Do I qualify for Irish citizenship if my grandparent was born in Ireland?

Generally yes. If one of your grandparents was born on the island of Ireland, you are usually entitled to become an Irish citizen by registering on the Foreign Births Register.

Irish citizenship by descent · Foreign Births Register

Your grandparent was born in Ireland. You may be Irish too.

Q: Can I pass Irish citizenship to my children?

Yes. If you register on the Foreign Births Register before your child is born, your child is generally an Irish citizen automatically. If you register afterwards, they may need to register in their own right.

If you have an Irish-born grandparent — or an Irish-citizen parent — you may be entitled to Irish citizenship, and an EU passport, through the Foreign Births Register. We prepare the application and assemble the document set for you, from first check to submission-ready.

Check your eligibility See how it works

✔ Eligibility checked first ✔ Full document set assembled & certified ✔ Prepared submission-ready for the official register ✔ Keep your existing citizenship

What is the Foreign Births Register? It's the official Irish government register that lets people born outside Ireland — with an Irish-born grandparent, or an Irish-citizen parent — become Irish citizens. Once you're entered on the register, you're an Irish citizen and can apply for an Irish passport. Ireland permits dual citizenship, so you keep the citizenship you already hold.

Who qualifies

Two main routes to Irish citizenship by descent

Most people who come to us qualify through a grandparent. Tell us the family line and we'll confirm exactly where you stand before you spend a cent on documents.

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An Irish-born grandparent

If one of your grandparents was born on the island of Ireland, you're generally eligible to register on the Foreign Births Register and become an Irish citizen.

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An Irish-citizen parent

If one of your parents was an Irish citizen at the time you were born — including a parent who became Irish through the register — you may qualify to register too.

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Passing it to your children

If each generation registers before the next is born, Irish citizenship carries down the family line. Registering now can protect your children's entitlement.

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Not sure which applies?

Tell us who in your family was Irish and roughly when. We'll tell you whether you qualify, by which route, and what proof you'll need to gather.

End to end

How it works

The whole process is handled remotely, wherever you are in the United States. We do the heavy lifting; you gather the family certificates.

Eligibility check

We map your family line and confirm whether you qualify, and by which route, before you start.

We assemble your documents

We tell you exactly which birth, marriage and identity documents are needed — for you and your Irish ancestor — and get them into the right form.

We prepare your application

We complete your Foreign Births Register application accurately and package it submission-ready, so it goes in right the first time.

You register & apply for your passport

Once you're entered on the register, you're an Irish citizen — and can apply for your Irish (EU) passport.

Why use us

The document set is where these applications go wrong

✔ We check eligibility first — no wasted effort chasing documents for a claim that won't succeed.
✔ We know exactly which civil records the Irish authorities accept, and how each must be presented.
✔ Backed by a London notarial practice experienced in certifying and authenticating documents for use abroad.
✔ One point of contact who handles the whole file — not a form you fill in alone.
✔ You keep your U.S. citizenship — Ireland allows dual nationality.

Get started

Find out if you qualify

Tell us who in your family was Irish and roughly when they were born. We'll come back to you on whether you're eligible and what the next step is.

Check your eligibility

Questions

Irish citizenship by descent — FAQs

Do I qualify if my grandparent was born in Ireland?

Generally yes. If one of your grandparents was born on the island of Ireland, you're usually entitled to become an Irish citizen by registering on the Foreign Births Register. Tell us the family line and we'll confirm your position.

Will I have to give up my U.S. citizenship?

No. Ireland permits dual citizenship, so becoming an Irish citizen through the register does not require you to give up the citizenship you already hold.

How long does registration take?

Processing is handled by the Irish Department of Foreign Affairs and the current published timescale is around 12 months from a complete application. We prepare your file carefully to avoid the errors that cause the most common delays and requests for further documents.

Can I pass Irish citizenship to my children?

Yes — but timing matters. If you register on the Foreign Births Register before your child is born, your child is generally an Irish citizen automatically. If you register after, they may need to register in their own right. This is a common reason people start the process now.

What documents will I need?

Typically civil birth certificates (yours and your Irish ancestor's), any relevant marriage or name-change certificates, certified identity documents, proofs of address and passport photographs. We tell you exactly what's required for your route and help get each document into the accepted form.

Find out if you're entitled to be Irish

Tell us a little about your Irish ancestor and we'll confirm whether you qualify and set out exactly what happens next.

Call +44 20 7499 2605

Prefer email? ey@notarypubliclondon.co.uk