Why You Want an Irish Passport

It seems appropriate on St. Patrick's Day to celebrate one's Irish ancestry. If you had one parent or grandparent who was Irish, it is possible that you could obtain an Irish Passport. In fact, there is a proposal to grant Irish citizenship to anyone descended from at least one great-grandparent who was a native of Ireland.

Hundreds of thousands of Americans, Canadians, Australians, New Zealanders, South Africans, and probably many others can legally obtain Irish passports because of their ancestry. Why would you want to do that?

Ask any of the Irish passport holders who were safely evacuated from war-torn Lebanon a couple of years ago. They were able to get out safely when Americans and others could not, thanks to their passports and the prominent placement of the Irish Tricolours on the front of the two buses carrying them across the Syrian border.

One’s Irishness, and in particular the carrying of an Irish passport, has helped many Irish citizens avoid potentially life-endangering situations. The Irish are known worldwide for being politically neutral. Irish humanitarian workers have often reported that they are able to win the confidence of needy groups in distressed situations.

In fact, the Irish passport has helped many get through places where they would have been killed or incarcerated had they been carrying an American or British passport. For instance, Lieutenant Colonel Tim Collins was born in Northern Ireland, a part of the United Kingdom. He was the commanding officer of the Royal Irish Regiment of the British Army at the start of the Iraq war. He is now retired and works as a military consultant. He travels in Iraq and throughout the Middle East. He would never be able to travel in those areas if he used his British passport. However, Colonel Collins’ Irish ancestry entitles him to legally carry an Irish passport, which, in turn, opens doors.

All natives of Northern Ireland can carry a British passport or an Irish passport. As another former British soldier with Irish ancestry reports, “It’s not a political statement. It’s just that Irish documents carry very little baggage abroad. Ireland is a neutral country, and it has never invaded anywhere else or even fought in a war.”

An Irish passport is one of the most prized travel documents for business and security experts, as well as for journalists and aid workers in the world’s trouble spots.

Another use for Irish passports is to obtain employment in European Union countries. Anyone with an Irish passport may obtain employment in many European countries without the formalities of work permits.

To obtain an Irish passport, you must become an Irish citizen. However, Americans may hold dual citizenship. That is, Americans do not need to give up their American citizenship in order to claim Irish citizenship.

So, who is eligible for an Irish passport? For starters, Irish citizenship is automatic for people who meet these definitions:

• Anyone born in Ireland prior to 1 January 2005 is an Irish citizen, except children of parents holding diplomatic immunity in Ireland. The subject becomes a bit more complex for anyone born in Ireland after 1 January 2005 as the citizenship and residency history of both parents becomes relevant.
• Anyone born outside Ireland whose father or mother was was an Irish citizen at the time of the child's birth, is an Irish citizen.
• If you have at least one grandparent who was an Irish citizen, the law infers that your parent was an Irish citizen due to his or her parent's citizenship and therefore you have a right to become an Irish citizen based on your parent's citizenship. At this time, only a grandparent's citizenship is recognized; you cannot apply for Irish citizenship based upon earlier generations. However, that may change soon.

If one of the above does not apply, citizenship is not automatic and must be acquired through application. Irish citizenship and a passport are possible for anyone with at least one grandparent who was an Irish citizen. However, an application must be made and documentation submitted. In normal circumstances, three documents concerning the grandparent are required:

1. The full, long form (i.e. showing the names of the parents of the child) Irish birth certificate. Birth records have been maintained centrally in Ireland since 1864, and you can obtain certified copies by applying to the Registrar of Births, Block 7 Irish Life Centre, Lower Abbey St, Dublin 1, Ireland or by applying to the Superintendent Registrar of the district where your grandparent was born. Requests to the Registrar should detail the grandparent's full name, along with their date and place of birth. If not already known, this information is often obtainable from death/marriage certificates.
2. The marriage license or certificate.
3. If the grandparent is deceased, the death certificate; if living, a current official photo I.D. (such as a driving license, passport).

Similar documentation is also required for the parent, and even more information is required of the applicant (passport-size photographs, long-form birth certificate, notarized copies of proof of identity, etc.). 

You can find more information at the Embassy of Ireland’s web site at: http://www.irelandemb.org/fbr.html.

