Naturalisation by Association

Before applying for Irish citizenship, it’s important to confirm whether you are already considered an Irish citizen.
If you—or one of your parents—were born on the island of Ireland before 1 January 2005, you are automatically an Irish citizen by birth. Irish-born parents could also pass citizenship to their children under the laws in place at the time.
Verifying your status now could save you the time and cost of a full citizenship application.

If you are not already an Irish citizen, then you may be able to get Irish citizenship if you have:
A parent who is/was an Irish citizen, or is/was entitled to be an Irish citizen
A grandparent who is/was an Irish citizen
A great-grandparent who is/was an Irish citizen
Married/in a civil partnership with an Irish citizen
Lived in Ireland for an extended period of time

If you are not already an Irish citizen, you may qualify for Irish citizenship if any of the following apply:
You have a parent who is or was an Irish citizen (or entitled to be one)
You have a grandparent who is or was an Irish citizen
You have a great-grandparent who was an Irish citizen (in some limited cases)
You are married to or in a civil partnership with an Irish citizen
You have lawfully resided in Ireland for a sufficient period of time and meet the naturalisation requirements
Each route has specific eligibility criteria, and supporting evidence will be required.

If your parent was born outside of Ireland but was an Irish citizen at the time of your birth (or was entitled to Irish citizenship), you may be eligible to register on the Foreign Births Register. Once registered, you will be recognised as an Irish citizen from the date of registration.

If your grandparent was born in Ireland, and your parent was an Irish citizen at the time of your birth (or was entitled to Irish citizenship), you may be eligible to register on the Foreign Births Register. Upon registration, you will be granted Irish citizenship effective from the date of registration.

If you have an Irish great-grandparent, you may be eligible for Irish citizenship by association. To qualify, you must typically demonstrate a substantial connection to Ireland — most often by proving that you have legally resided in the country for at least three years.

If you are married to, or in a civil partnership with, an Irish citizen, you may be eligible to apply for Irish citizenship after three years of marriage or partnership. In addition, you must have legally resided in Ireland for a minimum of three years.
You’ve lived in Ireland for an extended period of time
If you’ve lived in Ireland for five years out of the last nine years, then you are eligible to Irish citizenship by naturalisation. This is reduced to three years in certain situations, including if you have been declared as a refugee or you’re a child whose parent has obtained citizenship through naturalisation.

In most cases, Irish citizenship can only be claimed through a parent, grandparent, or great-grandparent. Applications based on a great-grandparent are more complex and require strong evidence of a close connection to Ireland, such as significant residence. You cannot claim Irish citizenship through more distant relatives such as siblings, cousins, aunts, or uncles.

Yes, if you are applying for Irish citizenship by descent or association, you must demonstrate a clear connection to your Irish ancestor. This typically involves providing official records such as their birth, marriage, and death certificates. Having these documents available in advance will assist our solicitors in assessing your eligibility and guiding you through the application process efficiently.