Ireland · Citizenship & Renewals

Citizenship by descent and Foreign Births Register

For individuals born outside Ireland with a grandparent born in Ireland, allowing entry onto the Foreign Births Register to become an Irish citizen.

Check your eligibilityAll citizenship & renewals
Who it suits

Who this pathway suits

Individuals with Irish-born grandparents or parents.

Eligibility

Eligibility at a glance

  • Parent was born in Ireland: You are an Irish citizen automatically at birth
  • Grandparent born in Ireland: You are entitled to become an Irish citizen by registering your birth in the Foreign Births Register
Process

How the process works

  1. Submit online application via Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA)
  2. Collate complete set of certified birth, marriage, and death certificates tracing lineage back to the Irish-born ancestor
  3. Post dossier to Dublin
  4. FBR Certificate issued
  5. Apply for Irish passport
Documents

Documents you will typically need

  • Applicant's birth certificate, parents' birth and marriage certificates, Irish-born grandparent's civil birth certificate and marriage certificate
Good to know

What to keep in mind

Entry onto the Foreign Births Register gives you full, lifelong Irish citizenship and an EU passport, which can also be passed to children born after registration.

Official source: Department of Foreign Affairs — Foreign Births Registration. Government authorities make all final decisions; no outcome is guaranteed.

Ecosystem Architecture

Parallel Options & Supporting Tools for Citizenship by descent and Foreign Births Register

Explore supporting intelligence briefings, interactive points assessment tools, institutional services, and parallel global migration pathways.

Is Citizenship by descent and Foreign Births Register the right route for you?

Get a free, no-obligation assessment of your profile. A senior adviser will review your options and explain the realistic pathways that fit.

Get a Free AssessmentWhatsApp an Adviser