While today's law grants citizenship only to the children and grandchildren of Irish nationals, Ireland's Prime Minister Brian Cowen of Ireland delivered a speech last Friday night at the American Irish Historical Society on Fifth Avenue in Manhattan. In a move to woo Irish-Americans, Mr. Cowen proposed measures to make it easier for Americans to claim Irish citizenship, reversing a restrictive course the Irish government took in 2005.

“The connections between Ireland and America remain strong,” Mr. Cowen said, “but we cannot take them for granted.”

Mr. Cowen, who took office last May, has been grappling with a slate of problems that will seem familiar to Americans. Ireland is suffering through the worst housing bust in Europe. The unemployment rate now exceeds 10 percent. The government has grabbed billions from pension funds to prop up failing banks. Public servants have seen their paychecks slashed. Bankers and architects are applying for jobs at McDonald’s. As a result, popular support for his government has plummeted.

But Mr. Cowen was cheered Sunday, at least in some quarters, for his proposal to ease naturalization by allowing Americans whose nearest Irish ancestor is a great-grandparent to qualify for citizenship, provided that they have spent considerable time studying or working in Ireland. Under current law, the most distant forebear an American could claim and still qualify for Irish citizenship is a grandparent.

“There’s an awful lot of Irish-Americans who feel very cut off by the ‘grandfather rule,’ ” said Niall O’Dowd, the former chairman of the Irish Lobby for Immigration Reform and a founder of the Irish Voice newspaper in New York. “This would open up Irish citizenship to a whole new generation of Irish-Americans.”

Comments

[bet]

This is wonderful news. Three of my grandparents came from Ireland, so I will apply.

[Bill Teschek]

Supposedly you can get Italian citizenship if you have a great-grandparent born in Italy.

[Peter Weeks]

Does the same rule apply to holders of a English passport.

[George]

Doesn't becoming an Irish citizen also make you subject to the laws of the European Union, even if you live in the USA? Would that reduce any of the protections we have as American citizens?

[Iana Turner]

Is there anything for Scottish Americans?

[Gwen McCullagh]

There is no such thing as an "English" passport. The political entity is the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
(UK)

[Sharon Cottle]

Each EU country has their own definition regarding granting citizenship to their diaspora. Some will only accept a father's citizenship. It is necessary to check each country.

[Jean Adele Roth]

I don't quite understand the proposal. Does it mean that I have to have lived and worked in Ireland? I have a great grandparent - born in 1843 in Co. Mayo. There is no record of his birth as the parish records end in 1836. I have located his father and his father's first wife and three children through the North Mayo Heritage Center. I do have US Federal census records showing his birth in Ireland and his Naturalization final paper which shows giving up his "United Kingdom" citizenship. I also have his death certificate which shows birth in Ireland. He left in 1861 at the age of 17.

[RICHARD A DOHERTY]

My Wife's father was born in Dublin Ireland in 1910.She can obtain an Irish Passport .May I obtain an Irish Passport,based on her dual citizenship?

[Stacie McKay]

You can apply for a UK Passport based on grandparents at the moment. My brother is applying so that he can try-out for the Welsh Lacrosse Team [Our grandfather was born and raised in Wales] ;)

It would be most difficult for me to apply for an Irish passport even though I'm 75% Irish since I've yet to locate where in Ireland we're from.

Happy St. Patty's Day!!!

[Sierra B.]

Here's what I found online..but I see nothing about Great Grandparent qualifying anyone. Sorry this didn't copy very well but you can visit the site the link is below.

EMBASSY OF IRELAND, LONDONDear Sir/Madam,17, GROSVENOR PLACE,SW1X7HRTelephone: 020-7235 2171Direct Line: 020-7201 2 511Fax: 020-7245 6961

