SuperScienceGrl

Hi!

Yes... I'm another of those people. My granddad was born in Ireland, so my father and I are (hopefully) going to claim Irish citizenship and passports via descent. It would be very useful to me, because I'm likely to work in the EU at some point.

I just wanted to check with some other people about the process. I think we need to sign onto the Foreign Births Register, then apply for citizenship separately(?), then apply for a passport. Is this correct?

My friend said we'd need to pay these fees: Citizenship Fees but I thought that was just for naturalization. Which of us is correct?!

Thanks guys!

BritInParis

Presuming both you and your father were born outside of the island of Ireland then your father is already an Irish citizen and would only need to apply for his Irish passport but you will need to register your details in the Foreign Births Register at the Irish Consulate General in Chicago. Once you do this you are an Irish citizen. There is no further application to make other than to apply for your passport.

Any children of yours who are born outside of the island of Ireland after you enter your name on the FBR are also eligible to be added to the FBR and providing each generation is registered before the next one is born then Irish citizenship can be passed on indefinitely in this manner as the law stands.

SuperScienceGrl

Oh... okay! Yes, my father was born in Liverpool. Of course, it now makes sense that he's already a citizen without a passport. This is amazing! Thanks for your help. I'd looked through all the official things but they can be so unclear at times. The Irish Government FAQ page for UK citizens wanting post-Brexit citizenship even omits to mention certain facts (deliberately?).

Well this is great! I'm so excited. I feel I must go and learn more about my Irish heritage now... and book a future trip to the country to thank it...