Irish citizenship

Frequently asked questions on who can become an Irish citizen.

Irish citizens are formal members of the Irish community living in Ireland and living abroad. What is Irish citizenship and what is your right to Irish citizenship?

You are not automatically an Irish citizen if you were born on the island of Ireland. You may be entitled to Irish citizenship if your parent(s) or grandparents were Irish. You may be entitled to Irish citizenship if you were born outside of Ireland, but you may need to register your birth.

Naturalisation is the process through which a foreign national can become an Irish citizen. Find out more about who is eligible to become an Irish citizen through naturalisation and how to apply for naturalisation.

If you are a non-Irish national who is married to or in a civil partnership with an Irish citizen, you may be able to become an Irish citizen if you fulfil certain conditions.

If your grandparents were born in Ireland, but you were born abroad, your birth must be registered in the Foreign Births Register to claim Irish citizenship. This document explains how to do this.