http://www.embassyorireland.co.iikI

refer to your enquiry about acquiring Irish citizenship by Foreign Births Entry (FBK) under the terms of the IrishNationality and Citizenship Acts, 1956 and 1986.Anyone born outside Ireland, who at the lime of his/her birth had a parent who was an Irish citizen, other than by birth inIreland, may become an Irish citizen by applying for FBE. This Embassy only accepts applications for FBE from legalresidents of the United Kingdom and Channel Islands.In all cases a fully completed application form is required, FBI A for applicants 18 and over or FBI B if under 18. SectionsA & B must be completed for all applications and Section C where relevant. Section D must be signed in the presence ofthe witness who will countersign Section E.Where the registration is sought on the basis of having a GRANDPARENT WHO was born in IRELAND, all ofthe following must be produced to prove the line of descent;Documents relating to the person whose birth is to be registered (named in Section A)1.2.3.4.Original civil birth registration certificate showing full details of parents to establish a clearrelationship.Original civil marriage registration certificate, if married, showing the age of each party at the date ofmarriage and the names of at least one of the parents of each party.Two proofs of address given in Section D, e.g. phone, gas, electricity, council tax or water rales bills,bank or credit card statements, etc. If the applicant is under 18 proofs may be addressed to the personnamed in Section B of the application form Proofs must be no more that three months old.Non-EU nationals must show their original foreign passport with their current UKvisa/permit/entry clearance. This will be returned promptly.NOTE: Where the person to be registered is under 18 years of age, the Declarant (parent) must completeand SIGN Section D of the FB1B form. S/he must provide two of his/her own photographs, together withtwo to the child to be registered.Documents relating to the parent, through whom Irish citizenship is said to be derived (named in Section B)5. Original civil birth registration certificate showing füll details of the Irish born parent to establish aclear relationship.Original civil marriage registration certificate, if married, showing the age of each party at the dale ofmarriage and the names of at least one of the parents of each party.A photocopy of a formal, government issued ID e.g. passport, drivers licence, OR if the parent isdeceased, an original of the civil death certifícale must be provided6.7.8.9.10.Documents relating to the grandparent born in Ireland (named in Section C)Original, long form, civil Irish birth certificate showing full details of parents. If the grandparent wasbom before 1864, Baptism certifícales are only considered with a search certifícale from the GeneralRegistrar's OITice of Ireland (ph.00 353 1 635 4000 or visit www.groireland.ie ) slating that birth was notregistered along with further evidence of birth in Ireland.Original, civil marriage registration certificate, if married.showing the age of each party at the date ofmarriage and the names of at least one of the parents of each parly.A photocopy of a formal, government issued ID e.g. passport, driver's licence. OR if the grandparent isdeceased, an original of the civil death certifícate musi be providedA PHOTOCOPY OF EACH DOCUMENT MUST ALSO BE SUBMITTED.
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If the parent of the applicant acquired citizenship before the birth of the applicant via FOREIGN BirthsRegistration/Entry (FBR/E), Post-nuptial Citizenship (PNC) or naturalisation*, all of thefollowing must be produced to prove the line of descent;1. Applicant s original civil birth registration certificate showing full details of parents to establish a clearrelationship;2. The original civil birth registration certificate, civil marriage registration certificate (if married) andcopy of the Irish passport of parent who has already acquired Irish citizenship;3. The original of the parent=s FBR/E certificate, PNC approval letter/certificate or theNaturalisation* certificate; (*A declaration of intention to retain Irish Citizenship may berequired)4. Two proofs of address given in Section D. e.g. phone, gas, electricity, council tax, or water rates bills,bank or credit card statements, etc. If the applicant is under 18, proofs maybe addressed to the personnamed in Section B of the application form. Proofs must be no more that three months old;5. Non-EU nationals must show their original foreign passport with their current UKvisa/permit/entry clearance. This will be returned promptly.A PHOTOCOPY OF EACH DOCUMENT MUST ALSO BE SUBMITTEDIt is NOT necessary to send in Original EU passports, a photocopy will suffice.All original documents are returned when the application is processed.Original Certificates:Only original certificates issued by the appropriate state authority are accepted. The Embassy may request that anydocuments originating from outside the European Union have an >ApostitleEmbassy of lreland=. Pleasedo not send cash through the post. Please make sure to send in the CORRECT feeFurther Information:Queries regarding applications may be made by contacting us on (020) 7235 2171, ext. 535 or via email tolhrloiuloii(a iliu.ic. Applications may be made in person by appointment between 2.30pm and 5.00pm on Thursdays.Applications by Post should be returned to:Embassy of Ireland, Citizenship Section, 17 Grosvenor Place, London, SW1X 71 IR

[Dick Eastman]

---> but I see nothing about Great Grandparent qualifying anyone

Check out Ireland's Prime Minister Brian Cowen's speech last Friday night at the American Irish Historical Society on Fifth Avenue in Manhattan. As mentioned in the above article, it is a PROPOSAL at this time.

- Dick Eastman

[Jim Castellan]

You didn't mention another nice benefit to holding an EU citizenship and passport. You get to use the fast arrival EU citizen lane when traveling into the EU.

