meet specific criteria. Your great-grandparent must have been born in Ireland, and your parent must have acquired Irish citizenship from them before your birth or between the years 1956 and 1986. Applications based on descent from an Irish citizen beyond a great-grandparent are generally refused.
If you are claiming citizenship by descent while residing in Australia, your physical application must be sent to Dublin, as embassies and consulates in these countries do not handle requests for Irish citizenship by descent.
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Citizenship by marriage
To apply for Irish citizenship by marriage while in Australia, you must be married to an Irish citizen for at least three years. Your marriage must be genuine and enduring, and you must be living with your spouse on the dates of your application and the granting of citizenship. Additionally, you must have lived legally on the island of Ireland for three out of the last five years before your application, including one full year of continuous residence immediately prior to your application. Absences of up to 70 days are permitted within this year, with an additional 30 days allowed in exceptional circumstances at the discretion of the Minister.
To apply, you can submit your application online or by mail to the Irish National Immigration Service. Make sure to include all the required documents, such as your marriage certificate and proof of identity and residency. These documents must be certified as true copies by an appropriate authority, such as a solicitor, notary, commissioner for oaths, or a peace commissioner. You will also need to include a relevant Statutory Declaration, signed in the presence of one of these authorities.
It is important to note that citizenship by naturalisation is granted at the discretion of the Minister for Justice and Equality, and you must demonstrate good character and a genuine commitment to the state. The process typically takes 5-9 years, but applications based on marriage or civil partnership are generally expedited.
As an Irish citizen, you will enjoy various rights and responsibilities, including the right to vote and be elected in Ireland and other European countries, as well as the freedom to live and work across all EU member states. Ireland also has strong ties to Europe and offers access to certain free healthcare services in other parts of Europe.
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Citizenship by naturalisation
If you were born in Ireland, you may be entitled to Irish citizenship by birth. However, if you were born outside of Ireland, you can apply for citizenship by naturalisation. Citizenship by naturalisation is granted at the discretion of the Minister for Justice and Equality.
To apply for Irish citizenship by naturalisation, you must fulfil certain residency requirements. You must have lived in the Republic of Ireland for five years prior to applying to upgrade your residency to citizenship. This includes legally residing in Ireland for the 12 months before your application and for at least four years in the eight years preceding that. You must also be of good character, which means you can provide a clean police record and prove a genuine commitment to the state.
If you are married to or in a civil partnership with an Irish citizen, you can apply for citizenship by naturalisation if you have lived in Ireland legally for three out of the five years before the day of your application, including the 12 months preceding your application. You must also have been married and living together for three years.
If you are applying for citizenship by naturalisation on behalf of your child, they must have lived in Ireland for at least three years before their application.
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Dual citizenship
If you were born outside of Ireland, you may still be eligible for Irish citizenship by descent. This is a common path to citizenship for those with Irish parents or grandparents and is often the route taken by those in Australia wishing to become Irish citizens. To apply for citizenship by descent, you must first determine your eligibility. If one of your parents was born in Ireland and was an Irish citizen at the time of your birth, you are automatically an Irish citizen by descent and may apply for an Irish passport. However, if your Irish parent was born outside of Ireland, you may still be eligible if they were registered abroad or if your grandparent was born in Ireland and your parent can prove they have/had Irish citizenship. It is important to note that you must be included on your parent's Foreign Births Registration (FBR) entry in order to be eligible. If you are not already included, your parent must first apply for you to be added to their FBR entry.
Once you have determined your eligibility, you can begin the application process. The application for Foreign Birth Registration must be completed and submitted, along with the required supporting documentation and fees. This process can be completed online or by mail. The documentation required may include your birth certificate, your parent's birth and marriage certificates, and proof of your parent's Irish citizenship or their Foreign Birth Registration certificate. It is important to ensure that all documentation is certified and translated into English, if necessary.
After submitting your application, you may be required to attend an interview. This is typically conducted by an Irish consulate or embassy official and is used to verify the information provided in your application. If your application is successful, you will be registered as an Irish citizen and will be eligible to apply for an Irish passport. This process typically takes several months, and you will be notified of the outcome via mail or email.
It is important to note that Australia allows its citizens to hold dual citizenship, so you will not need to renounce your Australian citizenship when applying for Irish citizenship. However, it is always recommended to check with the relevant authorities and seek up-to-date information as requirements may change over time. Additionally, if you are a male born after 16 April 1997 and have not yet reached your 34th birthday, you may be required to complete a period of Irish military service or civil service.
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Frequently asked questions
If you have an Irish-born parent, you can apply for Irish citizenship through the Foreign Births Register. Once you are entered onto the Foreign Births Register, you are an Irish citizen and can apply for an Irish passport.
If you were born in Ireland before 1 January 2005, you are an Irish citizen by birth and do not need to apply for citizenship. If you were born after this date, your entitlement to Irish citizenship depends on your parents' citizenship and residence history.
If you don't have an Irish-born parent, but you have an Irish-born grandparent, you may be able to claim citizenship through the Foreign Births Register.
