visa-free countries
generations removed
months processing time
Irish citizenship by descent is available to those who have an ancestor dating back to a grandparent who holds Irish citizenship. In rare cases, you may be eligible if you have an Irish-born great grandparent.
If you seek the hustle and bustle of traditional music in a cosy pub or want to wander the beautiful coastline, the Emerald Isle makes for an ideal place to return to.
To obtain Irish citizenship by descent, you aren’t required to donate, make an investment, or take a citizenship test. All that’s required is proof via documentation to support your claim. To be eligible, you need to meet the following requirements:
If you were born on the island of Ireland on or prior to December 31, 2004, you are entitled to Irish citizenship.
If you were born after January 1, 2005, at least one of your parents must be an Irish citizen, British citizen, or a foreign national legally residing in Ireland for at least three out of four years before your birth.
You must be the child of someone born on the island of Ireland prior to 2005.
You are the grandchild of an Irish-born citizen who was an Irish citizen at the time of your parent’s birth.
In rare cases, you may be eligible if you have an Irish-born great grandparent, as long as your parent had their own Irish citizenship by descent registered before your birth.
The Latitude team has global experts in over 20 countries. We can advise in 14 languages. Let us help you find the perfect investment migration solution.
The Latitude team has global experts in over 20 countries. We can advise in 14 languages. Let us help you find the perfect investment migration solution.
We send you our dedicated Irish genealogical intake form. Using the information you provide us, we ascertain your eligibility for Irish citizenship by descent.
Upon receiving the signed agreement and retainer payment, our legal team will compile all necessary government forms and supporting documents. We will liaise with government bodies where necessary to build your file.
Before submitting your documents, we comprehensively review your application to ensure your file complies with the requirements set out by An Roinn Gnóthaí Eachtracha (Department of Foreign Affairs). Our legal team will complete its final checks before submitting the relevant forms.
The An Roinn Gnóthaí Eachtracha will undertake its own due diligence and reviews all the paperwork. We will continue to work closely with them throughout the process to ensure your application is timely and efficiently processed.
The Department of Foreign Affairs will assess your application, and upon approval, you must pay any applicable government fees. We will then arrange for all relevant citizenship certificates to be sent out. Following this, we can help you apply for an Irish passport.
If you weren’t born in Ireland before January 1, 2005, you’ll need to gather the relevant documentation to support your application. These can be acquired from the Foreign Births Register, which allows descendants of the Irish diaspora to claim Irish citizenship by descent. As long as each new generation registers the birth before the next is born, citizenship pass from parent to child in an unbroken chain.
As long as applicants have all the relevant documentation to support their claim, they will be able to apply for Irish citizenship by descent.
Applications must be made to the Foreign Births Register, which currently has a processing time of approximately nine months.
Yes, you can hold dual or multiple citizenships as an Irish citizen. This means that you do not have to give up your original citizenship status to qualify for Irish citizenship through ancestry.
The Ireland passport is among the world’s 10 most powerful travel documents. Currently, it ranks 6th strongest. The Irish passport allows you visa-free travel to 189 countries, including the European Union Schengen Zone, Singapore, and the United Kingdom.
Our team operates in over 20 countries worldwide, securing second citizenship or residency in desirable locations and unlocking a brighter future.
Visa-free travel to 189 countries
2-9 months application processing time