Before 1986, a great grandparent of Irish birth was sufficient to apply for Foreign Birth Entry as a foreign born Irish citizen. But the EU forced Ireland to tighten up their citizenship rules since any EU country citizen had automatic travel and employment rights in any other EU country. (Thus today you're more likely to be served by a Pole or Spaniard at a fastfood shop in Dublin than a native born Irish.)

I suspect given the security concerns that have grown since 1986, Ireland will have difficulty persuading the EU to allow it to expand FBE citizenship to great grandparents.

[Roger Bruton]

Dick

Many thanks for posting the link to http://www.deathorcanada.com -- it was very interesting and moving.

Also, I will second your comments about having an Irish passport -- I have one myself, as well as a UK passport. Last month I returned from my third trip, driving down the west coast of Africa ( http://www.artfulbodgers.co.uk ) and I find that wearing a palestinian scarf and carrying an Irish passport oils the wheels of bureaucracy wonderfully! In fact, at the Mauritania/Senegal border, we were invited to drink tea and watch AlJazeera by the police chief!

I LOVE my Irish passport!!

Roger Bruton

[Vicki]

Hi

I must be doing something wrong as when I click on the link above it takes me to another site which doesn't appear to contain the information, so I clicked on the link "Embassy of Ireland" which just takes me to a page with search results that have no relevance to the Irish Embassy.

Vicki

[John]

As an American with an Irish passport, here are some things I found:

Although I was born in the US, my parents were Irish citizens (by birth) living in the US, technically giving me Irish citizenship at birth. However, my parents never registered my birth with the Irish Embassy, and in rectifying that, I ended up essentially following the procedures listed in prior comments. Once I had my foreign birth registration on file, I could get the passport. Once I had the passport I then registered my children. Here again, I should have been an Irish citizen (born abroad) so my kids get their citizenship through me, but because so much time had passed, the Irish approved my children not based on my status but on my parents (their grandparents). This becomes an issue should they have children and want to do the citizenship thing. I have advised my siblings to do the paperwork so their kids have the EU available to them and so that they can register their kids at birth and push that issue of just how the citizenship devolves.

It's not hard but they mean what they say for the documentation and you have to get originals or a lot of things and notarized copies of more and even statements from cops or priests or other prominent citizens. Follow the intructions or be prepared for things being returned.

As far as being a dual citizen, it's not an issue. I did have to push hard while getting a security clearance when it was strongly suggested I give it up but other than that, it's not been an issue. Neither country requires you renounce the other; I was told the US took a more moderate view of dual citizenship when pushed by the impact of Israel's practice for citizenship. Don't care why the US softened it's prior hard-line view of citizenship but I work for the government and it's not an issue.

As an Irish citizen, I'd be subject to their rules if in Ireland like I'm subject to rules as an American in America. When leaving or entering the US, I need to use my US passport, but at the other end I can use my Irish passport to enter or leave that country. But in case of trouble, I could pick either US or Irish embassy for help and in some areas of the world that could be very important. However, to put things in perspective, under rules that may be changing, if I had traveled to Canada and then to Cuba (which I would enter using my Irish passport) I would still be in violation of US statutes affecting restrictions on such travel for US Citizens and could be charged with a violation despite the fact the US Passport was never involved in the travel.

But in the EU, having the EU passport really is great for being able to work and stay without the need for visa and such that Americans would need.

[Jamal]

My British Passport does me just fine, even though i could probable get a Irish one to because my mum's father is Irish.

[Nathaniel Taylor]

My mother is 79, and her grandfather was born in Ireland in 1857 (immigrated to US in 1870s). Could she really get an Irish passport, or not, since her grandfather's birth predates the Irish state (and civil registration of births)? I suppose his US naturalization papers would prove his Irish birth, but wouldn't that sort of defeat the purpose as the evidence used would be that of his giving up his natal allegiance? And, if my mother were to get such a passport, would I then be eligible to apply for one?

[Dick Eastman]

The date of the establishment of an Irish state is irrelevant. Passports are available to all people born on the island, including those born in what is now called Northern Ireland as well as those born in the Irish Republic.

Your mother is eligible for Irish citizenship as she is the granddaughter of a person born in Ireland. However, I believe that you are not eligible under the present rules. Should Ireland's Prime Minister Brian Cowen's proposal for great-grandchildren ever become law, you would become eligible at that time.

