Obtaining and Applying for Dual Irish Citizenship: Birth, Marriage, Decent and Naturalization
There are three ways to become an Irish citizen. The first is through birth or descent, which means that you or your parents were born in Ireland and have Irish citizenship. The second is by marriage and the third is through naturalization. We will look at the all three in detail below.
To become an Irish citizen you do not need to drop your own citizenship. In other words, you are allowed to have dual citizenship, unless your country of birth does not allow it. This is one of the many perks of becoming an Irish citizen.
Because the Ireland is part of the European Union you are able to travel freely in France, England, Germany, Italy, Spain and many other EU countries. You are also able to gain unemployment insurance, health insurance and pension rights through the EU once you are a citizen.
Obtaining Irish Citizenship through Birth or Decent If you were born in Ireland, then you have Irish citizenship. Furthermore, if either of your parents were born in Ireland and are citizens of Ireland, then you also qualify for automatic citizenship, even if you live overseas.
It becomes a little more complicated if either one of your parents have Irish citizenship but were not born in Ireland. You can still claim Irish citizenship but you need to seek special permission. This is also the case if you have Irish-born grandparents. You will need to register with the Department of Foreign Affairs.
Applying for Irish Citizenship through Marriage To obtain Irish citizenship through marriage you must have been married for at least three years to an Irish citizen. You will need to prove your marriage is genuine with a marriage certificate and statements by both parties. In 2005 a law was passed that states that all non-Irish citizen spouses must also live in Ireland for a certain amount of time before being able to apply for citizenship. In other words, if you and your husband have been living overseas for the past five years, you cannot automatically take his Irish citizenship. You must live in Ireland.
Obtaining Irish Citizenship through Naturalization You can also naturally become an Irish citizen if you have lived in Ireland for five years. For those who have been in Ireland of various work permits then this may work for you. However, you must have your residency, you must be over 18, you must demonstrate that you are of good character and you must have a formal declaration of fidelity to the nation and loyalty to the state.
Compared to many other countries in the world, obtaining your Irish citizenship is relatively simple. Check with the Irish embassy for the application forms and procedure.