queeniequick

Hi - I’m English born, as are my parents but my maternal grandparents was Irish. Under law, I’m entitled to an Irish passport. I’ve thought about applying for it.
As I understand, Ireland is a qualifying country for the diversity lottery to the US. Would being an Irish passport holder entitle me to apply with my English spouse?
I’ve looked at the details and it firmly seems to situate your place of birth as the main issue that defines nationality. However, it speaks of an applicants native status which suggests that family lineage as a possible criteria. Does anyone have an ideas on this? Or point me in a direction to find out? I’ve looked at every FAQ and it doesn’t confirm an answer in this scenario.
Thanks in advance

Noorah101

The ONLY criteria is where you were born. Not what countries you are a citizen of or hold a passport of.

If you are married and your spouse was born in a qualifying country, then you can both apply on that basis.

Rene

Rete

The FAQ and other sites are very clear that you are ineligible to participate in the DV Lottery based solely on a passport from North Ireland obtained through your grandparents. Your parents were born in the UK as were you. While you are entitled to the Irish Passport, you are not eligible for the Lottery.

queeniequick

You mention a Northern Irish passport. It’s not. It’s Irish. Northern Ireland is exempt.

queeniequick

Thank you, Rene. This was as I suspected, but I noticed some grey area on websites that didn’t explicitly say this. So I thought I’d ask the forum in the hope of getting some clarity. Thank you

BritInParis

There's no such thing as a "Northern Irish" passport. There are British and Irish passports. A birth anywhere on the island of Ireland makes you eligible for the DV Lottery so the exemption you are speaking of is for applicants who were born in Northern Ireland but hold a British passport. As both you, your parents and your spouse were all born in England then you are not eligible.

queeniequick

I know this. The previous poster mentioned ‘northern irish’ so I confirmed i made no mention of that.
I am just trying to absolutely confirm that I am not eligible for DV lottery as an Irish passport holder given my irish heritage.
FAQ’s do no not explicitly confirm this. They say that you either have to be born in a qualifying country or be of that countries native heritage. I am trying to confirm either way whether I am the latter - whatever that ‘native heritage’ bit constitutes!
I don’t suppose I am based on the information so far, I have also emailed them to be 100% sure.

az2014

Native means being born there. Its pretty clear.

BritInParis

“Native of a country whose natives qualify: In most cases this means the country in which you were born. However, there are two other ways you may be able to qualify. First, if you were born in a country whose natives are ineligible but your spouse was born in a country whose natives are eligible; you can claim your spouse’s country of birth provided both you and your spouse are on the selected entry, are issued visas and enter the U.S. simultaneously. Second, if you were born in a country whose natives are ineligible, but neither of your parents was born there or resided there at the time of your birth, you may claim nativity in one of your parents’ country of birth if it is a country whose natives qualify for the DV-2019 program.”

Rete

t'was me ... I confused north and south.

queeniequick

I appreciate your efforts to respond but there’s no need to be quite so patronisingly barbed in your comment.
I KNOW what ‘native’ means. I’m not an imbecile. I am just politely CHECKING with anyone helpful enough, or who has experience of the process, as to reference of the term ‘native heritage’ - as this phraseology contains potential ambiguity, referring to that of inherited lineage as supposed to simply ‘country of birth’ or just ‘native’. I’m trying to be 100% sure I’m not eliminating myself from something I might be entitled to apply for. As clearly stated, I realise I am not a native of a qualifying country and most likely unable to apply. I was just asking for clarification on this phrase in case I’m mistaken, to be sure.

(And the fact I’m saying ‘to be sure’ must positively confirm my absolute Irish-ness! Haha!)

queeniequick

Thanks for that segment. That’s clear.

Twinkle0927

There's only one source you need to check - the official government source:

https://travel.state.gov/content/dam/visas/Diversity-Visa/DV-Instructions-Translations/DV-2018-Instructions-Translations/DV-2018%20Instructions%20English.pdf

You asked for anyone with experience of the process - that's unlikely on a forum for British expats given that the majority of Brits are not eligible. However, I have Irish citizenship in the same way that you do and can confirm that this is not enough for you to qualify.

Steve_

I know someone who is British who got in under the DV lottery, they did allow a few in back when it first started.

Anyway everyone seems to want to scrap it so I wouldn't feel too left out when they do.

scot47

The whole point of the DIVERSITY lottery was to discriminate AGAINST those from an Anglo background !


The idea was to DIVERSIFY the population mix of the US.