- Dick Eastman

[seán]

Dick, i think thats wrong. Nathanial couldnt apply for citizenship now as he's not eligible, but if his mum applied via the foreign births register she can then register him on the foreign births register and he becomes an Irish citizen. His kids can then apply like he did on the foreign births register for generations to come! The only possible issue is shes 79, it's not like shes registering his birth at his birth. However I didnt register until I was in my 20's so im not sure if there would be an issue, but double check.

I became an Irish citizen through grandparents and it was no hassle(as long as you have all the documents), and I have since registered my kids on the register and they have passports too - i registered them just after their birth though.

And you get a smile when you go through customs :) you dont get that with a British passport!

[seán]

Heres a link to the application for your mum to register on the foreign births register.

http://www.dfa.ie/uploads/documents/Consular/Consular%20Services%20Applic%20Forms/fb1a.pdf

[seán]

Oh and heres the website http://www.foreignaffairs.gov.ie/home/index.aspx?id=267#for

[seán]

Sorry, I am wrong. Nathanial would only be entitled if his mother was registered on the foreign births register at the time of his birth. Read the following link.

Sorry, it transpires my kids could get their passports cos I was registered on the foreign births register at the time of their birth.

Sorry to disappoint if you read the above post first.

http://www.citizensinformation.ie/categories/moving-country/irish-citizenship/irish_citizenship_through_birth_or_descent

[Dick Eastman]

I certainly am not an expert in Irish law but when I read the info published by the Irish government I noted that most of the wording did not refer to the parents' citizenship. Most of the time it would say "born in Ireland." That is different.

I believe the law specifically states: "Anyone BORN IN IRELAND prior to 1 January 2005 is an Irish citizen" with a few minor exceptions. Then citizenship can be granted to their children and grandchildren, even if those children and grandchildren were born outside of Ireland. But those citizenship rights do not extend to further generations.

For instance, you can obtain Irish citizenship if you have at least one grandparent born in Ireland. That is not the same thing as saying a grandparent who was an Irish citizen. If your grandparent was born OUTSIDE of Ireland but later obtained Irish citizenship, does that still count? I don't think so. I believe the critical words are BORN IN IRELAND.

Perhaps someone with formal training in the Irish legal system can jump in here and clarify this for all of us.

- Dick Eastman

[Tiffany]

"Before 1986, a great grandparent of Irish birth was sufficient to apply for Foreign Birth Entry as a foreign born Irish citizen. But the EU forced Ireland to tighten up their citizenship rules since any EU country citizen had automatic travel and employment rights in any other EU country. (Thus today you're more likely to be served by a Pole or Spaniard at a fastfood shop in Dublin than a native born Irish.)" - Posted by: Jim Castellan | March 17, 2009 at 03:11 PM

I find this comment a bit funny as derivation of Italian citizenship by virtue of blood still has no generational limit. One can qualify for it through a great-great-grandparent and I know people that have done it this way.

Wonder why the EU didn't tighten up on Italy, or was it really a decision by the Irish government at the time that now wishes to expand that (referencing Cowen's comments)?

I am eligible and have already applied for Italian citizenship, but were the laws to broaden I'd also be eligible for an Irish passport through my Irish great-grandmother.

[Phil]

Old thread perhaps.. EU didn't force Ireland to change it's laws, Ireland decided to make it a bit more difficult, for reasons I don't know. There are two keys: one is that you had to be BORN to an Irish citizen, the other is that if your parent was not born in Ireland you must REGISTER to make your citizenship official. The first generation born out of Ireland is born to an Irish born Citizen and thus is a citizen automatically. Their children are citizens as well but it's not automatic as the parent was not born in Ireland; they must register to make the citizenship effective. Once registered, their children are citizens, as soon as those children register. If the parent does not register before the child is born, they do not qualify as they are not the child of a citizen. All of my neices and nephews are ggchildren, all were able to register the last day the law was in effect that allowed retroactive registration. They must register their children for their grandchildren to qualify.

I also travel on my Irish passport whenever possible, I find people are quite friendly even when they never heard of Ireland. US passports do not always bring out the best in people.

[Irish Roots]

Hi,

Irish Roots magazine also ran a very interesting article on Irish Citizenship by descent and they are currently showing it on their website. www.irishrootsmagazine.com