Ireland
Irish citizenship by descent
One grandparent born anywhere on the island of Ireland is enough. We trace the Irish birth record, assemble every certificate and prepare your Foreign Births Register application.
Open: Irish-born parent or grandparent Last legally reviewed: October 2026
At a glance
- GenerationsGrandparent (great-grandparent in some cases)
- Language testNone
- Government fee€278 adult, €153 child
- TimelineAround 9-12 months, sometimes longer
How Irish citizenship by descent works
- With an Irish-born parent you are already Irish and apply straight for a passport.
- With an Irish-born grandparent you register on the Foreign Births Register (FBR), online, then post the originals to Ireland.
- Citizenship starts on the date of registration, not your birth, which matters for your own children.
- Great-grandchildren qualify only if their parent was registered on the FBR before they were born.
Documents you will need
- Your long-form civil birth certificate (not hospital or commemorative copies)
- Your parent's long-form birth certificate
- Your parents' and grandparents' civil marriage certificates
- Your grandparent's Irish birth certificate (we can search Irish civil and church records)
- Witnessed photo ID and proof of address
US documents are in English, so no translation is needed. Check the current Foreign Births Register document guide before ordering apostilles.
Free, 2 minutes
Do you qualify for Irish citizenship?
A preliminary answer based on Irish nationality law. Your Eligibility Report confirms it.
Ireland | Question 1 of 1
Who is your closest ancestor born on the island of Ireland?
Northern Ireland counts too.
Irish citizenship pricing
One fee for our work, agreed up front. Government fees, apostilles and translations are passed through at cost. Pay 40% at start, 40% at submission and 20% on approval.
Start here
Eligibility Report
A specialist reviews your family tree, checks which records exist and confirms your route, timeline and total cost in writing.
Irish Record Search
€350
You know your grandparent was Irish but not where the birth was recorded.
Is this my route?Foreign Births Register
€1,450
Your grandparent was born on the island of Ireland. Includes record search, all certificates and the full application.
Is this my route?Irish Passport Prep
€450
Your parent was born in Ireland, so you are already Irish and only need a passport.
Is this my route?How we work
- 1
Check eligibility
Answer a few questions online. A specialist reviews your family tree and confirms your route in a written Eligibility Report.
- 2
We find the records
Our researchers search registers and archives in the old country and order your US, Australian, Canadian or UK records.
- 3
We build the file
Long-form certificates, apostilles in the right order, certified translations, name-spelling corrections and every form, checked twice.
- 4
Submit, track, celebrate
We submit, follow up with the authorities and update your case portal until your passport appointment.
Irish citizenship FAQ
Does Northern Ireland count?
Yes. A grandparent born anywhere on the island of Ireland, including Northern Ireland, qualifies you for the Foreign Births Register.
Can I qualify through a great-grandparent?
Only if your parent was registered on the Foreign Births Register before you were born. Citizenship through the register starts on the registration date, not at birth.
Do I need to live in Ireland or speak Irish?
No. There is no residence or language requirement for the Foreign Births Register.
Why use a service if the form is online?
The form is simple. The hard parts are finding a pre-1900 Irish birth record, ordering the right certified certificates in the right format and avoiding rejections that cost months. That is what we do.
Next step
Request your Irish Eligibility Report
A citizenship specialist replies within one business day with what we need and a payment link (€249, credited toward your package).
Ancestors from more than one country? Greek citizenship | Polish citizenship